Date:	Tuesday 19 August 1947
Time:	day
Type:	Supermarine Spitfire Mk IX
Owner/operator:	73 Sqn RAF
Registration:	PT477
MSN:	CBAF.
Fatalities:	Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 1
Aircraft damage:	Destroyed
Location:	RAF Ta Kali (Ta'qali) -   Malta
Phase:	Landing
Nature:	Military
Departure airport:	RAF Ta Kali (Ta'qali), Malta
Destination airport:	RAF Ta Kali (Ta'qali), Malta

Narrative:
PT477: Spitfire LF. IX. Built by CBAF (Castle Bromwich Aircraft Factory) with Merlin M66 engine. To 33MU RAF Lyneham, Wiltshire 31-7-44. To 215MU Locharbriggs, Dumfries 11-8-44 for packing and crating for overseas shipment. Shipped on the SS. 'Queens Park' 13-9-44, arriving Casablanca, Morrocco 23-9-44. Cat E flying accident 12-3-45. To 73 Squadron, RAF at Prkos, Yugoslavia by 30-4-45. To RAF Hal Far, Malta July 1945, later to RAF Ta Kali (Ta'qali), Malta

Written off (damaged beyond repair) 198-47: Port tyre burst during take-off at RAF Ta Kali, Malta, but pilot managed to get airborne safely, before suffering from engine trouble. He managed to return for a wheels-up landing without suffering any injuries. According to a quote from the squadron’s ORB (see link #4): “This is the third mishap on the Squadron in a week, it’s hoped that the run of bad luck has now finished”.

Not repaired; struck off charge 25-9-47 as Cat. E(FA)

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.330
3. Air-Britain Royal Air Force Aircraft PA100-RZ999
4. 73 Sqn RAF ORB for the period 1-1-1946 to 31-12-1950: National Archives (PRO Kew) File AIR27/2430/4: https://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/details/r/D8420259
5. "RAF Write offs 1947": Air Britain Aeromilitaria No. 1978: https://air-britain.com/pdfs/aeromilitaria/Aeromilitaria_1978.pdf
6. http://www.airhistory.org.uk/spitfire/p092.html
7. https://allspitfirepilots.org/aircraft/PT477
8. https://www.avialogs.com/spitfire-and-seafire-registry/item/87229-pt477
9. https://aviationinmalta.com/MilitaryAviation/AccidentsMilitary/19401949/tabid/650/language/en-GB/Default.aspx
10. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/No._73_Squadron_RAF
11. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/RAF_Ta_Kali#Post_war

Spitfire Mark IXs of No. 73 Squadron RAF, undergo servicing and refuelling at Prkos, Yugoslavia 30 April 1945 (IWM/Crown Copyright - public domain)

Date/time	Contributor	Updates
30-Sep-2013 05:04	JINX	Added
26-Mar-2015 20:00	Cliford	Updated [Aircraft type, Operator]
06-Nov-2021 16:59	Anon.	Updated [Location]
29-Aug-2023 17:01	Dr. John Smith	Updated [[Location]]