Date:	Tuesday 9 April 1946
Time:	day
Type:	Hawker Tempest Mk V
Owner/operator:	287 Sqn RAF
Registration:	JN795
MSN:
Fatalities:	Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 1
Aircraft damage:	Destroyed
Location:	RAF West Malling, Maidstone, Kent, England -   United Kingdom
Phase:	Approach
Nature:	Military
Departure airport:	RAF West Malling, Maidstone, Kent
Destination airport:	RAF West Malling, Maidstone, Kent

Narrative:
Hawker Tempest Mk. V JN795/KZ-E, 287 Squadron, RAF: Written off (damaged beyond repair) in an accident at RAF West Malling, Maidstone, Kent on 9 April 1946

Tempest JN795 was delivered to the RAF 20 MU Aston Down, Gloucestershire. First issued to 486 [New Zealand] Squadron 10 April 1944 as "SA-E". FAAC (Flying Accident Cat. C) due to engine failure, causing a forced landing at Old Romney, Romney Marshes, Kent, 1 May 1944. Pilot - K A Smith was OK. Aircraft repaired and returned to service, remaining with 486 (New Zealand) Squadron until it returned to the United Kingdom in September 1945 and its service ended on 12 October 1945 with the disbandment of the squadron at RAF Dunsfold, Surrey.

Next issued to 287 Squadron, RAF West Malling later in October 1945 as "KZ-E".

On 9 April 1946, while on approach to RAF West Malling, the engine oil temperature rose, and the oil pressure dropped, due to clogging of the oil filters. The pilot therefore decided to make an urgent landing back at base (RAF West Malling).

During the approach, the pilot lowered the undercarriage fairly late, and then found that the starboard undercarriage leg would not lower. The pilot then raised the undercarriage and the Hawker Tempest made a wheels-up belly landing at RAF West Malling.

The subsequent RAF Board of Inquiry into the incident discovered that there was, in fact, nothing wrong with the undercarriage, except that the "dwell" (delay) time between lowering the undercarriage lever, and the undercarriage actually lowering, was longer than the pilot expected. Thus, the pilot - mistakenly - believed that the undercarriage had not lowered, when it was operating perfectly, if somewhat slower than he thought!

As 287 Squadron disbanded on 15 June 1946, the decision was taken not to repair Hawker Tempest JN795. Instead, it was Struck Off Charge on 13 August 1947 as Cat. E

1. Halley, James (1999). Broken Wings – Post-War Royal Air Force Accidents. Tunbridge Wells: Air-Britain (Historians) Ltd. p.37 ISBN 0-85130-290-4.
2. Final Landings: A Summary of RAF Aircraft and Combat Losses 1946 to 1949 by Colin Cummings p.121
3. Royal Air Force Aircraft JA100-JZ999 (James J Halley, Air Britain)
4. 287 Squadron ORB (Operations Record Book) for the period 1-5-1941 to 30-6-1946: National Archives (PRO Kew) File AIR 27/1622 at https://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/details/r/C2504264
5. "RAF Write-offs 1946": Air Britain Aeromilitaria 1979 p.98: https://air-britain.com/pdfs/aeromilitaria/Aeromilitaria_1979.pdf
6. https://steemit.com/history/@len.george/hawker-siddeley-tempest-mk-v-486-nz-squadron-1944-to-1945-part-1
7. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/No._486_Squadron_RNZAF#Service_with_the_Second_Tactical_Air_Force
8. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/No._287_Squadron_RAF
9. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/RAF_West_Malling#After_the_war

Date/time	Contributor	Updates
05-Jul-2021 20:55	Dr. John Smith	Added
05-Jul-2021 20:58	Dr. John Smith	Updated [Category]
05-Jul-2021 20:58	Dr. John Smith	Updated [Source]
05-Jul-2021 21:10	Dr. John Smith	Updated [Narrative]
05-Jul-2021 21:11	Dr. John Smith	Updated [Narrative]
05-Jul-2021 22:41	TB	Updated [Operator, Location, Operator]
03-Jul-2023 18:26	Dr. John Smith	Updated [[Operator, Location, Operator]]