Date:	Tuesday 13 October 1942
Time:	20:20
Type:	Airspeed Oxford
Owner/operator:	15 (P) AFU RAF
Registration:	AP395
MSN:
Fatalities:	Fatalities: 2 / Occupants: 2
Aircraft damage:	Destroyed
Location:	Escrick, 3 miles SE of Acaster Malbis, North Yorkshire -   United Kingdom
Phase:	Approach
Nature:	Training
Departure airport:	RAF Acaster Malbis, North Yorkshire
Destination airport:	RAF Acaster Malbis, North Yorkshire

Narrative:
Flight Sergeant Harold Stanley 'Bat' Cutler, Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve, service No 1236174, died as a result of wounds incurred during a flying accident on 13th October, 1942. Age 19. Buried the Lickey (Holy Trinity) Churchyard extension grave 779.

Sergeant Cutler was the pupil pilot in Airspeed Oxford AP395 of 15 (P)Advanced Flying Unit operating from Acaster Malbis. He and Sgt J.N. MacIver took off at about 19.45 to undertake night flying training. Visibility deteriorated and the pilot lost sight of the flare path, though a rumour exists that electronic night flying aids were switched off due to concerns about local enemy activity. They descended from 600 to 100 feet in an attempt to establish their whereabouts.

As a result of this descent the aircraft hit a tree and crashed at 20.30 near Escrick, North Yorkshire (at approximate co ordinates 53.878°N 1.037°W) about 3 miles South East of the Airfield.

Casualties
Flt Sgt John Neil MacIver RCAF R/92747 age 21 killed - instructor
Flt Sgt Harold Winston (Bat) Cutler RAFVR 1236174 age 19 - pupil pilot under training

Both the instructor and the pupil were admitted to York Military Hospital but the instructor died on admission and the pupil died three days later (16 October 1942) from his injuries.

RAF Acaster Malbis, which is about five miles south east of York, was a relief landing ground for the Airspeed Oxfords of No. 15 (Pilots) Advanced Flying Unit (15 (P)AFU) from RAF Leconfield, with these leaving in January 1943

NOTE: Some sources state that Oxford AP395 was part of 15 Squadron, RAF. This is incorrect - 15 Squadron, RAF was an operational front line bomber squadron at the time (October 1942). These sources are confusing 15 Squadron with 15 (P) AFU.

1. RAF records, Commonwealth War Graves Commission, Family History
2. [LINK NOT WORKING ANYMORE:http://www.baaa-acro.com/1942/archives/crash-of-an-airspeed-as-10-oxford-i-in-escrick-2-killed/]
3. http://www.wartimememoriesproject.com/ww2/airfields/airfield.php?pid=44
4. http://holum.net/snhweb/gen/squadron15.htm
5. http://www.yorkshire-aircraft.co.uk/aircraft/yorkshire/york42/ap395.html
6. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Escrick

Date/time	Contributor	Updates
18-May-2010 11:54	petersitch	Added
19-May-2010 10:18	petersitch	Updated [Operator, Location, Departure airport, Destination airport, Source, Narrative]
08-Aug-2017 00:48	Dr. John Smith	Updated [Time, Operator, Location, Departure airport, Destination airport, Source, Narrative]
08-Aug-2017 00:59	Dr. John Smith	Updated [Time, Location, Departure airport, Destination airport, Source, Narrative]
08-Aug-2017 14:45	Dr. John Smith	Updated [Narrative]
15-Feb-2018 19:35	Nepa	Updated [Time, Operator]