Date:	Thursday 21 October 1943
Time:	10:05
Type:	Albemarle II Paratrooper
Owner/operator:	A W Hawksley Ltd
Registration:	V1741
MSN:
Fatalities:	Fatalities: 4 / Occupants: 4
Aircraft damage:	Destroyed
Location:	Manor Farm, Purton, nr Berkeley, Gloucestershire -   United Kingdom
Phase:	En route
Nature:	Test
Departure airport:	Brockworth (RAF Hucclecote)
Destination airport:	Brockworth (RAF Hucclecote

Narrative:
AAIB Precis of Investigation W 1690

"1. The aircraft took off from Brockworth airfield at 1000 hrs. on 21/10/43 to test the correct functioning of the port propeller master control. The aircraft had flown quite satisfactorily on a test flight the day before, apart from a leak in the port propeller master control, which allowed the control to creep and cause a drop in r.p.m. This defect was rectified. At approximately 1004 hrs. the aircraft was observed to be flying steadily on a s.w. course at a height of 3000 feet. It was then seen to turn to the left and enter a dive, which almost immediately became steep. Them at a height of a few hundred the diving angle decreased and the aircraft struck the ground at a comparatively flat angle and at high speed. The pilot, observer, and the two passengers were killed instantly.

"2. The aircraft was completely disintegrated and most of the wreckage, which was scattered over a distance of 600 feet, was destroyed by fire. On this account little could be learned during the detailed examination. No evidence
of structural failure or of any defect in the flying control circuits and members was obtained. It was noted that the pilot's sutton harness was not fastened at the moment of impact.

"3. The accident was caused by the aircraft striking the ground while recovering from a steep. dive. There was no evidence to show why the aircraft commenced to give or why it failed to recover, but it appears more probable that this was due temporary loss of control any defect in the aircraft. It is possible that the pilot was not strapped in at any time during this flight and that this made it difficult for him to recover from the dive."

This crash has also been extensively researched by Eric Donald, brother of the pilot. A number of possible causes for the crash were suggested by his correspondents but none of this information is conclusive. A grand nephew of Tom Timms, Rob Wheatman, descended from his twin brother, has also researched this crash.

The coordinates for the location given are Manor Farm, Purton given in the AIIB report but the death certificate for Pilot Officer Norman G Donald (age 26) gives the place of death as Mead Field, Manor Farm, Purton

The other casualties were Tom Timms, an employee of A W Hawksley Ltd, described as "crew" and two air cadets from Cheltenham described as passengers Louis WA White (15) and John FS Cheriton (16 who in the AAIB report is misnamed as Charlton). News reports at the time do not specifically refer to an aircraft crash eg "an accident" or "the accident is used" but the funeral attendance for Tom Timms does include named representatives of A W Hawksley and the Test pilots. Non of these reports, including the opening of the Coroner's inquest refer to the death of the test pilot and it is assumed that this was prevented by war-time censorship regulations.

Air Accident Investigation Branch Precis of Investigation No W 1690 dated 27/11/1943 reproduced in Eric P Donald, Moonlight over England, Exlibris, Delaware 2013. Available to purchase on-line from Waterstones https://www.waterstones.com/book/moonlight-over-england-the-story-of-one-nightfighter-pilot/eric-p-donald/9781483620978

Report of Funerals of Timms, Cheriton and White appears in "Air Cadets buried in same grave" page 5 and "Home Guard's Funeral" also on page 5 Cheltenham Chronicle - Saturday 30 October 1943 page 5.

Date/time	Contributor	Updates
17-Jul-2023 10:56	Chas Townley	Added