ASN Wikibase Occurrence # 75481
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| Date: | Monday 4 September 1939 |
| Time: | |
| Type: |  Supermarine Spitfire Type 300 prototype |
| Owner/operator: | Royal Aircraft Establishment (RAE) |
| Registration: | K5054 |
| MSN: | |
| Fatalities: | Fatalities: 1 / Occupants: 1 |
| Aircraft damage: | Destroyed |
| Location: | Farnborough Airfield, Farnborough, Hampshire, England -
 United Kingdom
|
| Phase: | Landing |
| Nature: | Test |
| Departure airport: | Farnborough Airfield, Hampshire |
| Farnborough airfield, Hampshire | |
| Confidence Rating: |  Information is only available from news, social media or unofficial sources |
First Flown 5-3-36 at Eastleigh, Southampton, Hampshire. To A&AEE Martlesham Hath, Suffolk, 26-5-36 for trials. Returned to Supermarine 16-6-36 for modifications. To A&AEE 1-7-36 for installation of Merlin F engine and armament. With A&AEE 23-2-37 when force-landed with engine problems at Sutton, Suffolk. On 22-3-37 repairs in works at A&AEE Martlesham Heath. Damaged 25-10-37 when overshot landing and tipped up at Martlesham Heath. On 15-3-38 repaired on site after undercarriage leg collapsed on landing Martlesham Heath. Delivered 23-3-38 to Supermarine for repair and mods. Returned to A&AEE 27-7-38, Transferred to RAE Farnborough 7-11-38 for engine tests
The prototype Spitfire stalled high, bounced, and overturned on landing at Farnborough 4-9-39 and the cockpit was crushed. The pilot, Flt Lt Gilbert Stanbridge White, was killed as a result of the crash. (Died of a broken neck next day in hospital).
R.I.P.
According to "The Spitfire Story" by Alfred Price:
"The flying career of K5054 came to an end on 4 September 1939, the day after Britain entered the war. Flight Lieutenant 'Spinner' White had been testing some new spark plugs that afternoon and afterwards returned to Farnborough. He held off a bit too high, the aircraft stalled out and bounced. And as was often the case with a tailwheel aircraft, the bouncing got worse and worse. After two bounces and two leaps into the air, it finally tipped over on to its nose"
Later it says "But 'Spinner' White had suffered serious neck injuries and he died in hospital"
A short obituary appears in "The Times" for 9-10-39:
"Flight Lieutenant Gilbert Standridge White who has died on active service, was for several years an RAF experimental and test pilot. He was commissioned in the RAF as a flying officer in 1924, served at home and in Iraq. and in 1927 qualified as a flying instructor. He was transferred to the Reserves on completing ten years service in November 1934, but was subsequently reappointed in a civil capacity."
Sources:
1. Royal Air Force Aircraft K1000-K9999 (James J. Halley, Air Britain, 1976)
2. http://www.k5054.com/
3. http://www.airhistory.org.uk/spitfire/p001.html
4. http://www.rafcommands.com/forum/showthread.php?12539-K5054-pilot-killed
5. https://www.thisdayinaviation.com/tag/supermarine-aviation-works/
6. http://www.rcawsey.co.uk/Acc1939a.htm
Revision history:
| Date/time | Contributor | Updates |
|---|---|---|
| 04-Jul-2010 23:20 | angels one five | Added |
| 04-Jul-2010 23:36 | angels one five | Updated [Aircraft type, Destination airport, Source, Narrative] |
| 25-Dec-2011 04:50 | Nepa | Updated [Aircraft type, Registration, Operator, Location, Destination airport, Narrative] |
| 10-Jan-2012 15:52 | angels one five | Updated [Operator, Narrative] |
| 30-May-2012 00:43 | Nepa | Updated [Operator, Location, Destination airport] |
| 29-Oct-2012 12:16 | angels one five | Updated [Time, Location, Narrative] |
| 29-Oct-2012 12:16 | angels one five | Updated [Narrative] |
| 29-Oct-2012 12:34 | angels one five | Updated [Narrative] |
| 20-Apr-2018 18:59 | Dr. John Smith | Updated [Time, Location, Departure airport, Destination airport, Source, Narrative] |
| 01-May-2018 11:50 | Dr. John Smith | Updated [Location, Destination airport, Source] |
| 03-Feb-2021 01:41 | angels one five | Updated [Narrative] |
| 15-May-2023 10:07 | Nepa | Updated [[Narrative]] |
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