Date:	Wednesday 5 December 1951
Time:	day
Type:	Hawker Sea Fury T Mk 20
Owner/operator:	781 Sqn FAA RN
Registration:	VX310
MSN:
Fatalities:	Fatalities: 1 / Occupants: 2
Aircraft damage:	Destroyed
Location:	RNAS Lee-on-Solent (HMS Daedalus) Hampshire, England -   United Kingdom
Phase:	Take off
Nature:	Military
Departure airport:	RNAS Lee-on-Solent (HMS Daedalus), Hampshire (EGUS)
Destination airport:
Confidence Rating:	Information is only available from news, social media or unofficial sources

Narrative:
Hawker Sea Fury T.20 VX310 ("207/LP") of 781 Squadron Fleet Air Arm, Royal Navy was written off (destroyed) on 6 December 1951 when it crashed on takeoff from RNAS Lee-on-Solent (HMS Daedalus), Hampshire. Cause of accident was believed to be due to the starboard wing folding up in flight. The pilot was killed, the rear seat passenger survived. According to a contemporary newspaper report ("Portsmouth Evening News" - Thursday 6 December 1951)

"NAVAL PILOT KILLED.
The pilot was killed and the passenger slightly injured, yesterday, when a Sea Fury trainer aircraft crashed while taking off from the Royal Naval Air Station, Lee-on-Solent. Lieut. (E) Raymond Phillip Lewis D'Emery Charmoy was the pilot. His passenger, Sub Lieut. (E) E. T. Harris, was taken to the Royal Naval Hospital, Haslar".

A further newspaper report covered the inquest into the death of the pilot ("Portsmouth Evening News" - Saturday 5 January 1952):

"NAVAL PILOT'S CRASH AT LEE-ON-SOLENT.
"I saw the port wing folding, and immediately the plane started to turn over and crashed," said Sub-Lieutenant Edgar J. Harris, R.N., at a Gosport inquest yesterday. He was giving evidence at the adjourned inquest on Lieut. Raymond Philip d'Emmery de Charmoy (23), a naval pilot. The lieutenant was killed in an accident at the Royal Naval Air Station, Lee-on-Solent, on December 5. The inquest was held by Mr. R. M. Sherwell (Coroner for South Hampshire).

Sub-Lieut. Harris said he was passenger in the aeroplane — a Sea Fury — piloted by Lieut. de Charmoy. The Sea Fury, witness explained, was a craft with folding wings, and Lieut. de Charmoy taxied the machine out of the hangar on to the perimeter track of the aerodrome with the wings folded. They stopped to lower the wings and to "rev up" the engine, and while they were moving to the check point Lieut. de Charmoy said he would rush through the check as they were late.

"The pilot did not make a check with me over the intercom," said witness. "I don't know what he did: he was only at the check point a short time." Mr. Harris said shortly after they had taken off, he noticed the plane was dropping, and saw the port wing folding, and the machine crashed.

BOLTS NOT LOCKED?
Lieut.-Commander Charles George Moore, accident investigation officer at the Air Station, said there were indications that the bolts of the port wing were not locked, and air pressure caused the wing to fold up. The wings, explained witness, were hydraulically operated, and there were indicators showing whether each wing was properly locked. It was possible in this case that the pilot checked one wing twice, and did not notice that the port wing was not locked. Since this accident a general signal had been sent to all stations, warning pilots to check carefully that both wings were properly bolted."

Medical evidence given at the first hearing was that death, which was instantaneous, was caused by multiple head injuries. The Jury returned a verdict of "Accidental death."

1. Portsmouth Evening News Thursday 6 December 1951 and Saturday 5 January 1952
2. Fleet Air Arm Fixed Wing Aircraft Since 1946 (Ray Sturtivant, Lee Howard, Mick Burrows, Air Britain, 2004 p.379)
3. http://sussexhistoryforum.co.uk/index.php?topic=8558.0
4. https://www.naval-history.net/xDKCas1951.htm
5. http://www.ukserials.com/results.php?serial=VX

Date/time	Contributor	Updates
05-Feb-2020 20:50	Dr. John Smith	Added
07-Feb-2020 09:31	Iwosh	Updated [Operator, Operator]
14-Jul-2020 18:34	Dr. John Smith	Updated [Registration, Operator, Departure airport, Source, Narrative]
08-Sep-2020 19:57	Xindel XL	Updated [Aircraft type, Operator, Location, Operator]
17-Feb-2021 21:30	Dr. John Smith	Updated [Source, Narrative]
17-Feb-2021 21:32	Dr. John Smith	Updated [Source]