Date:	Wednesday 15 June 1949
Time:	day
Type:	Supermarine Spitfire LF Mk XVI
Owner/operator:	601 (County of London) Sqn RAF
Registration:	SL725
MSN:	CBAF IX.4758
Fatalities:	Fatalities: 1 / Occupants: 1
Aircraft damage:	Destroyed
Location:	Byfleet Golf Course, Sheerwater Road, West Byfleet, Woking, Surrey. -   United Kingdom
Phase:	En route
Nature:	Military
Departure airport:	RAF North Weald, North Weald Basset, Epping Forest, Essex
Destination airport:

Narrative:
SL725: Spitfire LF XVI. MSN CBAF IX.4578. Built at CBAF (Castle Bromwich Aircraft Factory) with Merlin M266 engine. To Cunliffe-Owen 27-8-45. Taken on charge at 6MU RAF Brize Norton, Oxfordshire 29-9-45. To CRD MoS (Controller Research and Development, Ministry of Supply) at RAF Northolt, Middlesex 3-46. To 33 MU RAF Lyneham, Wiltshire 4-7-46. To 601 (County of London) Squadron, RAF North Weald, North Weald Basset, Epping Forest, Essex, coded 'HT-Y' later 'RAH-Y' 6-11-46. Sustained Cat C accident 12-8-48; repaired on site and returned to service with 601 Squadron

Written off damaged beyond repair) 15-6-49 in a mid-air collision with Spitfire RW383 (also of 601 Squadron) over Shackleford, near Woking, Surrey. Spitfire SL725 crashed into the grounds of the West Byfleet Golf Club, Byfleet Golf Course, Sheerwater Road, West Byfleet, Woking, Surrey.

Spitfire SL725 collided in flight with Spitfire RW383 during a 'cross over' manoeuvre, while turning into 'battle formation' at 9,500 feet. Spitfire SL725 (the number two aircraft in the formation) dived into the ground at high speed, and the pilot made no attempt to bail out. Pilot of Spitfire SL725 killed, pilot of Spitfire RW383 survived (see separate entry)

Crew of Spitfire SL725:
P.II (2682638) Norman Montague WRIGHT (pilot) RAF - killed on active service 15-6-1949

Spitfire SL725 was not repaired; struck off charge as FACE (Flying accident Cat. E) and scrapped 8-7-49

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.544
3. Royal Air Force Aircraft SA100-VZ999 (James J Halley, Air Britain)
4. 601 Squadron ORB 1-1-1947 to 31-5-1950: National Archives (PRO Kew) File AIR 27/2504: https://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/details/r/C2505142
5. http://www.airhistory.org.uk/spitfire/p099.html
6. https://allspitfirepilots.org/aircraft/SL725
7. https://www.avialogs.com/spitfire-and-seafire-registry/item/90662-sl725
8. https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/110542367/norman-montague-wright
9. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/No._601_Squadron_RAF#Postwar_operations
10. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/West_Byfleet

Date/time	Contributor	Updates
26-Mar-2023 21:51	Dr. John Smith	Added