Date:	Wednesday 8 February 1956
Time:
Type:	Hawker Hunter F1
Owner/operator:	DFLS RAF
Registration:	WT639
MSN:
Fatalities:	Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 1
Aircraft damage:	Destroyed
Location:	2.5 miles SW of Swaffham, Norfolk -   United Kingdom
Phase:	Approach
Nature:	Military
Departure airport:	RAF West Raynham, Norfolk
Destination airport:	RAF Marham, Norfolk
Confidence Rating:	Information is only available from news, social media or unofficial sources

Narrative:
One of eight aircraft Day Fighter Leaders School RAF had completed a 4x4 dogfighting exercise at 45,000ft. The weather at base, West Raynham, had deteriorated and Hunters diverted to Marham. They descended over West Raynham in 4 pairs to make visual approaches to Marham, making GCA talk down essential. But Marham GCA had difficulties picking up the four sections, all of which were then down to 10 minutes fuel and there was R/T congestion. In all the confusion all four sections tried to get below the clouds and find the airfield but only two landed safely.

Pilot of WT639 descended to 600ft after an unsuccessful GCA pick up, but he was still in cloud. In the climb away he lost his leader and the engine flamed out as he passed 2,500ft. Pilot ejected safely and his aircraft crashed in a forest 21/2 miles south-west of Swaffham

Sources:
60 Years of the Hawker Hunter, 1951 to 2011 by David J. Griffin
http://www.ukserials.com/losses-1956.htm
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1956_Hawker_Hunter_multiple_aircraft_accident
http://www.flightglobal.com/pdfarchive/view/1956/1956%20-%200203.html
http://hansard.millbanksystems.com/written_answers/1956/apr/25/hunter-aircraft-report-of-inquiry#S5CV0551P0_19560425_CWA_74
http://hansard.millbanksystems.com/commons/1956/mar/21/hunter-aircraft-crashes

Date/time	Contributor	Updates
10-Jan-2009 11:55	ASN archive	Added
05-Dec-2011 13:22	Dr. John Smith	Updated [Operator, Total fatalities, Total occupants, Other fatalities, Location, Country, Phase, Departure airport, Destination airport, Source, Narrative]
13-Mar-2019 13:39	stehlik49	Updated [Operator, Narrative]