Date:	Monday 24 October 1949
Time:	day
Type:	de Havilland DH.100 Vampire FB Mk 5
Owner/operator:	226 OCU RAF
Registration:	VV684
MSN:	EE/P/42...
Fatalities:	Fatalities: 1 / Occupants: 1
Aircraft damage:	Destroyed
Location:	Anmer Hall, 4 miles SW of Kings Lynn, Norfolk, England -   United Kingdom
Phase:	Manoeuvring (airshow, firefighting, ag.ops.)
Nature:	Training
Departure airport:	RAF Bircham Newton, Docking, Norfolk
Destination airport:
Confidence Rating:	Information is only available from news, social media or unofficial sources

Narrative:
De Havilland Vampire FB.5 VV684, 226 OCU, RAF: Written off (destroyed) 24 October 1949 when crashed Anmer Hall, 4 miles South West of Kings Lynn, Norfolk

The pilot was carrying out unauthorised aerobatics at around 5,000 feet near his home. After making three left hand slow rolls, a fire was seen to start in the aircraft. The aircraft flew straight ahead, gradually losing height until it crashed. The fire was caused by a combustion chamber bursting, and then the fire spread to the starboard wing root, igniting fuel vapour in the starboard wing tanks.

The official Air Ministry/RAF Board of Inquiry noted that the pilot had showed poor discipline in ignoring the flight plan that he had been briefed to carry out. However, the aerobatics, although unauthorised, were not carried out dangerously, and did not contribute to the loss of the aircraft or the crew.

Pilot - Pilot III Derek Arthur Took, RAF, aged 20 - killed on active service

1. Halley, James (1999). Broken Wings – Post-War Royal Air Force Accidents. Tunbridge Wells: Air-Britain (Historians) Ltd. p.94. ISBN 0-85130-290-4.
2. Royal Air Force Aircraft SA100-VZ999 (James J Halley, Air Britain, 1985 p 92)
3. Final Landings by Colin Cummings p 545
4. National Archives (PRO Kew) File AVIA 5/29/W2467: https://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/details/r/C6578313
5. http://www.airhistory.org.uk/dh/_DH100%20prodn%20list.txt
6. http://www.ukserials.com/results.php?serial=VV
7. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anmer_Hall

Date/time	Contributor	Updates
06-Dec-2019 17:31	Dr. John Smith	Added
08-Dec-2019 17:20	Nepa	Updated [Aircraft type, Operator, Location, Departure airport, Narrative, Operator]
10-Jan-2020 20:27	stehlik49	Updated [Aircraft type, Location, Nature, Operator]