Date:	Friday 17 July 1953
Time:	day
Type:	Fairey Firefly T.7
Owner/operator:	A&AEE Boscombe Down
Registration:	WJ158
MSN:	F.8768
Fatalities:	Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 1
Aircraft damage:	Substantial
Location:	Grasmere, Cumberland -   United Kingdom
Phase:	En route
Nature:	Ferry/positioning
Departure airport:	HMS Nuthatch, RNAS Anthorn, Cumberland
Destination airport:	Boscombe Down, Wiltshire (EGDM)
Confidence Rating:	Information is only available from news, social media or unofficial sources

Narrative:
Fairey Firefly T.7 WJ158: Built by Fairey Aircraft at Hayes, Middlesex, and first flown in October 1952 at White Waltham, Maidenhead, Berkshire. Delivered to the FAA RN (Fleet Air Arm Royal Navy) at HMS Nuthatch, RNAS Anthorn RDU, Cumberland, 3/11/1952, where Placed into short term storage.

Substantially damaged 17/7/1953: Force landed near Grasmere, Cumberland when engine lost power in cloud during ferry flight from RNAS Anthorn to A&AEE Boscombe Down.WJ158 was flown through a severe storm. The aircraft suffered from a broken throttle control so the pilot made a successful forced landing in a field near Grasmere sports field. Pilot, Mr.V.G.Townsend of Naval Ferry Flight (operated under contract by Short Brothers & Harland, Rochester, Kent) was uninjured.

To Fairey Aircraft at Hamble, Hampshire, same day for damage assessment. Deemed as Cat4(R) - "substantial but repairable". Repaired on site at Fairey Hamble in 1953-54, and returned to FAA RN charge as RNS Anthorn AHU 16/11/1954.

First entered service 7/5/1955 with 719 Squadron FAA RN, at HMS Gannet, RNAS Eglinton, County Londonderry, Northern Ireland as "321/GN" later "553/GN". Withdrawn from service 26/3/1956 for checks and maintenance at RNAS Anthorn RDU. Upon completion of work, returned to service 6/9/1956 to 796 Squadron FAA RN at HM Seahawk, RNAS Culdrose, Cornwall as "766/CU".

Withdrawn from service to HJMS Fulmar, RNAS Lossiemouth AHU 10/12/1957 and placed into long term storage. Notified as ADW ("Awaiting Disposal & Write-off") 26/2/1958; Struck Off Charge shortly afterwards, and sold for scrap. Reportedly to the Quarrywood Scrapyard at Elgin in 1958-59

1. Fleet Air Arm Fixed Wing Aircraft Since 1946 (Ray Sturtivant, Lee Howard & Mick Burrows, Air Britain, 2004 p.295)
2. National Archives (PRO Kew) - Aircraft Accidents: Firefly T7 WJ158 on 17.7.1953: File ADM 1/24574 at https://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/details/r/C4845687
3. http://www.yorkshire-aircraft.co.uk/aircraft/lakes/wj158.html
4. http://www.ukserials.com/results.php?serial=WJ
5. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Grasmere_(village)

Date/time	Contributor	Updates
06-Sep-2020 19:57	Dr. John Smith	Added