Date:	Wednesday 27 March 1946
Time:	day
Type:	Avro Lancaster B Mk I
Owner/operator:	ETPS RAF
Registration:	R5842
MSN:
Fatalities:	Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 5
Aircraft damage:	Destroyed
Location:	RAF Cranfield, Bedfordshire, England -   United Kingdom
Phase:	Take off
Nature:	Test
Departure airport:	RAF Cranfield, Bedfordshire
Destination airport:
Confidence Rating:	Information is only available from news, social media or unofficial sources

Narrative:
Avro Lancaster B. Mk. I R5842, ETPS (Empire Test Pilots School), RAF: Written off (damaged beyond repair) 27 March 1946 in an accident at RAF Cranfield, Cranfield, Bedfordshire. By the time of the accident which caused its demise, Lancaster R5842 (an early production Mk. I) was quite a veteran aircraft. According to the Aircraft Movement Record Card (Air Ministry Form AM.78), the history of Lancaster R5842 was as follows...

05-01-42: Built by A. V. Roe and Chadderton, Manchester, and notified as awaiting collection
30-03-42: Taken on charge by 61 Squadron, RAF Woolfox Lodge, Leicestershire
01-04-42: Transferred to 44 Squadron, RAF Waddington, Lincolnshire
29-04-42: Sustained FAAC (Flying Accident Cat. C) damage. A 420 Squadron Handley Page Hampden I (AE399/PT-P) swung on landing from operations and collided with parked Lancaster R5842, F/S W.K. McDermid and F/S L.H. Gardiner were injured, Sgt Waddington (RAF) and Sgt Wilkinson (RAF) were safe in the Hampden, two airmen were injured in the Lancaster which was later repaired
01-05-42: Repaired on site by A. V. Roe CWP (Contractors Working Party)
23-05-42: Repairs completed, notified awaiting collection again
31-05-42: Further FAAC (Flying Accident Cat. C) damage
04-06-42: Repaired on site by A. V. Roe CWP (Contractors Working Party)
09-06-42: Repairs completed, notified as awaiting collection
05-09-42: Taken on charge by 49 Squadron, RAF Scampton, Lincolnshire
09-11-42: Transferred to 1661 HCU (Heavy Conversion Unit) RAF Winthorpe, Nottinghamshire
25-11-42: Sustained FAAC (Flying Accident Cat. C) damage
05-12-42: Repairs completed, returned to 1661 HCU RAF Winthorpe, Nottinghamshire
25-01-43: RIW (Repairs in Works) by A. V .Roe
30-01-43: Repairs completed, notified as awaiting collection
04-02-43: Returned to 1661 HCU, RAF Winthorpe, Nottinghamshire
02-02-44: Transferred to 5 LFS (Lancaster Finishing School), RAF Syerston, Nottinghamshire
06-12-44: Cat. C accident damage
19-02-44: Repairs completed, notified awaiting collection. Returned to 5 LFS, RAF Syerston same day
03-03-44: Cat. C accident damage
02-04-44: Returned to 5 LFS, RAF Syerston, Nottinghamshire
23-07-44: Transferred to 24 MU RAF Stoke Heath, Gloucestershire for RIW (Repairs in Works)
09-12-44: Notified awaiting collection at 24 MU after completion of RIW
02-01-45: Transferred to 46 MU RAF Lossiemouth for short term storage
15-02-45: Transferred to C(A) MoS (Controller (Air) Ministry of Supply) and delivered to Boscombe Down for use by the ETPS (Empire Test Pilots School)
27-02-46: Cat. C damaged in a flying accident at RAF Cranfield, Bedfordshire. The aircraft sustained damage when it was being used by the students of No.4 ETPS (Empire Test Pilots School) course. The details of the accident are not yet fully known. No reported fatalities or casualties. Transferred to the charge of A.V Roe for possible repairs
24-04-46: Repairs not proceeded with, aircraft instead Struck Off Charge as FACE (Flying Accident Cat. E)

1. Halley, James (1999). Broken Wings – Post-War Royal Air Force Accidents. Tunbridge Wells: Air-Britain (Historians) Ltd. p.33. ISBN 0-85130-290-4.
2. Royal Air Force Aircraft PA100-RZ999 (James J Halley, Air Britain,1992, p.8)
3. The Lancaster File (James J Halley, Air Britain, 1985 p 120)
4. Final Landings: A Summary of RAF Aircraft and Combat Losses 1946 to 1949 by Colin Cummings p.106
5. http://lancasterbombersinfo.ipage.com/Data/Form-78s/Lancaster/R5842-R5917/mobile/index.html#1
6. ETPS RAF ORB for the period 1-1-1946 to 21-12-1949: National Archives (PRO Kew) File AIR 29/1805: https://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/details/r/C4101515
7. http://www.sonsofdamien.co.uk/Man-Lanc%20serials%20page%203.htm
8. https://www.bombercommandmuseumarchives.ca/canadaairwar/canadaairwar1942.pdf
9. https://www.lancaster-archive.com/lanc_prod_metrov2.htm
10. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Empire_Test_Pilots%27_School#History
11. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cranfield_Airport#History

Date/time	Contributor	Updates
24-Jun-2021 22:02	Dr. John Smith	Added
24-Jun-2021 22:05	Dr. John Smith	Updated [Narrative]
24-Jun-2021 22:34	Vicki	Updated [Operator, Location, Operator]
03-Jul-2021 20:34	Dr. John Smith	Updated [Narrative, Category]
06-Jul-2023 20:02	Dr. John Smith	Updated [[Narrative, Category]]