Date:	Tuesday 7 May 1946
Time:	day
Type:	Supermarine Spitfire LF. IX
Owner/operator:	137 MU RAF
Registration:	MH430
MSN:	CBAF.
Fatalities:	Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 1
Aircraft damage:	Destroyed
Location:	HMS Falcon, RNAS Hal Far, Hal Far -   Malta
Phase:	Landing
Nature:	Military
Departure airport:	RAF Luqa, Malta
Destination airport:	HMS Falcon, RNAS Hal Far, Hal Far
Confidence Rating:	Information is only available from news, social media or unofficial sources

Narrative:
MH430: Spitfire LF IX, built by CBAF (Castle Bromwich Aircraft Factory) with Merlin M66 engine. To 222 (Natal) Squadron 15-8-43. To 350 (Belgian) Squadron coded 'MN-E' 1-1-44. To 84GSU 15-6-44. To Scottish Aviation 28-9-44. To 3501SU 23-2-45. To Vickers Armstrongs 23-2-45 modifications. To 3APU (Armament Practice Unit) RAF Llanbedr 2-4-45. To MAAF (Mediterranean Allied Air Force) 3-5-45. To 137MU RAF Safi and Kalafrana, Malta.

Written off (damaged beyond repair) 7-5-46. Aircraft accident record card missing, but reported that the Spitfire was severely damaged when the undercarriage collapsed on landing at Hal Far, Malta

According to the 137 MU RAF Operations Record Book:

"Took off from Luqa. On the return to Luqa, the wind freshened to 10 mph from the South West, creating a cross wind for runway 14-32 (Runway 24-06 being closed for repairs). Made two approaches to Luqa, but on the second approach, the wheels struck the runway. The undercarriage light went out, and the selector lever was jammed. Pilot flew over to Hal-Far, making a low pass close to the tower for undercarriage inspection, which appeared to be fully down. The pilot made a slow approach touching down as lightly as he could. After a landing roll of around 100 yards, the port wheel collapsed, followed by the starboard wheel, sliding to a stop. No injuries".

Damaged assessed as Cat E 7-5-46; not repaired, Struck Off Charge 30-5-46

1. Halley, James (1999) Broken Wings – Post-War Royal Air Force Accidents Tunbridge Wells: Air-Britain (Historians) Ltd. p.41 ISBN 0-85130-290-4.
2. Final Landings: A Summary of RAF Aircraft and Combat Losses 1946 to 1949 by Colin Cummings p.138
3. "RAF Write-offs 1946": Air Britain Aeromilitaria 1979 p.98: https://air-britain.com/pdfs/aeromilitaria/Aeromilitaria_1979.pdf
4. 137 MU RAF ORB for the period 1-1-1946 to 31-8-47: National Archives (PRO Kew) File AIR29/1941: https://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/details/r/C4101251
5. https://www.aviationinmalta.com/MilitaryAviation/AccidentsMilitary/19401949
6. http://www.airhistory.org.uk/spitfire/p019.html
7. https://www.avialogs.com/spitfire-and-seafire-registry/item/84830-mh430
8. https://allspitfirepilots.org/aircraft/MH430
9. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/RAF_Hal_Far#Post_war

Date/time	Contributor	Updates
28-Jun-2023 22:09	Dr. John Smith	Added
16-Sep-2023 12:07	Dr. John Smith	Updated