Date:	Friday 20 November 1953
Time:	day
Type:	Fairey Firefly FR Mk 1
Owner/operator:	766 Sqn FAA RN
Registration:	MB449
MSN:	F.7428
Fatalities:	Fatalities: 1 / Occupants: 1
Aircraft damage:	Destroyed
Location:	Trencrom Hill, near Lelant, 2 miles South of St. Ives, Cornwall -   United Kingdom
Phase:	Initial climb
Nature:	Training
Departure airport:	HMS Seahawk, RNAS Culdrose, Cornwall (EGDR)
Destination airport:	HMS Seahawk, RNAS Culdrose, Cornwall (EGDR)
Confidence Rating:	Information is only available from news, social media or unofficial sources

Narrative:
Fairey Firefly FR.Mk.1 MB449 "202/CU" of 766 Squadron, FAA RN at HMS Seahawk, RNAS Culdrose, Cornwall. Written off (destroyed) 20/11/1953: Structural failure in flight when wing and part of tailplane broke off during an anti-submarine training exercise which involved diving at high speed. Aircraft failed to recover from dive, and flew into the ground at Trencrom Hill, two miles South of St. Ives, Cornwall. Pilot killed.

Crew of Firefly MB449:
Acting Sub Lieutenant Robert Roberts, Royal Australian Navy (pilot, Service Number A35689, aged 24) - killed on active service 20/11/1953

According to the following excerpt from the pilot's official biography (see link #3):

"Roberts arrived at HMAS Albatross (RANAS Nowra) on 28 March 1950 where he joined one of the aircraft maintenance teams. As Roberts was interested in promotion he studied for the RAN Higher Education Tests, which qualified him to apply for a transfer to Aircrew. After being accepted for Aircrew, Roberts was drafted to HMAS Cerberus on 9 May 1952, where he began Aircrew Training, with the rank of (probational) Naval Airman Aircrew, and following an assessment he was selected for pilot training.

As an RAN Aircrew Trainee, Roberts transferred to RAAF Point Cook No1 Flight Training School for flying instruction, starting with the Link Trainer, and then moving to the DH82 Tiger Moth. After 14 months of basic flight theory training and practical flying experience with the Tiger Moth and more powerful Wirraway aircraft; early in September 1953 Roberts graduated from Point Cook having gained his ‘wings’. On 15 September Roberts was promoted to Acting Sub-Lieutenant (P) and a week later embarked on RMS Strathmore for the UK to begin advanced training with the RN FAA.

After arriving in the UK Roberts was posted, on 25 October 1953, to HMS Seahawk (RNAS Culdrose), near Heston, Cornwall. At Seahawk he joined the Operational Flying School Course which included developing flying skills, defensive techniques, weapons training, fleet exercises and deck landing on an aircraft carrier. The course was intense, and involved anti-submarine exercises with long-range flights over the ocean in a Fairey Firefly aircraft.

On Friday 20 November 1953, Acting Sub-Lieutenant (P) Robert Roberts RAN was killed while flying a Firefly on an anti-submarine exercise, near St Ives, Cornwall, when his aircraft suffered a structural failure in the air and crashed".

The reported crash location of Trencrom Hill (or Trecrobben) is a prominent hill fort, owned by the National Trust, near Lelant, two miles south-west of St. Ives, Cornwall at approximate coordinates 50.1736°N 5.4776°W. The hill overlooks the Hayle Estuary and river, and Mount's Bay and St Michael's Mount can be seen to the south.

Firefly MB449 was official Struck Off Charge as Cat.ZZ on 25/11/1953. Total flying time on airframe: 118.40 hours

1. Fleet Air Arm Fixed Wing Aircraft Since 1946 (Ray Sturtivant, Lee Howard & M ick Burrows, Air britain 2004 p.235-236)
2. National Archives (PRO Kew) - Aircraft Accidents: Firefly FR Mk 1 MB449 on 20.11.1953; File ADM 1/24593 at https://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/details/r/C4845706
3. The Argus, Monday 23 November 1953
4. https://www.faaaa.asn.au/roberts-r/
5. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Trencrom_Hill

Date/time	Contributor	Updates
04-Sep-2020 20:52	Dr. John Smith	Added
05-Sep-2020 09:51	Digger	Updated [Operator, Operator]