Date:	Tuesday 17 September 1946
Time:
Type:	North American Harvard T Mk 2B
Owner/operator:	7 SFTS RAF
Registration:	KF219
MSN:	14A-1928
Fatalities:	Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 1
Aircraft damage:	Destroyed
Location:	RAF Kirton-in-Lindsey, Lincolnshire, England -   United Kingdom
Phase:	Take off
Nature:	Military
Departure airport:	RAF Kirton-in-Lindsey, Lincolnshire
Destination airport:

Narrative:
North American Harvard KF219 (MSN 14A-1928) 7 SFTS, RAF: Written off (damaged beyond repair) 17 September 1946 in a take-off accident at RAF Kirton-in-Lindsay, Lincolnshire

The French pilot became confused by the lights that he saw as he lined up for a night take-off; he commenced his take off roll on the wrong heading, and the Harvard collided with the runway controller's caravan. The aircraft was written off, but the pilot survived OK.

The school 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 reverted to its original name on 1-1-48

1. Halley, James (1999). Broken Wings – Post-War Royal Air Force Accidents. Tunbridge Wells: Air-Britain (Historians) Ltd. p.71. ISBN 0-85130-290-4.
2. Final Landings: A Summary of RAF Aircraft and Combat Losses 1946 to 1949 by Colin Cummings p.218
3. The Harvard File (John F Hamlin, Air Britain, 1988)
4. "RAF Write-offs 1946": Air Britain Aeromilitaria 1979 p.103: https://air-britain.com/pdfs/aeromilitaria/Aeromilitaria_1979.pdf
5. 7 SFTS RAF ORB for the period December 1935-February 1948: National Archives (PRO Kew) File AIR29/567/1: https://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/details/r/C7160844
6. https://www.bcar.org.uk/1945-49-incident-logs#1946
7. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/No._7_Flying_Training_School_RAF#Second_formation
8. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/RAF_Kirton_in_Lindsey#RAF_Flying_Training_Command_use

Aerial photograph of RAF Kirton in Lindsey showing, the technical site with three C-Type hangars to the top (north), 27 July 1948

Date/time	Contributor	Updates
02-Jun-2023 15:11	Dr. John Smith	Added
02-Jun-2023 17:03	Nepa	Updated
03-Jun-2023 16:47	Dr. John Smith	Updated