ASN Wikibase Occurrence # 232958
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| Date: | Tuesday 17 September 1957 |
| Time: | night |
| Type: | Westland Wyvern S Mk 4 |
| Owner/operator: | 831 Sqn FAA RN |
| Registration: | VZ798 |
| MSN: | |
| Fatalities: | Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 1 |
| Aircraft damage: | Substantial |
| Location: | Timberley's Nursery, Worthing Road, Littlehampton, West Sussex -
 United Kingdom
|
| Phase: | En route |
| Nature: | Military |
| Departure airport: | RNAS Ford, (HMS Peregrine) Yapton, West Sussex |
| Confidence Rating: |  Information is only available from news, social media or unofficial sources |
Two Westland Wyvern S.Mk.4s (VZ798 ['387-O'] and VZ795 ['384-O']) of 831 Squadron FAA RN were written off (destroyed) on 17 September 1957 when they collided at 2,000ft and crashed over Timberley's Nursery, Worthing Road, Littlehampton, West Sussex, both pilots ejected safely. According to a contemporary newspaper report ("West Sussex Gazette" - Thursday 19 September 1957):
"TWO NAVAL PLANES FROM FORD COLLIDE
PILOTS ESCAPE
Two pilots escaped when their Wyvern strike aircraft collided in the air just east of Ford on Tuesday night. The pilots baled out and landed safely by parachute. The Wyverns crashed just north of Littlehampton and were wrecked. No damage was done to property. People in Arundel and Littlehampton heard the crash and people in Littlehampton heard the noise of exploding rockets as the pilots used their ejector seats. The pilots were Sub-Lt. G. W. Smith (20) of Stanley-rd., Rugby, and Sub-Lt. R. W. Edward (21), of The Firs, Copthorne."
It is not clear at this time which pilot was in which aircraft. There was a post script to this incident, involving the loss, theft, and subsequent recovery of items from the two Wyverns:
"Worthing Herald" - Friday 27 September 1957:
"‘SOUVENIR’ IS DANGEROUS
Littlehampton police and naval authorities at RNAS Ford, are anxious to trace an aircraft dinghy pack containing dangerous drugs and explosives, missing since two planes were in collision between Littlehampton and Rustington on Tuesday last.
It is thought possible that the pack may have found its way into the possession of a "souvenir hunter", Superintendent F. Johnson, of Littlehampton police, told the Herald, yesterday."
The items were recovered, those in possession of them were prosecuted, according to the "West Sussex Gazette" - Thursday 17 October 1957:
"SURVIVAL PACK THROWN TO CIVILIANS AFTER AIR CRASH
Three men from Ford Naval Air Station, Petty Officer Harold Barber (30), Naval Airman John Galbraith (30) and Radio Mechanic William Octegen (21), pleaded guilty to stealing a survival pack from a crashed Wyvern aircraft at Littlehampton on the night of September 17. Insp. Pennicott said that the aircraft was one of two Wyverns which collided and crashed to the north of Littlehampton. One crashed at Timberley's nursery in Worthing-rd. Both pilots escaped by ejector seat. The survival pack referred to in the charge was attached to the ejector seat by which Sub-Lt. Robert William Edward escaped. The pack contained survival equipment, including drugs, explosive cartridges and a pneumatic dinghy. Despite police appeals and Press publicity, the pack had not been recovered. The parachute and ejector seat which saved Sub-Lt. Edward were found by a naval party, of which the three accused men were members.
As equipment from the crashed aircraft was being taken from the nursery by lorry, one of the defendants threw the survival pack into a field where some civilians, including children, were standing. Interviewed by the police, defendants admitted throwing the pack to a blonde woman who had previously said she would like it. Petty Officer Barber told the police he turned a blind eye to it. Galbraith said that as the lorry left the nursery, he said, "How about letting her have the dinghy? It would be nice for the kids." Barber also said that he did not realise the danger of the drugs and explosives in the pack. Each defendant was fined £10 and Octegen was also fined £2 for stealing an electric torch belonging to Sub.-Lt. Edward, which he found at the nursery."
Sources:
1. West Sussex Gazette - Thursday 19 September 1957
2. Worthing Herald - Friday 27 September 1957
3. West Sussex Gazette - Thursday 17 October 1957
4. http://www.ukserials.com/losses-1957.htm
5. http://sussexhistoryforum.co.uk/index.php?topic=14798.0
6. http://www.ukserials.com/results.php?serial=VZ
Revision history:
| Date/time | Contributor | Updates |
|---|---|---|
| 14-Feb-2020 20:35 | Dr. John Smith | Added |
| 15-Feb-2020 00:11 | Iwosh | Updated [Operator, Operator] |
| 18-Feb-2020 20:24 | Dr. John Smith | Updated [Source] |
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