Date:	Friday 11 January 1946
Time:	day
Type:	North American P-51K-10-NT Mustang IVA
Owner/operator:	303 (Warsaw-Kosciusko) Sqn RAF
Registration:	KM238
MSN:	111-30494
Fatalities:	Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 1
Aircraft damage:	Destroyed
Location:	RAF Wick, Caithness, Scotland -   United Kingdom
Phase:	Approach
Nature:	Military
Departure airport:	RAF Wick, Caithness, Scotland
Destination airport:	RAF Wick, Caithness, Scotland

Narrative:
North American P-51K-10-NT Mustang: ex-USAAF 44-12361 [MSN 111-30494] to RAF as Mustang IVA KM238. To 303 (Dywizjon Myśliwski "Warszawski im. Tadeusza Kościuszki" (Polish)) Squadron, RAF. During 1945, 303 Squadron continued to operate over the Netherlands, and on the 3-4-45, 303 squadron joined 133 Squadron at RAF Andrewsfield, Essex, where it was re-equipped with the North American Mustang Mk. IVA, including KM238. On 25-4-45, 303 Squadron made its last wartime operational sortie, escorting Avro Lancasters in a raid on Berchtesgaden. After the victory in Europe, (8-5-45) and the end of the war, 303 Squadron relocated to RAF Wick, Caithness, in the far north of Scotland

Written off (damaged beyond repair) 11-1-46 when crashed at RAF Wick, Caithness, Scotland. The pilot approached to land at RAF Wick at too high a speed and too high an altitude. The pilot realised this, and in response, opened up the throttle to initiate an overshoot and to go around again. During this manoeuvre, the port wing dropped, the aircraft swung around the port wing (as the wingtip had dug itself into the ground), and the Mustang tipped up onto its nose, damaging the propeller.

Although the aircraft was written off ("deemed damaged beyond repair") the pilot was uninjured.

1. Halley, James (1999). Broken Wings – Post-War Royal Air Force Accidents. Tunbridge Wells: Air-Britain (Historians) Ltd. p.27 ISBN 0-85130-290-4.
2. Final Landings: A Summary of RAF Aircraft and Combat Losses 1946 to 1949 by Colin Cummings p.32
3. Royal Air Force Aircraft KA100-KZ999 (James J Halley, Air Britain)
4. 303 (Polish) Squadron ORB (Operations Record Book) for the period 1/1/1946 to 31/1/1946: National Archives (PRO Kew) File AIR 27/1666/50 at https://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/details/r/D8400102
5. "RAF Write-offs 1946": Air Britain Aeromilitaria 1979 p.93: https://air-britain.com/pdfs/aeromilitaria/Aeromilitaria_1979.pdf
6. http://www.joebaugher.com/usaf_serials/1944_1.html
7. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/No._303_Squadron_RAF#Postwar
8. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wick_Airport#History

Date/time	Contributor	Updates
31-May-2021 18:30	Dr. John Smith	Added
31-May-2021 18:31	Dr. John Smith	Updated [Aircraft type]
31-May-2021 18:35	Dr. John Smith	Updated [Cn, Narrative]
31-May-2021 20:57	Fanda	Updated [Operator, Operator]
04-Jun-2021 22:47	Dr. John Smith	Updated [Narrative]
27-Jul-2023 21:10	Dr. John Smith	Updated [[Narrative]]