Date:	Monday 11 March 1946
Time:	day
Type:	Vickers Type 460 Warwick Mk II
Owner/operator:	Vickers Aircraft Ltd
Registration:	HG516
MSN:
Fatalities:	Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 2
Aircraft damage:	Destroyed
Location:	Ockham Common, Ockham, Surrey -   United Kingdom
Phase:	Take off
Nature:	Test
Departure airport:	RAF Wisley Airfield, Ockham, Surrey
Destination airport:	RAF Wisley Airfield, Ockham, Surrey
Confidence Rating:	Information is only available from news, social media or unofficial sources

Narrative:
Vickers Type 460 Warwick Mk.II, C(A) MoS/Vickers Aircraft Ltd. Written off 11 March 1946 in a take off accident at Wisley, Surrey, with the aircraft coming down at Ockham Common, Ockham, Surrey, approximately half-a-mile from the runway at Wisley.

The Vickers Warwick had a history of propellers overspeeding, and in response, a special pre-flight drill had been devised to counter this situation. However, when Warwick HG516 entered into a 'propeller overspeed' situation shortly after take off from Wisley Airfield, Surrey. With the aircraft only just airborne, and flying a a low altitude, the aircraft's starboard propeller began to overspeed to 3,100 rpm.

The propeller speed control was ineffective, but the pilot was able to feather the starboard propeller. The pilot then returned immediately to Wisley in order to make a landing, but, flying on only one engine (the port engine) he misjudged the asymmetric approach to Wisley,and therefore entered the circuit, to 'go around again' and make a second attempt at landing.

However, the pilot suspected that the port (the 'live') engine was about to fail, and, being unable to maintain altitude, carried out a 'wheels up' forced landing in a field at Ockham, Surrey, approximately half-a-mile from the runway at Wisley. Both crew were uninjured:

Crew of Warwick HG516:
Wing Commander G E Lowell, AFM (pilot)
Mr. W H Langdon (Civilian Flight Test Observer)

The cause of the engine failure was attributed to the failure of the No.2 Reduction Gear Oil Transfer Plunger.

The reported crash location of Ockham is a rural and semi-rural village in the borough of Guildford in Surrey, England. Warwick HG516 came down half a mile from Wisley Airfield, which was an airfield located in the Parish of Ockham near Wisley in Surrey, England, at approximate co ordinates 51°18′ 23″N, 0°27′ 32″W. Originally a grass airstrip, the runway was converted to tarmac in 1952 and used to test aircraft built at Weybridge by Vickers. Flying ceased in 1973 because the runway was too short for large aircraft and was too close to Heathrow.

1. Halley, James (1999). Brokenl Wings – Post-War Royal Air Force Accidents. Tunbridge Wells: Air-Britain (Historians) Ltd. p.33 ISBN 0-85130-290-4.
2. Final Landings: A Summary of RAF Aircraft and Combat Losses 1946 to 1949 by Colin Cummings p.91
3. Royal Air Force Aircraft HA100-HZ999 (James J Halley, Air Britain)
4. National Archives (PRO Kew) AIB Report AVIA 5/28/W2331: https://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/details/r/C6578177
5. http://www.rafcommands.com/database/serials/details.php?uniq=%20HG516
6. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wisley_Airfield
7. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ockham,_Surrey#Wisley_Airfield_on_Ockham_Common

Date/time	Contributor	Updates
20-Jun-2021 22:02	Dr. John Smith	Added
20-Jun-2021 22:04	Dr. John Smith	Updated [Narrative]
20-Jun-2021 22:06	Dr. John Smith	Updated [Source, Narrative]
13-Jul-2021 16:38	Dr. John Smith	Updated [Location, Source, Narrative, Category]