Date:	Tuesday 16 September 1947
Time:
Type:	North American Harvard T Mk 2B
Owner/operator:	CFS RAF
Registration:	KF339
MSN:	14A-2038
Fatalities:	Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 2
Aircraft damage:	Destroyed
Location:	RAF Little Rissington, Cirencester, Gloucestershire, England -   United Kingdom
Phase:	Initial climb
Nature:	Military
Departure airport:	RAF Little Rissington, Gloucestershire
Destination airport:	RAF Little Rissington, Cirencester, Gloucestershire

Narrative:
Harvard KF339 (MSN 14A-2038), CFS (Central Flying School), RAF Little Rissington. Direct purchase, so previous USAAF serial. First recorded in service with 2 FIS (Flying Instructors School) RAF Montrose, Scotland in February 1945. To 7 FIS (Flying Instructors School) RAF Upavon from July 1945. To CFS (Central Flying School) RAF Little Rissington, Gloucestershire from May 1946 as "FDM-V"

Written off (damaged beyond repair) 16-9-47 in a takeoff accident at RAF Little Rissington, Cirencester, Gloucestershire. Following a night takeoff and climb to 250 feet agl (above ground level) the Harvard's engine failed. The pilot turned the aircraft around to try and return to base (RAF Little Rissington) while also trying to avoid trees in the flightpath. The aircraft crash landed within the airfield boundaries at RAF Little Rissington, and was damaged beyond repair. The cause of the engine failure was never discovered, but the crew were uninjured.

1. Halley, James (1999) Broken Wings – Post-War Royal Air Force Accidents Tunbridge Wells: Air-Britain
2. Final Landings: A Summary of RAF Aircraft and Combat Losses 1946 to 1949 by Colin Cummings p.338
3. The Harvard File (John F Hamlin, Air Britain, 1988 p 120)
4. RAF Little Rissington: The Central Flying School 1946-76 By R. Deacon, A. Pollock, M. Tomas, R. Bagshaw
5. CFS RAF ORB for the period 1/9/1946 to 31/12/1950: National Archives (PRO Kew) File AIR 29/1788 at https://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/details/r/C4101498
6. https://www.aviation-links.co.uk/Gloucestershire%20Aircraft%20Accidents.pdf
7. https://www.rafcommands.com/database/serials/details.php?uniq=KF339
8. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/RAF_Little_Rissington#Central_Flying_School:_1946_to_1976

Date/time	Contributor	Updates
09-May-2023 18:47	Dr. John Smith	Added
09-May-2023 20:44	Nepa	Updated
10-May-2023 16:29	Dr. John Smith	Updated