Date:	Monday 22 December 1947
Time:	day
Type:	Gloster Meteor F Mk III
Owner/operator:	222 (Natal) Sqn RAF
Registration:	EE450
MSN:
Fatalities:	Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 0
Aircraft damage:	Destroyed
Location:	RAF Tangmere, Chichester, West Sussex, England -   United Kingdom
Phase:	Standing
Nature:	Military
Departure airport:	RAF Tangmere, West Sussex
Destination airport:

Narrative:
Gloster Meteor F.Mk.3 EE450, 222 (Natal) Squadron, RAF: Written off (destroyed) 22 December 1947 when destroyed by fire while starting up the engines at RAF Tangmere, near Chichester, West Sussex

A plug on the aircraft's starter trolley came into contact with leaking hydraulic fluid, while the trolley's electric power was switched on. This generated a spark, which ignited the leaking hydraulic fluid, causing a fire that spread from the puddle of leaking fluid to the Meteor, severely damaging the aircraft. No injuries or casualties reported, as the aircraft was unoccupied at the time, and the ground crew got clear from the fire in good time.

Damage initially assessed as Cat C (Repairable)22-12-47: re-cat B 31.12.47. To 32 MU RAF St. Athan, South Glamorgan 5.1.48 for repairs; repairs abandoned, and airframe re-cat E 20.12.48 and struck off charge.

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: Summary of RAF Aircraft and Combat Losses 1946-1949: by Colin Cummings p 357
3. 222 Sqn ORB for the period 1-6-1946 to 31-12-1950: National Archives (PRO Kew) File AIR27/2475: https://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/details/r/C2505113
4. Royal Air Force Aircraft EA100-EZ999 (James J Halley, Air Britain)
5. Air Britain Aeromilitaria Summer 2009: https://air-britain.com/pdfs/aeromilitaria/Aeromilitaria_2009.pdf p.76
6. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/No._222_Squadron_RAF
7. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/RAF_Tangmere#Postwar

Date/time	Contributor	Updates
04-May-2023 22:06	Dr. John Smith	Added