Date:	Tuesday 6 December 1949
Time:	day
Type:	North American Harvard T.2B
Owner/operator:	CFS RAF
Registration:	FT331
MSN:	14A-1371
Fatalities:	Fatalities: 1 / Occupants: 2
Aircraft damage:	Destroyed
Location:	Gamstone Castle, 1 mile S of RAF Little Rissington, Gloucestershire. -   United Kingdom
Phase:	En route
Nature:	Training
Departure airport:	RAF Little Rissington, Cirencester, Gloucestershire
Destination airport:	RAF Little Rissington, Gloucestershire (EGVL)

Narrative:
North American Harvard FT331. Ex-USAAF 43-13072 (MSN 14A-1371). Delivered to RAF as Harvard IIb FT331. No 2 Flying Instructor School, Montrose, Scotland Aug 1944. To 7 Flying Instructor School, Upavon, Pewsey, Wiltshire Jun 1945. To Central Flying School, Little Rissington, Cheltenham, Gloucestershire May 1946.

Written off (damaged beyond repair) 6 December 1949 when crashed 1 mile South of RAF Little Rissington, Cirencester, Gloucestershire. The pilot decided to abandon the sortie due to poor weather conditions, but failed to re-set the regional pressure setting on the altimeter, even though he knew that he was flying in an area of reduced air pressure. Whilst climbing in cloud, the aircraft struck high ground at Gamstone Castle, at an altitude of 930 feet. Of the two crew, one was killed and the other was severely injured
Crew of Harvard FT331:
F/Lt (51861) William Patrick O'KANE DFM (Instructor Pilot) RAF - killed
Capt. MAHMOOD (Pilot U/T) Royal Iraqi Air Force - survived with injuries

1. Halley, James (1999). Broken Wings – Post-War Royal Air Force Accidents. Tunbridge Wells: Air-Britain (Historians) Ltd. ISBN 0-85130-290-4.
2. Final Landings: A Summary of RAF Aircraft and Combat Losses 1946 to 1949 by Colin Cummings p.560
3. The Harvard File (John F Hamlin, Air Britain, 1988)
4. https://www.joebaugher.com/usaf_serials/1943_2.html
5. https://air-britain.com/pdfs/military/Crashes_Wales_and_West_Midlands.pdf
6. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/RAF_Little_Rissington#Central_Flying_School:_1946_to_1976

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