Date:	Wednesday 15 January 1947
Time:	day
Type:	Supermarine Spitfire FR Mk XIV
Owner/operator:	11 Sqn RAF
Registration:	TZ115
MSN:	6S 676480
Fatalities:	Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 1
Aircraft damage:	Destroyed
Location:	Miho Airbase, 11 km NW of Yonago, Tottori Prefecture -   Japan
Phase:	Pushback / towing
Nature:	Military
Departure airport:	Miho Airbase, Yonago, Tottori Prefecture. Japan
Destination airport:	Miho Airbase, Yonago, Tottori Prefecture. Japan
Confidence Rating:	Information is only available from news, social media or unofficial sources

Narrative:
TZ115: Spitfire FR XIV, MSN 6S 676480. Built by Vickers Armstrong (Supermarine) at Aldermaston with Griffon G65 engine. To 6MU RAF Brize Norton, Oxfordshire 25-5-45. To 82MU RAF Lichfield, Fradley, Staffordshire 19-6-45 for packing and crating for shipment overseas. Shipped on the ss 'Empire Gambia' and the 'LS.3196' 5-8-45, arriving India 30-8-45. To ACSEA (Air Command South East Asia) 13-9-45. Shipped ex-India to Japan 26-9-46.

To 11 Squadron RAF in February 1947, at Miho Airbase, 11 km NW of Yonago, Tottori Prefecture, Japan. No. 11 (or XI) Squadron formed part of the occupation forces in Japan from August 1945 to February 1948, when it disbanded.

Written off (damaged beyond repair) 15-1-47: The aircraft was being manhandled by the ground crew, who were pushing the aircraft into the 11 Squadron hangar at Miho Airbase, Japan. During the manoeuvre, the starboard wheel of Spitfire TZ115 ran over a wooden cover, which was covering a drainage manhole. The cover collapsed, and the starboard undercarriage fell into the hole. This, in turn caused the starboard wing to 'dip' and strike the ground hard. Although the damage was possibly repairable, it was decided instead to write the aircraft as "beyond economic repair"

Damage assessed as Cat E 15-1-47. Not repaired, and Struck Off Charge 31-7-47.

Miho Airbase (美保飛行場) (IATA: YGJ, ICAO: RJOH), also known as Yonago Airport is a Japan Air Defense Force (JASDF) base located 11 km northwest of Yonago in Tottori Prefecture. It is owned and operated by JASDF and shares the runway with civil activities.

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.262
3. Royal Air Force Aircraft SA100-VZ999 (James J Halley, Air Britain)
4. 11 Sqn RAF ORB: for the period 1-9-1946 to 31-12-1950: National Archives (PRO Kew) File AIR27/2394/29: https://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/details/r/D8419056
5. "RAF Write offs 1947": Air Britain Aeromilitaria No.2 1978: https://air-britain.com/pdfs/aeromilitaria/Aeromilitaria_1978.pdf
6. https://www.avialogs.com/spitfire-and-seafire-registry/item/80110-tz115
7. https://allspitfirepilots.org/aircraft/TZ115
8. https://www.rafcommands.com/database/serials/details.php?uniq=NH873
9. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/No._11_Squadron_RAF#Since_1945
10. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yonago
11. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Miho-Yonago_Airport#History

Date/time	Contributor	Updates
08-Sep-2023 11:33	Dr. John Smith	Added
08-Sep-2023 20:33	Nepa	Updated