Date:	Sunday 6 July 1947
Time:	day
Type:	Supermarine Spitfire LF. XVIe
Owner/operator:	501 (County of Gloucester) Sqn RAF
Registration:	RW348
MSN:	CBAF IX.3318
Fatalities:	Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 1
Aircraft damage:	Destroyed
Location:	RAF Filton, Bristol, Gloucestershire, England -   United Kingdom
Phase:	Approach
Nature:	Military
Departure airport:	RAF Filton, Gloucestershire
Destination airport:	RAF Filton, Gloucestershire

Narrative:
RW348: Spitfire LF. XVIe, MSN CBAF IX.3318. Built at CBAF (Castle Bromwich Aircraft Factory) with Merlin M266 engine. To Cunliffe-Owen for modifications 10-7-45. To 15 FPP (Ferry Pilots Pool). Damaged when hood blew off at RAF Benson, Wallingford, Oxfordshire 11-7-45. To EAAS (Empire Air Armaments School) RAF Manby 28-7-45. To 501 (County of Gloucester) Squadron, RAF Filton, Bristol, Gloucestershire coded 'RAB-J' 15-4-47

Written off (damaged beyond repair) 6-7-47 when engine cut due to fuel mishandling. The engine failed in flight because the rear fuel tank ran dry, and the pilot did not change the fuel tanks, nor switch on the fuel booster pump. An emergency approach to RAF Filton was made; however, during the approach the engine unexpectantly 'picked up' due to the pilot having left the throttle open after the engine cut out. The sudden and unexpected burst of engine power spoiled the pilot's planned emergency landing and final approach. The pilot then opted to make a wheels-up landing on the grass alongside the runway at RAF Filton

Damage initially assessed as Cat B 6-7-47; re-cat E(FA) and Struck Off Charge 25-7-47.

1. Halley, James (1999) Broken Wings – Post-War Royal Air Force Accidents Tunbridge Wells: Air-Britain (Historians) Ltd. ISBN 0-85130-290-4.
2. Royal Air Force Aircraft PA100-RZ999 (James J Halley, Air Britain)
3. Final Landings: A Summary of RAF Aircraft and Combat Losses 1946-1949 by Colin Cummings p.341
4. ORB 501 Sqn RAF for the period 1-7-1946 to 31-3-1957: National Archives (PRO Kew) File AIR27/2495: https://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/details/r/C2505133
5. "RAF Write offs 1947": Air Britain Aeromilitaria No.2 1978: https://air-britain.com/pdfs/aeromilitaria/Aeromilitaria_1978.pdf
6. http://www.airhistory.org.uk/spitfire/p098.html
7. https://allspitfirepilots.org/aircraft/RW348
8. https://www.avialogs.com/spitfire-and-seafire-registry/item/90933-rw348
9. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/No._501_Squadron_RAF#Into_the_jet_age
10. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/RAF_College_of_Air_Warfare#History
11. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/RAF_Filton#Post_war_years

Date/time	Contributor	Updates
13-May-2023 19:13	Dr. John Smith	Added
13-May-2023 19:17	Nepa	Updated
31-Aug-2023 01:26	Dr. John Smith	Updated