Date:	Monday 19 May 1941
Time:	05:10
Type:	Boulton Paul Defiant Mk I
Owner/operator:	54 OTU RAF
Registration:	N1742
MSN:
Fatalities:	Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 1
Aircraft damage:	Destroyed
Location:	RAF Church Fenton, North Yorkshire, England. -   United Kingdom
Phase:	Landing
Nature:	Training
Departure airport:	RAF Church Fenton, North Yorkshire
Destination airport:	RAF Church Fenton

Narrative:
Defiant N1742: Took off for Night Training solo flight. 19/05/1941.
Crashed on landing at night at RAF Church Fenton, North Yorkshire. The pilot was OK, his aircraft Defiant N1742 was damaged at 05:10 hrs when undercarriage collapsed after landing. The cause was obscure.
Crew:
Sgt (1251066) Edgar Alan TURNER (Pilot) RAFVR - OK

Sgt Alan Turner received his commission to the rank of Pilot Officer on probation (emergency) on 6 May 1942 (With new Service Number 123831) and was promoted to Flying Officer on probation (war subs) on 6 November 1942 and Flight Leiutenant (war subs) on 6 May 1944. Post-War he was appointed to a commission as Flying Officer in the RAF Volunteer Reserve on 21 October 1947 and relinquished his commission of Flying Officer on 21 October 1952

Defiant N1742 was built to contract 751807/38 by Boulton & Paul Ltd. at Wolverhampton and was awaiting collection in September 1940 and was initially placed into MU storage for two monthes. It was eventually taken on charge by the newly formed 54 OTU at Church Fenton on or around 25 November 1940 when the unit formed. On 19 May 1941 Cat.A/FA damage was recorded following the landing accident detailed above and it was repaired on site but before repair could be completed, unit ceased operating the Defiant type on 16 June 1941 so the aircraft was flown into MU storage after the repair was finished.

The aircraft next appears on charge with 3 AGS at Castle Kennedy on 20 April 1942 when the unit formed and the following month it moved to 10 AGS at Barrow. By 28th April 1943 the aircraft had been placed in MU storage once again and was converted to Target Towing status. The aircraft lastly appears on RNAS charge with RNAS Gosport and is last recorded as being struck off charge on 29 October 1945.

1. Royal Air Force Aircraft N1000-N9999 (James J. Halley, Air Britain, 1977 p 9)
2. National Archives (PRO Kew) File AIR 81
3. ORB 54 OTU RAF for May 1941: National Archives (PRO Kew)
4. https://www.yorkshire-aircraft.co.uk/aircraft/yorkshire/york41/n1742.html
5. http://www.rafcommands.com/database/serials/details.php?uniq=N1742
6. https://air-britain.com/pdfs/military/Crashes_in_Northern_England.pdf
7. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Royal_Air_Force_Operational_Training_Units
8. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/RAF_Church_Fenton#Second_World_War

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