Date:	Saturday 23 July 1949
Time:	day
Type:	Supermarine Spitfire LF Mk XVI
Owner/operator:	604 (County of Middlesex) Sqn RAF
Registration:	SL599
MSN:	CBAF IX.4685
Fatalities:	Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 1
Aircraft damage:	Destroyed
Location:	RAF North Weald, North Weald Basset, Epping Forest, Essex, England -   United Kingdom
Phase:	Take off
Nature:	Military
Departure airport:	RAF North Weald, North Weald Basset, Epping Forest, Essex
Destination airport:

Narrative:
Spitfire LF. XVI SL599: MSN CBAF.IX4685. Built at CBAF (Castle Bromwich Aircraft Factory) with Merlin M266 engine. Delivered to 6 MU RAF Brize Norton 2-8-45. To 601 (County of London) Squadron, RAF Hendon, Middlesex 18-10-46. To 604 (County of Middlesex) Squadron RAF as 'NG-T' (later 'RAK-T') 31-10-46

Written off (damaged beyond repair) when crashed on takeoff RAF North Weald, North Weald Basset, Epping Forest, Essex 23-7-49. The engine had momentarily lost power on take-off. The pilot closed the throttle and the aircraft landed heavily on the runway at North Weald from an altitude of approximately 20 feet, and subsequently overran off the end of the runway. Upon later inspection it was discovered that the engine problems were caused by a big end bearing and connecting rod failure.

Damage initially assessed 23-7-49 as Cat C (Repairable). However later re-cat E and Struck off Charge as scrap 13-10-49.

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.516
3. Royal Air Force Aircraft SA100-VZ999 (James J. Halley 1985)
4. 604 Sqn RAF ORB for the period 1-6-1946 to 31-12-1950: National Archives (PRO Kew) File AIR 27/2508: https://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/details/r/C2505146
5. http://www.airhistory.org.uk/spitfire/p099.html
6. https://allspitfirepilots.org/aircraft/SL599
7. https://www.avialogs.com/spitfire-and-seafire-registry/item/90120-sl599
8. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/No._604_Squadron_RAF#Post-war
9. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/North_Weald_Airfield#History

Date/time	Contributor	Updates