Date:	Thursday 16 August 1951
Time:	20:00
Type:	de Havilland DH.113 Vampire NF Mk 10
Owner/operator:	25 Sqn RAF
Registration:	WP237
MSN:	13010
Fatalities:	Fatalities: 2 / Occupants: 2
Aircraft damage:	Destroyed
Location:	RAF West Malling, Maidstone, Kent, England -   United Kingdom
Phase:	Take off
Nature:	Military
Departure airport:	RAF West Malling, Kent
Destination airport:
Confidence Rating:	Information is only available from news, social media or unofficial sources

Narrative:
DH. Vampire WP237, 25 Squadron, RAF: Written off (destroyed) 16/8/51 Failed to get airborne on take-off from West Malling, Maidstone, Kent. WP237 crashed into overshoot area and caught fire. Both crew on board were killed.

The aircraft started its take-off run down the runway, but after about 1,500 yards, the engine note was heard to die away. The aircraft continued at almost undiminished speed off the end of the runway on to and over the end of the runway on to and over the overshoot area, leapt over a banked up pile of broken ground and, diving into a potato field broke up and burst into flames.. It could not be determined if the engine had failed during the take off run, or if the pilot had throttled back the engine in an attempt to abort the take off. According to an eyewitness testimony:

"MR GORDON STANLEY CHEESEMAN STATES:-
I am a blacksmith employed by Associated Portland Cement Manufacturers of Snodland. On the 16th August, 1951, at about 20.00 hours, I was standing against the fence bordering the Airfield in the lane leading from the Mereworth main road, my own guess would be that I was about 200 yards from the main runway. I had a friend with me Mr. Ronald Rose, we were watching aircraft take-off. An aircraft came into sight approximately 500 yards before the end of the runway, the engine appeared to be going at "full bore". After a further 250 yards the aircraft still appeared to be in contact with the ground. As the aircraft passed me the engine note died down. After approximately 75 yards the engine appeared to open up again and a mass of white vapour issued from the back of the aircraft. The vapour was thick but lasted only a second or two; and the aircraft disappeared from sight with the engine still running at reduced power. There was no screeching of brakes and the aircraft kept a dead straight course. I did not hear any bangs or any other indication of the aircraft breaking up, and the noise from the engine was such that I could not hear any damage being done. Ammunition started to explode about half a minute after flames showed above the trees."

Two contemporary newspaper articles in respect of the death of one of the crew, Flight Sergeant Petrie:

"Dundee Courier" - Monday 20 August 1951
"LAURENCEKIRK MAN KILLED IN AIR CRASH
A Laurencekirk man, Sergeant Navigator Thomas Grieg Petrie, was killed in an aircraft accident at West Malling, Kent, at the weekend. Sergeant Petrie, who was 24, was the youngest son of the late Mr and Mrs R Petrie. His wife comes from Darlington. His brother, who lives at Laurencekirk, has gone south to attend the inquest.

"Aberdeen Evening Express" - Monday 20 August 1951
"Deaths
PETRIE. Suddenly (as a result of an aircraft accident at West Malling, Kent) on Thursday August 16th, Sgt-Nav Thomas Grieg Petrie RAF. Beloved husband of Maureen Tait , 7 Clifton Avenue, Darlington, and youngest son of the late Mr and Mrs R Petrie, Laurencekirk".
Crew of Vampire WP237:
F/Lt (106850) Roy Alexander Keats Winton (pilot) RAF
F/Sgt Thomas Greig Petrie (Navigator) RAF

1. Halley, James (1999) Broken Wings – Post-War Royal Air Force Accidents Tunbridge Wells: Air-Britain (Historians) Ltd. p.118 ISBN 0-85130-290-4.
2. Last Take-off: A Record of RAF Aircraft Losses 1950 to 1953 by Colin Cummings P 170
3. National Archives (PRO Kew) File BT233/62: https://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/details/r/C424183
4. National Archives (PRO Kew) File AVIA 5/31/S2538: https://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/details/r/C6578384
5. http://www.airhistory.org.uk/dh/_DH113%20prodn%20list.txt
6. Photo of WP237 in April 1951: https://www.baesystems.com/en/heritage/dh-vampire-night-fighter
7. https://www.dehavillandmuseum.co.uk/aircraft/de-havilland-dh113-vampire-nf10/
8. http://www.airhistory.org.uk/dh/_DH113%20prodn%20list.txt

Date/time	Contributor	Updates
28-Dec-2019 17:23	Dr. John Smith	Added
28-Dec-2019 20:49	stehlik49	Updated [Operator, Operator]
08-Jan-2020 22:06	stehlik49	Updated [Aircraft type, Departure airport, Operator]
05-Feb-2020 23:57	Dr. John Smith	Updated [Time, Source, Narrative]
29-Apr-2023 21:03	Nepa	Updated [[Time, Source, Narrative]]