Date:	Monday 13 September 1948
Time:	day
Type:	Supermarine Spitfire LF Mk XVI
Owner/operator:	237 OCU RAF
Registration:	RW395
MSN:	CBAF IX.4653
Fatalities:	Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 1
Aircraft damage:	Destroyed
Location:	RAF Leuchars, Fife, Scotland -   United Kingdom
Phase:	Approach
Nature:	Military
Departure airport:	RAF Leuchars, Fife
Destination airport:	RAF Leuchars, Fife

Narrative:
RW395: Spitfire LF XVI, MSN CABF IX.4653. Built at CBAF (Castle Bromwich Aircraft Factory) with Merlin M266 engine. Delivered to 9MU, RAF Cosford, Shropshire 18-7-45. To 8 OTU RAF Benson, Oxfordshire 17-12-46. To 237 OCU, RAF Leuchars 1-4-48

Written off (damaged beyond repair) 13-9-48 when bounced on landing and overturned at RAF Leuchars, Fife. The Spitfire was on final approach to RAF Leuchars when the pilot's goggles slipped, and he was briefly distracted by this event. While he was distracted, the aircraft struck the ground in a 'heavy' landing, the propeller touched the runway, causing the Spitfire to flip over onto its back, breaking off the port wing. The resultant leakage of fuel from the port wing started a fire, and the pilot was recovered injured by the RAF Leuchars fire crews.

Aircraft deemed FACE (Flying Accident Cat. E) and struck off charge 13-9-48

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.429
3. Royal Air Force Aircraft PA100-RZ999 (James J Halley, Air Britain)
4. http://www.airhistory.org.uk/spitfire/p098.html
5. 237 OCU RAF ORB for the period 1-8-1947 to 31-12-1951: National Archives (PRO Kew) File AIR29/1643: https://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/details/r/C4101353
6. "RAF Write offs 1948": Air Britain Aeromilitaria No.1 1979: https://air-britain.com/pdfs/aeromilitaria/Aeromilitaria_1979.pdf
7. https://www.avialogs.com/spitfire-and-seafire-registry/item/90081-rw395
8. https://allspitfirepilots.org/aircraft/RW395
9. https://www.rafcommands.com/database/serials/details.php?uniq=RW395
10. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/No._237_Operational_Conversion_Unit_RAF
11. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/RAF_Leuchars#Cold_War

Date/time	Contributor	Updates
15-Apr-2023 17:56	Dr. John Smith	Added