Date:	Wednesday 3 April 1946
Time:	day
Type:	Supermarine Spitfire F Mk XIV
Owner/operator:	4 Sqn RIAF
Registration:	NH795
MSN:	6S 507159
Fatalities:	Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 1
Aircraft damage:	Destroyed
Location:	RIAF Cochin, Nedumbassery, Kochi, Kerala -   India
Phase:	Approach
Nature:	Military
Departure airport:	RIAF Yelahanka, Yelahanka, Bengaluru, Karnataka India
Destination airport:	RIAF Cochin, Nedumbassery, Kochi, Kerala, India
Confidence Rating:	Information is only available from news, social media or unofficial sources

Narrative:
NH795: Spitfire FR.XIV, MSN 6S 507159. Built by Vickers Armstrongs (Supermarine) at Keevil, Trowbridge, Wiltshire with Griffon G65 engine. To 9MU RAF Cosford, Shropshire 15-3-45. To 215MU RAF Locharbriggs, Dumfries 8-6-45 for packing and crating for shipment overseas. Shipped on the SS 'Samsturdy' 2-7-45, arriving India 28-7-45. To ACSEA (Air Command South East Asia) 9-8-45. To 4 Squadron RIAF by 1-1-46.

Written off (damaged beyond repair) 3-4-46 when undershot on landing and hit an obstruction at RIAF Cochin, Nedumbassery, Kochi, Kerala, India. The pilot allowed the aircraft to undershoot on final approach to RIAF Cochin. The Spitfire struck telegraph wires near the edge of the airfield. The aircraft became 'snagged' in the telegraph wires, dived into the ground and overturned. The Spitfire was wrecked, but the pilot survived with injuries.

Crew of Spitfire NH795
Flying Officer (IN/1807) Waman Raghunath Dani RIAF (pilot, aged 25 at the time) - survived with injuries

The incident did no long-term harm to the pilot's career; he returned to service, rose through the ranks to become an Air Vice Marshall in the Indian Air Force in 1973, retiring at that rank on 31-10-76.

Spitfire NH795 was not repaired; Struck Off Charge 9-5-46 as Cat. E(FA)

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.309
3. 4 Sqn RIAF ORB for the period 1-5-1945 to 30-6-1947: National Archives (PRO Kew) File AIR27/61/9: https://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/details/r/D8406980
4. "RAF Write-offs 1946": Air Britain Aeromilitaria 1979 p.97: https://air-britain.com/pdfs/aeromilitaria/Aeromilitaria_1979.pdf
5. http://www.airhistory.org.uk/spitfire/p080.html
6. https://allspitfirepilots.org/aircraft/NH795
7. https://www.avialogs.com/spitfire-and-seafire-registry/item/80006-nh795
8. https://www.rafcommands.com/database/serials/details.php?uniq=NH795
9. https://www.bharat-rakshak.com/IAF/Database/Aircraft/NH795
10. https://www.bharat-rakshak.com/IAF/Database/1807
11. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/No._4_Squadron_IAF#History
12. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cochin_International_Airport#History

Date/time	Contributor	Updates
04-Jul-2023 21:49	Dr. John Smith	Added
05-Jul-2023 08:45	Nepa	Updated
16-Sep-2023 14:20	Dr. John Smith	Updated