Date:	Thursday 12 September 1946
Time:	day
Type:	Supermarine Spitfire LF Mk IX
Owner/operator:	72 Sqn RAF
Registration:	ML194
MSN:	CBAF.
Fatalities:	Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 1
Aircraft damage:	Destroyed
Location:	Zeltweg, Styria -   Austria
Phase:	Approach
Nature:	Military
Departure airport:	Zeltweg, Styria, Austria
Destination airport:	Zeltweg, Styria, Austria

Narrative:
ML194: Spitfire LF. IX. Built by CBAF (Castle Bromwich Aircraft Factory) with Merlin M66 engine. To 6MU RAF Brize Norton, Oxfordshire 31-3-44. To GAL (General Aircraft Ltd) Hanworth, Middlesex 29-11-44 for modifications. To 29MU RAF High Ercall, Shropshire 23-1-45. To 1 OADU (Overseas Aircraft Delivery Unit) 3-4-45. To MAAF (Mediterranean Allied Air Force) 6-4-45. Re-allocated to Middle East Air Force, then to 72 Squadron

Written off (damaged beyond repair) 12-9-46 when spun in on powerless approach Zeltweg, Styria, Austria; the engine failed at 5,000 feet altitude, and the pilot attempted to recover back to base (RAF Zeltweg) for a forced landing on the airfield. However, the aircraft was undershooting on approach, and the pilot attempted to "stretch the glide" in order to make it back to RAF Zeltweg. The Spitfire stalled on the airfield boundary from an altitude of 50 feet. The pilot survived with injuries
Crew of Spitfire ML194
F/Sgt E B Broddice (pilot) RAF - survived with injuries

Damage assessed as Cat. E 12-9-46. Not repaired, and Struck off Charge 31-10-46

72 Squadron assisted the British 8th Army as they advanced through Italy and France up until the German surrender (8-5-45) At this point they were moved to Austria ass part of the BAFO (British Armed Forces of Occupation). It was here they were disbanded on 30-12-46 at Zeltweg.

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.215
3. Royal Air Force Aircraft MA100-MZ999 (James J Halley, Air Britain)
4. "RAF Write-offs 1946": Air Britain Aeromilitaria 1979 p.103: https://air-britain.com/pdfs/aeromilitaria/Aeromilitaria_1979.pdf
5. 72 Sqn RAF ORB for the period 1946-1950: National Archives (PRO Kew) File AIR27/2430: https://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/details/r/C2505068
6. http://www.airhistory.org.uk/spitfire/p110.html
7. https://allspitfirepilots.org/aircraft/ML194
8. https://www.avialogs.com/spitfire-and-seafire-registry/item/86446-ml194
9. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/No._72_Squadron_RAF#Second_World_War
10. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zeltweg_Air_Base

Date/time	Contributor	Updates
03-Jun-2023 18:15	Dr. John Smith	Added
04-Jun-2023 08:16	Nepa	Updated
14-Sep-2023 08:38	Dr. John Smith	Updated