Date:	Saturday 15 February 1947
Time:	day
Type:	Supermarine Spitfire FR Mk XIV
Owner/operator:	8 Sqn RIAF
Registration:	TX991
MSN:	6S-676462
Fatalities:	Fatalities: 1 / Occupants: 1
Aircraft damage:	Destroyed
Location:	near Ismailkhanpet, 30 miles North West of Secunderabad, Telangana -   India
Phase:	En route
Nature:	Ferry/positioning
Departure airport:	RIAF Peshawar, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Brit. India
Destination airport:
Confidence Rating:	Information is only available from news, social media or unofficial sources

Narrative:
TX991: Spitfire FR XIV, MSN 6S 676462. Built by Vickers Armstrong (Supermarine) at Eastleigh, Southampton, Hampshire with Griffon G65 (Interim) engine. Supermarine production prototype first flown 5-9-44. Retained for hood winding gear trials until 6-3-45. To 1PP RAF Benson, Oxfordshire 28-4-45. To 82MU RAF Lichfield, Fradely, Staffordshire 7-9-45 for packing and crating for shipment overseas. Shipped on the ss 'Fort Michipicoten' 23-9-45, arriving India 18-10-45. To ACSEA (Air Command South East Asia) 29-11-45. Fitted with new rear-view hood at 59SP 30-12-45. To 9 Squadron RIAF in January 1946 then to 8 Squadron RIAF in February 1947

Written off (damaged beyond repair) 15-2-47: Engine cut, aircraft crash-landed near Ismailkhanpet, 30 miles North West of Secunderabad, Telangana, India while on a ferry/positioning flight to 8 Squadron RIAF. The engine failed in flight due to failure of the magneto. The aircraft then crash landed, although there is no evidence of the pilot either baling out or attempting a forced landing. The pilot was killed

Crew of Spitfire TX991:
F/O (IND/2830) Avtar Krishan Sahgal (pilot) RIAF - killed on active service 15-2-47; commemorated at Delhi-Karachi 1939-1945 Memorial, New Delhi, Delhi Capital Territory, India

Damage assessed as Cat E 15-3-47' not repaired, Struck Off Charge 24-4-47 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.271
3. Royal Air Force Aircraft SA100-VZ999 (James J Halley, Air Britain)
4. ORB 8 Sqn RIAF for the period 1-12-1946 to 31-5-1947: National Archives (PRO Kew) File AIR27/123/13: https://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/details/r/D8407581
5. https://www.avialogs.com/spitfire-and-seafire-registry/item/80185-tx991
6. https://allspitfirepilots.org/aircraft/TX991
7. https://www.rafcommands.com/database/wardead/details.php?qnum=1552
8. https://www.bharat-rakshak.com/IAF/Database/Aircraft/TX991
9. https://www.bharat-rakshak.com/IAF/Database/2830
10. CWGC: https://www.cwgc.org/find-records/find-war-dead/casualty-details/2573309/avtar-krishan-sahgal/
11. https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/18440700/krishan-sahgal-avtar
12. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Secunderabad

Date/time	Contributor	Updates
06-Sep-2023 01:36	Dr. John Smith	Added
06-Sep-2023 16:40	Nepa	Updated