Date:	Monday 21 July 1947
Time:	day
Type:	Supermarine Spitfire LF.XVI
Owner/operator:	7 FTS RAF
Registration:	TE240
MSN:	CBAF IX.4442
Fatalities:	Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 1
Aircraft damage:	Destroyed
Location:	RAF Hibaldstow, Brigg, Lincolnshire, England -   United Kingdom
Phase:	Landing
Nature:	Military
Departure airport:	RAF Kirton-in-Lindsey, Lincolnshire
Destination airport:	RAF Hibaldstow, Lincolnshire

Narrative:
TE240: Spitfire LF. XVI, MSN CBAF IX.4442. Built by CBAF (Castle Bromwich Aircraft Factory) with Merlin M266 engine. To 19MU RAF St. Athan, South Glamorgan 10-5-45. To CGS (Central Gunnery School) RAF Leconfield, Beverely, Yorkshire 8-7-45. To 7 FTS RAF Kirton-in-Lindsey, Lincolnshire 28-5-46

Written off (damaged beyond repair) 21-7-47 when engine failed on approach, aircraft undershot landing and struck a Nissan hut at Hibaldstow, Brigg, Lincolnshire.

The Spitfire's No.5 main engine bearing, the related crankshaft journal, and the crankshaft itself, all failed. The pilot, whose forward visibility was seriously impaired by smoke from the engine, attempted an immediate emergency landing, but then turned away from the approach to RAF Hibaldstow to avoid houses in Hibaldstow village. The then undershot the runway at RAF Hibaldstow, and struck some garages and a Nissen hut. Ther seems to have been no casualties or injuries for the pilot or persons on the ground.

Damage initially assessed as Cat. C (Repairable) 21-7-47. Not repaired, re-cat E and struck off charge 15-8-47

7 FTS was reformed on 21-12-44 as No. 7 SFTS at Peterborough from the disbanded No. 7 (Pilots) Advanced Flying Unit RAF with a relief landing ground at Sibson, a satellite airfield at RAF Sutton Bridge and a detachment at RAF Calveley. They flew North American Harvards, Airspeed Oxfords & Avro Ansons. The school moved to RAF Kirton-in-Lindsey on 15-4-46 and reverting to its original name on 1-1-48 with the unit receiving de Havilland Tiger Moths and Percival Prentices

RAF Hibaldstow is a former Royal Air Force satellite station located south of Hibaldstow in Lincolnshire and 8.3 miles (13.4 km) south east of Scunthorpe, Lincolnshire, England.

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.345
3. Royal Air Force Aircraft SA100-VZ999 (James J. Halley, Air Britain 1985)
4. ORB 7 FTS RAF for the period 1-3-1948 to 31-12-1950: National Archives (PRO Kew) File AIR29/1817: https://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/details/r/C4101527
5. "RAF Write offs 1947": Air Britain Aeromilitaria No. 1978: https://air-britain.com/pdfs/aeromilitaria/Aeromilitaria_1978.pdf
6. http://www.airhistory.org.uk/spitfire/p111.html
7. https://www.avialogs.com/spitfire-and-seafire-registry/item/90785-te240
8. https://allspitfirepilots.org/aircraft/TE240
9. http://www.bcar.org.uk/1945-1949-incident-logs.php#1947
10. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/No._7_Flying_Training_School_RAF#Second_formation
11. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/RAF_Hibaldstow#History

Date/time	Contributor	Updates
12-May-2023 20:53	Dr. John Smith	Added
12-May-2023 21:10	Nepa	Updated
30-Aug-2023 12:06	Dr. John Smith	Updated