Flight Lieutenant Sharples was killed at Calveley when he strayed onto the active runway and was struck by Master DL419.
January 12th 1945, “Accident during night flying involving Master II DL.419. While carrying out solo night circuits and landing, the pilot of this aircraft felt a bump on landing which he took to be the wheels bouncing more heavily than usual. Later, on returning to dispersal, he found that another course pilot who had been detailed to taxi an aircraft which was within 100 yards of the runway in use, had not returned. A search was organised and it was found that the aircraft had in fact struck and killed this pilot, F/Lt A. Sharples, 124900, who was found killed at the edge of the runway. An investigation was called for.”
January 16th 1945, “S/Ldr D.G. Allison, A.F.C. of Headquarters, No.21 Group, commenced an investigation into the accident on 12.1.45 in which F/Lt A. Sharples was killed. After obtaining the evidence of 17 witnesses, he concluded that the primary cause of this accident was that F/Lt Sharples, in looking for aircraft which might be parked near the runway in use, accidentally walked on to the runway and was hit and killed by an aircraft which was just landing.
A secondary cause was that aircraft at the dispersal point were parked too near the runway in use and were not moved before night flying commenced. He further made he following observations: (a) the officer in charge of night flying on the night in question was preparing to do an air weather test when night flying commenced and was therefore not in a position to take any action on the ground at the time when the duty Flying Control officer passed a message to him that there were two aircraft parked within 100 yards of the runway in use, (action in this respect was not in fact taken until nearly two hour after the request had been made for the removal of the aircraft). Also, while flying, the O.C. night flying did not delegate his responsibilities to any other instructor on the ground. (b) The duty Flying Control officer permitted night flying to commence before he had made certain that the obstructing aircraft had been moved.
The Commanding Officer concurred with the report and made the following recommendations: (c) that the O.C. night flying, F/Lt E.H. Tankard, 126979, should be dealt with summarily by the A.O.C. for neglect in not ensuring that aircraft were parked a sufficient distance from the runway in use; for not complying with the request made by Flying Control to have these aircraft removed, and also for taking off on a weather test without leaving a properly authorised deputy on the ground; (d) that F/Lt F. Kitson 105914, the duty Flying Control officer, should be dealt with summarily by himself for failing to ensure that obstructing aircraft had been moved prior to commencement of night flying. This officer had always been extremely conscientious and it was considered that the contributory blame which he must bear was of a minor character.”
Alan Clark
Peak District Air Accident Research
http://www.peakdistrictaircrashes.co.uk/
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Originally Posted by alclark
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