Date:	Wednesday 28 October 1953
Time:
Type:	North American AT-16 Harvard T.2B
Owner/operator:	3 FTS RAF
Registration:	KF513
MSN:	14A-1616
Fatalities:	Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 1
Aircraft damage:	Destroyed
Location:	near Methwold Hythe, 3 miles N of RAF Feltwell, Norfolk, England -   United Kingdom
Phase:	En route
Nature:	Training
Departure airport:	RAF Feltwell, Thetford, Norfolk
Destination airport:	RAF Methwold, Norfolk
Confidence Rating:	Information is only available from news, social media or unofficial sources

Narrative:
North American AT-16 Harvard T.2B KF513. Direct purchase, so no former USAAF Serial. Originally intended for Royal Navy (Fleet Air Arm) use, but damaged in transit. After repairs, first issued for serivce with the RAF in March 1946 to 3 SFTS, RAF Feltwell, Thetford, Norfolk coded "FBT-H". Unit became 3 FTS in April 1947 (still at RAF Feltwell, coded "FBT-H"). To RAFC (Royal Air Force College) RAF Cranwell, Lincolnshire in November 1949 coded "A-A". To 22 FTS (Flying Training School) RAF Syerston, Nottinghamshire in April 1951. Back to 3 FTS, RAF Feltwell, Thetford, Norfolk in July 1952 coded "R-T".

Written off (damaged beyond repair) 28 October 1953: After completing an aerobatics training sortie from RAF Feltwell, the pilot then, as per his briefing, set course for RAF Methwold, Norfolk. During the journey to RAF Methwold, where the pilot was to practice landings, the engine of Harvard KF513 failed at 12,000 feet. In response, the pilot closed the throttle, and then opened it again, in order to re-start the engine.

Although this was initially successful, shortly afterwards, the engine failed for a second time, and this time it could not be re-started. The pilot then make a forced landing in a field near Methwold Hythe, three miles north of RAF Feltwell, Norfolk.

Methwold is a civil parish in the English county of Norfolk, on the edge of the Norfolk Fens and Breckland. The parish also includes the hamlets of Methwold Hythe, approximately 1 mile (1.6 km) east of the town and on the edge of the fens, and Brookville to the north west.

Although the aircraft was written off (damaged beyond repair), the pilot appears to have survived uninjured. Harvard KF513 was Struck Off Charge as Cat.5(G/I) on 7/12/1953 as Ground Instructional Airframe 7113M

1. Halley, James (1999) Broken Wings – Post-War Royal Air Force Accidents Tunbridge Wells: Air-Britain (Historians) Ltd. p.152 ISBN 0-85130-290-4.
2. The Harvard File (John F Hamlin, Air Britain, 1988, p.126)
3. Last Take Off; A Catalogue of RAF Aircraft Losses 1950 to 1953 by Colin Cummings p.423
4. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Methwold
5. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/RAF_Methwold

Date/time	Contributor	Updates
20-May-2021 22:05	Dr. John Smith	Added
20-May-2021 22:13	Anon.	Updated [Operator, Location, Operator]
24-May-2021 21:07	Dr. John Smith	Updated [Narrative]