Date:	Friday 29 October 1948
Time:	day
Type:	Supermarine Spitfire LF.XVI
Owner/operator:	203 AFS RAF
Registration:	SL579
MSN:	CBAF IX.4693
Fatalities:	Fatalities: 1 / Occupants: 1
Aircraft damage:	Destroyed
Location:	Bristol Channel, off Hartland Point, Devon, England -   United Kingdom
Phase:	Initial climb
Nature:	Military
Departure airport:	RAF Chivenor, Barnstaple, Devon
Destination airport:	RAF Chivenor, Barnstaple, Devon

Narrative:
SL579: Spitfire LFXVI, MSN IX.4693. Built by CBAF (Castle Bromwich Aircraft Factory) with Merlin M266 engine. Delivered to 29MU 27-7-45. To 61OTU, RAF Keevil, Wiltshire 11-2-46. Unit became 203 AFS at RAF Keevil, Wiltshire 1-7-47. Cat C accident 17-10-48, repaired on site, and returned to 203 AFS

Written off (destroyed) 29-10-48 in mid-air collision with Spitfire SL670 (also of 203 AFS) and crashed into the Bristol Channel off Hartland Point, Devon. The aircraft was on a "battle formation" training sortie from RAF Chivenor, Devon. During a formation change, Spitfire SL579 collided with Spitfire SL670. As a result of the collision, the pilot of Spitfire SL579 bailed out successfully and landed in the sea. However, the Pilot was killed, as he was drowned due to being unable to release his parachute, which dragged him underwater.

Crew of Spitfire SL579:
Pilot IV William Brayne McGregor (pilot) RAF - killed on active service 29-10-48.

The other Spitfire involved (SL670) made a successful wheels-up landing at Dinworthy, 1.5 miles north-west of Bradworthy, Torridge, Devon (see separate entry)

Hartland Point is a 325 ft (99 m) high rocky outcrop of land on the north-western tip of the Devon coast in England. It is three miles (5 km) north-west of the village of Hartland. The point marks the western limit (on the English side) of the Bristol Channel with the Atlantic Ocean continuing to the west

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.443
3. Royal Air Force Aircraft SA100-VZ999 (James J Halley, Air Britain)
4. 203 AFS ORB for the period 1-6-47 to 31-12-50: National Archives (PRO Kew) File AIR 29/1771: https://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/details/r/C4101481
5. "RAF Write offs 1948": Air Britain Aeromilitaria No.1 1979: https://air-britain.com/pdfs/aeromilitaria/Aeromilitaria_1979.pdf
6. http://www.airhistory.org.uk/spitfire/p099.html
7. https://www.avialogs.com/spitfire-and-seafire-registry/item/90116-sl579
8. https://allspitfirepilots.org/aircraft/SL579
9. https://www.rafcommands.com/archive/17376.php
10. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/RAF_Chivenor#1946%E2%80%941949
11. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hartland_Point

Date/time	Contributor	Updates
13-Apr-2023 14:53	Dr. John Smith	Added
16-Aug-2023 16:49	Dr. John Smith	Updated