Date:	Friday 18 November 1949
Time:	day
Type:	Avro Lancaster GR Mk III
Owner/operator:	120 Sqn RAF
Registration:	RE158
MSN:
Fatalities:	Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 7
Aircraft damage:	Destroyed
Location:	HMS Vulture, RNAS St Merryn, near Newquay, Cornwall, England -   United Kingdom
Phase:	Landing
Nature:	Military
Departure airport:	RAF St. Eval, Padstow, Cornwall
Destination airport:	HMS Vulture, RNAS St Merryn, near Newquay, Cornwall

Narrative:
Avro Lancaster ASR.III RE158, 120 Squadron, RAF: Written off (damaged beyond repair) 18 November 1949 in a landing accident at HMS Vulture, RNAS St Merryn, near Newquay, Cornwall.

The Lancaster was intending to land back at base (RAF St. Eval, Padstow, Cornwall) but was being 'talked down' by ATC (Air Traffic Control) to another airfield several miles away (HMS Vulture, RNAS St Merryn, near Newquay, Cornwall) in conditions of poor visibility and driving rain.

On touchdown at St. Merryn, the pilot was unable to stop the Lancaster in the distance available, and therefore decided to deliberately 'ground loop' the aircraft in order to prevent the aircraft from striking buildings and other obstructions on the airfield.

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.544
3. Royal Air Force Aircraft PA100-RZ999 (James J Halley, Air Britain)
4. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/RNAS_St_Merryn_(HMS_Vulture)
5. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/No._120_Squadron_RAF#Cold_War_to_2011

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