Flying accident 01 April 1945 ( killed RAF Air Commodore )
 

Good night!
I would like to know, if possible and with the help of the members of this Forum, about the flying accident that took the life of Air Commodore David John Waghorn, CBE, AFC on 1 April 1945.
What kind of airplane was he flying? ( Oxford, Anson ? ). What kind of accident ocurred ( crash with another plane? CFIT? )
There were other people with him on the plane? ( who ? )
Thanks a lot for your help.

PS: He was former OC of Benson airbase.

Yours

Adriano

Re: Flying accident 01 April 1945 ( killed RAF Air Commodore )
 

Spitfire PS831 (could be FS831 but I cannot check) from HQ 106 Gp. Crashed at Boscombe Down; nobody or any other ac involved. Out of interest, what does CFIT mean? Also, in the RAF, we say Station Commander (Stn Cdr) RAF Benson not OC Benson airbase.

Re: Flying accident 01 April 1945 ( killed RAF Air Commodore )
 

Chris

CFIT = Controlled Flight Into Terrain

Flew into ground in plain english.

Niall

Re: Flying accident 01 April 1945 ( killed RAF Air Commodore )
 

I have been in the RAF more years than I care to remember and have never come across this term before! Perfect example of keep it simple, stupid! One I did come across was WoW-Weight on Wheels (i.e. landing!)

Re: Flying accident 01 April 1945 ( killed RAF Air Commodore )
 

CFIT is a civvy jargon thing which came in about 10-15 years ago. Presumably invented by the flight safety/accident investigation people.

Re: Flying accident 01 April 1945 ( killed RAF Air Commodore )
 

A/Cdre David John Waghorn was AOC 106 (PR) Grp Jul44-01Apr45

PS831 was a Spitfire PR.XIX

Best Regards

Andy Fletcher

Re: Flying accident 01 April 1945 ( killed RAF Air Commodore )
 

Hello Chris, Andy and all.
Yes, CFIT is a civilian jargon used by Air Accident Investigators as well as by military ones. A couple of years ago, I did the Brazilian Air Ministry´s Accident Course ( in a Military base ) and Chris, you won´t believe, they do have some very fun videos from the R.A.F. about F.O.D. ( Foreign object damage ) that you must have seen..it must be from the 50´s...! There were Vampires and other erly jets...A lot of fun.. and they still do pass this video to each class in Brazil...I was fortunate because there are very few places available to civilian pilots each year. Most of the participants are Military pilots from South America´s Air Forces and, of course, from our own Air Force.
I do have read about a few PRU crashes on the returning leg, and I do remember clearly about a Spitfire pilot in 1941 or 1940 who died due to a CFIT accident. Of course, at that time the term was not used. If my memory do not fails me, another famous JG 26 pilot led his entire formation on a hill and all died in 1941, crashing their Fw 190 in France ( Oblt Schneider is that correct? ). Typical CFIT accident or ( in a more informal term: they flew into a hill flying visual through clouds...)
Thanks for both of you to have answered. I thought that due to the old age of the Air Commodore, he would not venture to fly a Mosquito or a Spitfire, so asked about an Anson crash or something similar. Do you know what was the cause of the accident? ( The engine packed, is that simple? ).
Thanks again for the quick answer and for sharing information.

PS: Chris, I saw today your post on the other Forum! Thanks a lot! Yes, I will buy your books in 2008. My other computer is coming back from "fixing" this week. So I will be able to send you what I promised, ok? Nice week and we will keep in touch...

Re: Flying accident 01 April 1945 ( killed RAF Air Commodore )
 

Adriano wrote...............

PS: Chris, I saw today your post on the other Forum!

I hate post like this! What other forum? What am I missing?

Re: Flying accident 01 April 1945 ( killed RAF Air Commodore )
 

Sorry David,
As I do not have much free time available those last weeks I used this link to send a message I should have write privately to Chris.
Hope you will not mind and it is nothing related to this thread, ok?
Yours
Adriano

Re: Flying accident 01 April 1945 ( killed RAF Air Commodore )
 

Adriano means LEMB (the other forum)

Re: Flying accident 01 April 1945 ( killed RAF Air Commodore )
 

Accident card has gone missing and all that the AHB can confirm is it was a Flying Accident at 1920 hrs. I can find out when he was Stn Cdr Benson if that helps?

Re: Flying accident 01 April 1945 ( killed RAF Air Commodore )
 

Chris
Very kind of yours to add the hour of the crash and very interesting to know that in the RAF there was, at the time, a specie of Accident Investigation Board, from the accident card you mentioned. What means AHB? Thanks again for your kind help.
Adriano