ASN Wikibase Occurrence # 219167
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| Date: | Thursday 25 May 1916 |
| Time: | day |
| Type: | Maurice Farman MF.7 Longhorn |
| Owner/operator: | 12 (Reserve) Sqn RFC |
| Registration: | 6685 |
| MSN: | |
| Fatalities: | Fatalities: 1 / Occupants: 1 |
| Aircraft damage: | Destroyed |
| Location: | RFC Thetford, Snarehill, Thetford, Norfolk -
 United Kingdom
|
| Phase: | Landing |
| Nature: | Military |
| Departure airport: | RFC Thetford, Norfolk |
| RFC Thetford, Norfolk | |
| Confidence Rating: |  Information is only available from news, social media or unofficial sources |
25.5.16: Maurice Farman MF.7 Longhorn No.6685, 12 (Reserve) Squadron, RFC Thetford. Written off (damaged beyond repair) when Overturned on forced landing and caught fire, Snarehill, Thetford, Norfolk, area. Pilot (and sole person on board, pilot was flying solo) - 2nd Lt John Arthur Ruck (aged 21) - was killed (reportedly died of a broken neck).
The Court of Enquiry found that in a solo flight he attempted to force-land but got into difficulties and was too inexperienced to recover in time. The official casualty card (see link #5) found no fault with the airframe or engine of the aircraft, leaving "pilot error" as to the cause. According to a contemporary report in "Flight" magazine (June 1916 page 474 - see link #8):
"On the following day Second Lieut. J. A. Ruck, R.F.C., was killed. The machine descended in a field, overturned and caught fire. The pilot was, however, thrown clear of the flames, but died a few hours later from a fracture of the skull. The jury returned a verdict of "Accidental Death"."
Sources:
1. http://www.rcawsey.co.uk/Acc1916.htm
2. https://www.cwgc.org/find-war-dead/casualty/369506/ruck,-/
3. https://www.wingsofwar.org/forums/showthread.php?19689-100-Years-Ago-Today/page28&highlight=John%20Arthur%20Ruck
4. https://www.greatwarforum.org/topic/263389-any-info-please-on-frank-skelton-or-john-arthur-ruck-royal-flying-corps/
5. http://www.rafmuseumstoryvault.org.uk/archive/ruck-j.a.-john-arthur
6. https://www.pinterest.co.uk/pin/464926361514134139/
7. http://www.abct.org.uk/airfields/airfield-finder/thetford-snarehill/
8. Flight magazine (1 June 1916 page 474): https://www.flightglobal.com/pdfarchive/view/1916/1916%20-%200474.html?search=Douglas%20Bayly%20De%20Bruyn
Revision history:
| Date/time | Contributor | Updates |
|---|---|---|
| 08-Dec-2018 00:32 | Dr.John Smith | Added |
| 08-Dec-2018 01:12 | Dr.John Smith | Updated [Source, Narrative] |
| 15-Dec-2018 17:34 | Nepa | Updated [Operator, Operator] |
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