Date:	Thursday 26 April 1951
Time:	day
Type:	North American AT-16 Harvard T.2B
Owner/operator:	CFS RAF
Registration:	FX438
MSN:	14A-1741
Fatalities:	Fatalities: 1 / Occupants: 2
Aircraft damage:	Destroyed
Location:	near RAF Moreton-in-the-Marsh, Gloucestershire -   United Kingdom
Phase:	Approach
Nature:	Training
Departure airport:	RAF Moreton-in-the-Marsh, Gloucestershire
Destination airport:	RAF Moreton-in-the-Marsh, Gloucestershire
Confidence Rating:	Information is only available from news, social media or unofficial sources

Narrative:
North American AT-16 Harvard T.2B 43-34855 (MSN 14A-1741) Delivered to RAF as Harvard IIb FX438. To No 11 (Pilot) Advanced Flying Unit January 1945. To No 17 Service Flying Training School, Wellingore, Lincolnshire May 1945. To Central Flying School, Little Rissington, Cheltenham, Gloucestershire June 1947.

Written off (damaged beyond repair) 26 April 1951 when collided with Harvard FX301 (also of the CFS (Central Flying School) RAF) when both aircraft were on final approach to RAF Moreton-in-the-Marsh, Gloucestershire, and crashed upside down near a bungalow. Of the two crew on board Harvard FX438, one was killed, one was seriously injured.

Crew of Harvard FX438:
Flight Lieutenant Douglas Charles Wilson Fortier DFC, RAF (pilot, Service Number 142046) - killed on active service 26/4/1951.
Flight Lieutenant D. F Orchard RAF (Passenger) - survived with serious injuries

Flight Lieutenant Fortier was born in Toronto, Ontario and was educated at the University of Toronto. He joined the RAF in 1940 and was commissioned in 1942. His DFC citation dated 30 June 1944 reads: "The officer has completed many successful operations against the enemy during which he displayed high skill, fortitude and devotion to duty". He flew 48 sorties of 277 hours; 31 sorties of 154 hours and 17 sorties of 122 hours.

1. Halley, James (1999) Broken Wings – Post-War Royal Air Force Accidents Tunbridge Wells: Air-Britain (Historians) Ltd. p.112 ISBN 0-85130-290-4.
2. The Harvard File (John F Hamlin, Air Britain, 1988 p.111)
3. Last Take Off; A Catalogue of RAF Aircraft Losses 1950 to 1953 by Colin Cummings p.131
4. RAF Little Rissington: The Central Flying School 1946-76 p.311 By R. Deacon, A. Pollock, M. Thomas, R. Bagshaw
5. CFS (Central Fighter Establishment) ORB (Operations Record Book)(Air Ministry Form AM/F.540) for the period 1/1/1951 to 31/12/1955: National Archives (PRO Kew) File AIR 29/2310/2 at https://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/details/r/C7163225
6. http://www.aviationarchaeology.org.uk/marg/crashes1950-88.htm
7. https://www.aviation-links.co.uk/Gloucestershire%20Aircraft%20Accidents.pdf
8. http://www.joebaugher.com/usaf_serials/1943_2.html
9. https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/61296646/douglas-charles_wilson-fortier
10. https://www.militaryimages.net/media/douglas-charles-wilson-fortier.140243/
11. http://www.ww2historycollection.com/Awards-Decorations/Awards_UnitedKingdom-DFC-1944.html
12. https://www.thegazette.co.uk/London/issue/36589/supplement/3089/data.pdf

Date/time	Contributor	Updates
20-Jan-2021 20:20	Dr. John Smith	Added
20-Jan-2021 20:26	Dr. John Smith	Updated [Source, Narrative]
20-Jan-2021 20:26	Gerard76	Updated [Operator, Source, Narrative, Operator]