Date:	Saturday 30 April 1949
Time:	day
Type:	Westland Wyvern TF.1
Owner/operator:	Rolls-Royce Ltd
Registration:	TS384
MSN:	W.34/5
Fatalities:	Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 1
Aircraft damage:	Destroyed
Location:	RAF Lichfield, Fradley, Staffordshire, England -   United Kingdom
Phase:	En route
Nature:	Test
Departure airport:	Hucknall, Nottinghamshire
Destination airport:	RAF Lichfield, Staffordshire
Confidence Rating:	Information is only available from news, social media or unofficial sources

Narrative:
Westland Wyvern TF.1 TS384, Rolls-Royce Ltd. Written off (damaged beyond repair) in a forced landing due to engine failure April 1949. Pilot survived with minor injuries.

The fifth Wyvern TF.1, TS384, arrived at Hucknall in June 1948 and was used by Rolls-Royce for testing of radiator and oil cooling and air intake efficiency of the Rolls Royce Eagle engine. It force-landed twice whilst being piloted by Hucknall Test Pilot Cliff Rogers: once at Skellingthorpe in February 1949 and once at Lichfield on 30 April 1949. According to one published source (see link #6):

"Wyvern TS384 crashed in forced landing at Lichfield Aerodrome whilst undergoing tests with Rolls Royce. The engine broke up and caught fire in flight and the pilot, Mr H C Rogers DFC, made a successful wheels-down landing at Lichfield, but missed the runway and landed on the station football pitch where a match was in progress. Fortunately, there were no casualties!"

The fact that 'Cliff' Rogers managed to pull off these forced landings must have been a mixture of fine piloting skills and a modicum of luck as the contra-prop propellor created lots of drag once the engine stops and test pilots elsewhere had lost their lives in similar circumstances.

The aircraft left Hucknall by road to Westlands at Yeovil in November 1949, and never flew again. It was scrapped at Yeovil in 1950

Pilot was Herbert Clifford "Cliff" Rogers OBE DFC. Joined R.A.F. in 1938 as aircraft apprentice. Trained as pilot in 1941 and flew Lancasters on operations. Served also with Transport Command before leaving the Service. Was awarded D.F.C. Appointed C.F. I., at Tollerton Airport until joining Rolls-Royce in 1948.Cliff Rogers was the Chief Test Pilot at Rolls-Royce at Hucknall until 1971. He died in 2003

1. Halley, James (1999). Broken Wings – Post-War Royal Air Force Accidents. Tunbridge Wells: Air-Britain (Historians) Ltd. p.87. ISBN 0-85130-290-4.
2. Royal Air Force Aircraft SA100-VZ999 (James J Halley, Air Britain, 1985 p 53)
3. National Archives (PRO Kew) File AVIA 5/29/W2446: https://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/details/r/C6578292
4. https://www.facebook.com/HUFTM/posts/2017247498574158?comment_tracking=%7B%22tn%22%3A%22O%22%7D
5. http://thetartanterror.blogspot.com/2008/02/herbert-clifford-rogers-1923-2003.html
6. http://www.aviationarchaeology.org.uk/marg/nwcrashes1945-52.htm
7. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/RAF_Lichfield#History

A Westland Wyvern prototype in flight in 1948: not confirmed if it is TS384 (serial "airbrushed" out):

Date/time	Contributor	Updates
04-Dec-2019 04:00	Dr. John Smith	Added
04-May-2021 18:52	Dr. John Smith	Updated [Location, Destination airport, Source, Narrative]
04-May-2021 18:53	Dr. John Smith	Updated [Embed code]
11-Jul-2023 08:53	Nepa	Updated [[Embed code]]