Date:	Thursday 14 February 1946
Time:	day
Type:	Avro Lancaster B Mk III
Owner/operator:	429 (Bison) Sqn RCAF
Registration:	RF259
MSN:
Fatalities:	Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 5
Aircraft damage:	Destroyed
Location:	RAF Leeming, North Yorkshire, England -   United Kingdom
Phase:	Take off
Nature:	Military
Departure airport:	RAF Leeming, North Yorkshire
Destination airport:

Narrative:
Avro Lancaster B. Mk. III RF259, 429 (Bison)(Canadian) Squadron, RAF: Written off (damaged beyond repair) in a takeoff accident 14-2-46 at RAF Leeming, North Yorkshire

During the takeoff run, the flight engineer raised the undercarriage, before the Lancaster had "properly established" itself in the air, due to mis-hearing the instructions from the pilot. The Lancaster thus sank bank onto the runway at RAF Leeming, and slid along the runway, severely damaging its underside.

Aircraft not repaired, declared FACE (Flying Accident Cat. E) and Struck Off Charge as "damaged beyond economic repair". As far as is known, the crew were uninjured.

429 (Bison) Squadron RCAF was formed on 7 November 1942 as the 429 (Bomber) Squadron RCAF with No 4 Group at RAF East Moor, but reassigned to No. 6 Group shortly after. The squadron moved to RAF Leeming in 1943 and disbanded on 31-5-46.

1. Halley, James (1999). Broken Wings – Post-War Royal Air Force Accidents. Tunbridge Wells: Air-Britain (Historians) Ltd. p.31 ISBN 0-85130-290-4.
2. Final Landings: A Summary of RAF Aircraft and Combat Losses 1946 to 1949 by Colin Cummings p.72
3. Royal Air Force Aircraft PA100-RZ999 (James J Halley, Air Britain)
4. The Lancaster File (James J Halley, Air Britain, 1985)
5. 429 Sqn RCAF ORB: National Archives (PRO Kew) File AIR27
6. "RAF Write-offs 1946": Air Britain Aeromilitaria 1979 p.95: https://air-britain.com/pdfs/aeromilitaria/Aeromilitaria_1979.pdf
7. https://www.avro-lancaster.info/rfseries/RF259
8. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/429_Transport_Squadron#History
9. https://www.rcafassociation.ca/heritage/history/rcaf-and-the-crucible-of-war/429-squadron/
10. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/RAF_Leeming#1940s

Date/time	Contributor	Updates
12-Jun-2021 21:40	Dr. John Smith	Added
12-Jun-2021 21:41	Dr. John Smith	Updated [Source]
13-Jun-2021 08:36	DG333	Updated [Operator, Operator]
14-Jul-2023 22:05	Dr. John Smith	Updated [[Operator, Operator]]