Date:	Wednesday 7 December 1955
Time:	day
Type:	de Havilland DH.112 Sea Venom FAW.21
Owner/operator:	892 Sqn FAA RN
Registration:	WW152
MSN:	12720
Fatalities:	Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 2
Aircraft damage:	Destroyed
Location:	Middle Farm, Bridport Road, Poundbury, Dorchester, Dorset -   United Kingdom
Phase:	En route
Nature:	Military
Departure airport:	RNAS Yeovilton (HMS Heron), Ilchester, Somerset
Destination airport:
Confidence Rating:	Information is only available from news, social media or unofficial sources

Narrative:
de Havilland DH.112 Sea Venom FAW.21 WW152: Delivered 6/6/55 to HMS Blackcap, AHU RNAS Stretton, Cheshire. Had a very short career (less than six months) with 892 Squadron, Fleet Air Arm, Royal Navy from 12/7/55 as "251-J"

Written off (damaged beyond repair) 7/12/55: The aircraft was being flown by a crew of two, both Americans from the US Marine Corps on an exchange programme. On a routine sorte from RNAS Yeovilton (HMS Heron), Ilchester, Somerset, the aircraft experienced engine problems, and the crew flew around in circles in the area of Dorchester, Dorset, while they looked for a safe place to make a forced landing.

A witness (as reported in the "Western Gazette" local newspaper the next day) reported that the aircraft was "making strange noises" as it flew in circles around Dorchester. Eventually the crew managed to make a forced wheels up landing at Mr. W.H.Cooper's Middle Farm, on the Bridport Road, in Poundbury, one mile west of Dorchester, Dorset.

On landing the aircraft tore up two wire fences, before finally coming to a halt approximately 100 yards from a housing estate. The two crew were only slightly injured (cuts and bruises).

The wreckage was recovered for accident investigation to HMS Daedalus (RNAY Lee-on-Solent) 12/12/55, and upon completion of this, returned to RNAS Yeovilton (from where it had set off) 25/1/56. Struck off Charge as Cat.ZZ on 31/1/56, to be broken up for spares and scrap on 2/2/56.

Crew of Sea Venom FAW.21 WW152:
First Lieutenant P.H.Sallade US Marine Corps (Pilot)
First Lieutenant N.J.Hale US Marine Corps (Navigator)

1. Fleet Air Arm Fixed Wing Aircraft Since 1946 (Ray Sturtivant et al, Air Britain, 2004 p 183)
2. Western Gazette - 9 December 1955
3. Wings Over Somerset: Aircraft Crashes since the End of World War II By Peter Forrester
4. http://www.ukserials.com/results.php?serial=WW .

Date/time	Contributor	Updates
07-Jun-2020 17:27	Dr. John Smith	Added
07-Jun-2020 20:02	Digger	Updated [Operator, Operator]
07-Jun-2020 21:18	Dr. John Smith	Updated [Narrative]
20-Jun-2020 21:19	Dr. John Smith	Updated [Source, Narrative]
20-Jun-2020 21:22	Dr. John Smith	Updated [Source, Narrative]