Date:	Tuesday 10 July 1951
Time:	day
Type:	Gloster Meteor F Mk 8
Owner/operator:	66 Sqn RAF
Registration:	WE924
MSN:
Fatalities:	Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 1
Aircraft damage:	Destroyed
Location:	RAF Linton-on-Ouse, North Yorkshire -   United Kingdom
Phase:	Landing
Nature:	Military
Departure airport:	RAF Linton-on-Ouse, North Yorkshire (EGXU)
Destination airport:	RAF Linton-on-Ouse, North Yorkshire (EGXU)
Confidence Rating:	Information is only available from news, social media or unofficial sources

Narrative:
Gloster Meteor F.8 WE924: First issued to 66 Squadron, RAF Linton-on-Ouse 3.4.51 coded B. Written off (damaged beyond repair) when landed one wheel up and hit air raid shelter, at Linton-on-Ouse, 10.7.51. (Pilot Flying Officer L.C. Hayward OK).

During the final approach to land at RAF Linton-on-Ouse, the pilot discovered that the undercarriage was "stuck in mid cycle" - the starbord wheel would not retract, and the port wheel would not lower. Thus he could not make a conventional "all wheels down" landing, nor make a "wheels up" belly landing with all of the uncercarriage retracted.

The pilot managed to land Meteor WE924 on the nosewheel and starboard wheel only, after making a downwind approach in order to stay clear of the GCA (Ground Controlled Approach) Caravans at one end of the runway. However, the aircraft ran into the entrance to an air raid shelter on the airfield, and was wrecked.

As noted above, the pilot, Flying Officer L C Hayward was uninjured, and was awarded a "Green Endorsement" in his Flying Log Book for his skill in making a successful emergency landing "under difficult circumstances". The NCO in Charge of the Airframe Servicing Team responsible for Meteor WE924 received a Court Martial for "Negligence in the Course of His Duties".

Damage initially assessed as Cat 4(R); re-assessed as cat 5 (Scrap) 31.7.51 and aircraft struck off charge. Presumed "parted out" for spares and scrap; some sources state transferred to the Ministry of Supply as a source of spares for the Meteor U.16 drone program.

1. Halley, James (1999) Broken Wings – Post-War Royal Air Force Accidents Tunbridge Wells: Air-Britain (Historians) Ltd. p.115 ISBN 0-85130-290-4.
2. Royal Air Force Aircraft WA100-WZ999 (James J Halley, Air Britain, 1985)
3. Last Take Off; A Catalogue of RAF Aircraft Losses 1950 to 1953 by Colin Cummings p.157
4. http://www.ukserials.com/results.php?serial=WE
5. 66 Squadron ORB (Operations Record Book)(Air Ministry Form AM/F.540) for the period 1/1/1951 to 31/12/1955: National Archives (PRO Kew) File AIR 27/2627/1 at https://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/details/r/D842498 .

Date/time	Contributor	Updates
05-Jun-2008 16:42	JINX	Added
12-May-2015 07:22	Coumes	Updated [Aircraft type, Operator, Location, Destination airport]
27-May-2017 20:16	Dr.John Smith	Updated [Location, Departure airport, Destination airport, Source, Narrative]
24-Oct-2017 17:18	Dr. John Smith	Updated [Source, Narrative]
02-Feb-2021 21:55	Dr. John Smith	Updated [Time, Source, Narrative]
05-Feb-2021 17:02	Dr. John Smith	Updated [Source, Narrative]