Date:	Wednesday 16 February 1949
Time:	day
Type:	Supermarine Spitfire LF Mk XVI
Owner/operator:	20 Sqn RAF
Registration:	SL614
MSN:	CBAF IX.4695
Fatalities:	Fatalities: 1 / Occupants: 1
Aircraft damage:	Destroyed
Location:	Cardigan Bay, off Harlech, Merionethshire, Wales -   United Kingdom
Phase:	En route
Nature:	Military
Departure airport:	RAF Llanbedr, Gwynedd, Wales
Destination airport:	RAF Valley, Anglesey

Narrative:
SL614: Spitfire LF.XVI. MSN CBAF IX.4695. Built at CBAF (Castle Bromwich Aircraft Factory) with Merlin M266 engine. Delivered to 6MU RAF Brize Norton, Oxfordshire 14-8-45. To 577 Squadron, RAF Castle Bromwich, Warwickshire 5-9-45. To 631 Squadron, RAF Llanbedr coded '6D-A' 27-6-46. To 20 Squadron RAF Valley, Anglesey 11-2-49 when squadron renumbered.

Written off (destroyed) 16-2-49 in mid-air collision with Spitfire RW385 (also of 20 Squadron, RAF) and crashed into Cardigan Bay off Harlech, Merionethshire. This aircraft and Spitfire RW385 were part of a two aircraft formation making an authorised mock attack on a NA Harvard T.2b. However, the formation leader had not pre-briefed the formation as to how the two aircraft could carry out the mock attack, and during the manoeuvre the two Spitfires collided. Pilot of Spitfire SL614 killed, pilot of Spitfire RW385 survived.

Crew of Spitfire SL614
P.I (1587855) Lawrence James COWLING (pilot) RAF - killed on active service 16-2-49.

Neither the aircraft nor the pilot was ever found or recovered. Formally Struck Off Charge 24-2-49 as FACE (Flying Accident Cat. E2).

From 11-2-1949 to 30-9-1951, 20 Squadron was reformed from No 631 Squadron at RAF Llanbedr flying a variety of aircraft in the Anti-Aircraft Cooperation role, providing targets for AAA guns and simulating attacks on ground troops for their training. It moved to RAF Valley in July 1949, disbanding in September 1951.

1. Halley, James (1999). Broken Wings – Post-War Royal Air Force Accidents. Tunbridge Wells: Air-Britain (Historians) Ltd. ISBN 0-85130-290-4.
2. Final Landings: A Summary of RAF Aircraft and Combat Losses 1946 to 1949 by Colin Cummings p.477
3. Royal Air Force Aircraft SA100-VZ999 (James J Halley, Air Britain)
4. http://www.airhistory.org.uk/spitfire/p099.html
5. https://allspitfirepilots.org/aircraft/SL614
6. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/No._577_Squadron_RAF
7. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/No._631_Squadron_RAF
8. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/No._20_Squadron_RAF#Cold_War_(1945-1970)
9. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cardigan_Bay
10. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Llanbedr_Airport#History

Date/time	Contributor	Updates
02-Apr-2023 19:32	Dr. John Smith	Added
18-Sep-2023 19:08	Dr. John Smith	Updated