Date:	Wednesday 9 September 1953
Time:	day
Type:	Fairey Firefly AS Mk 6
Owner/operator:	820 Sqn FAA RN
Registration:	VT404
MSN:	F.8304
Fatalities:	Fatalities: 2 / Occupants: 2
Aircraft damage:	Destroyed
Location:	HMS Theseus, Eastern Mediterranean, off Cape Masleb -   Greece
Phase:	Landing
Nature:	Military
Departure airport:	HMS Theseus, Eastern Mediterranean, off Greek coast
Destination airport:	HMS Theseus, Eastern Mediterranean, off Greek coast
Confidence Rating:	Information is only available from news, social media or unofficial sources

Narrative:
Fairey Firefly AS.Mk.6 VT404: "227/T" of 820 Squadron FAA RN. Written off (destroyed) 9/9/1952. Aircraft made an emergency landing, but although the tail hook caught the arrestor wire, the tail hook was pulled out of the fuselage, the rear fuselage was pulled away (or broke away) from the airframe, and aircraft went over the side of HMS Theseus into the Eastern Mediterranean, off Cape Masleb, Greece. Both Crew were killed.

Crew of Firefly VT404:
Lieutenant John A. Parkes, RN (pilot) - killed on active service 9/9/1953
Sub-Lieutenant Jolliffe F. Walker (Observer) - killed on active service 9/9/1953

Wreckage formally Struck Off Charge as Cat.ZZ 19/9/1953. Total flying time on airframe: 404.15 hours. A memorial plaque to the two crew was erected at HMS Heron, RNAS Yeovilton, Ilchester, Somerset (see link #5)

1. Fleet Air Arm Fixed Wing Aircraft Since 1946 (Ray Sturtivant, Lee Howard & Mick Burrows, Air Britain, 2004 p.263)
2. National Archives (PRO Kew) - Aircraft Accidents: Firefly AS.6 VT404 on 9.9.1953@ File ADM 1/24582 at https://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/details/r/C4845695
3. https://www.naval-history.net/xDKCas1953.htm
4. http://www.ukserials.com/results.php?serial=VT
5. https://www.iwm.org.uk/memorials/item/memorial/68389

Date/time	Contributor	Updates
04-Sep-2020 21:46	Dr. John Smith	Added
04-Sep-2020 21:47	Dr. John Smith	Updated [Narrative]
05-Sep-2020 09:51	Digger	Updated [Operator, Operator]