Date:	Friday 25 January 1946
Time:	day
Type:	Supermarine Spitfire F Mk 21
Owner/operator:	91 Sqn RAF
Registration:	LA266
MSN:	SMAF.4399
Fatalities:	Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 1
Aircraft damage:	Destroyed
Location:	RAF Charterhall, near Duns, Berwickshire, Scotland -   United Kingdom
Phase:	Landing
Nature:	Military
Departure airport:	RAF Duxford, Cambridgeshire
Destination airport:	RAF Charterhall, Duns, Berwickshire

Narrative:
LA266: Spitfire F.21, MSN SMAF.4399. Built at Vickers Armstrongs South Marston, Swindon, Wiltshire with Griffon G61 engine. Test flown by Flight Lieutenant Loweth (Vickers Armstrong South Marston) for 25 minutes on 26-4-45 (possible first flight). Delivered to the RAF at 33 MU Lyneham by Flying Officer Dutton ATA (Air Transport Auxiliary) 4-5-45. First issued to 91 Squadron, RAF Duxford, Cambridgeshire 30-6-45 as "DL-N". To CBAF (Castle Bromwich Aircraft Factory) 9-11-45 for modifications. Returned to 91 Squadron by/on 4-1-46.

Written off (damaged beyond repair): Stalled on landing, skidded and undercarriage collapsed RAF Charterhall 25-1-46. The pilot allowed Spitfire LA266 to stall on landing, the starboard wing dropped, and dug into the ground. The aircraft tipped onto its nose, and skidded along the runway before the undercarriage collapsed.

Damage initially assessed as FACB (Flying Accident Cat. B) but the decision was taken not to repair Spitfire LA266: instead, it was re-cat FACE (Flying Accident Cat. E) and Struck Off Charge on 31-1-46

1. Halley, James (1999). Broken Wings – Post-War Royal Air Force Accidents. Tunbridge Wells: Air-Britain (Historians) Ltd. p.29 ISBN 0-85130-290-4.
2. Final Landings: A Summary of RAF Aircraft and Combat Losses 1946 to 1949 by Colin Cummings p.47
3. Royal Air Force Aircraft LA100-LZ999 (James J Halley, Air Britain)
4. 91 Sqn RAF ORB for the period 1-6-1945 to 31-1-1947: National Archives (PRO Kew) File AIR27/741/35: https://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/details/r/D8455508
5. "RAF Write-offs 1946": Air Britain Aeromilitaria 1979 p.94: https://air-britain.com/pdfs/aeromilitaria/Aeromilitaria_1979.pdf
6. http://www.airhistory.org.uk/spitfire/p054.html
7. https://allspitfirepilots.org/aircraft/LA266
8. http://rafcommands.com/database/serials/details.php?uniq=LA266
9. https://www.avialogs.com/spitfire-and-seafire-registry/item/79466-la266
10. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/No._91_Squadron_RAF#World_War_II
11. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/RAF_Charterhall#Second_World_War

Date/time	Contributor	Updates
03-Jun-2021 19:02	Dr. John Smith	Added
03-Jun-2021 19:11	Dr. John Smith	Updated [Destination airport, Source, Narrative]
03-Jun-2021 21:19	Next	Updated [Aircraft type, Operator, Location, Operator]
23-Jul-2023 16:46	Dr. John Smith	Updated [[Aircraft type, Operator, Location, Operator]]