ASN Wikibase Occurrence # 58356
Last updated: 24 May 2013
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| Date: | 03-AUG-1955 |
| Time: | |
| Type: |  Hawker Hunter F.Mk.5 |
| Operator: | 263 Sqn RAF |
| Registration: | WN989 |
| C/n / msn: | |
| Fatalities: | Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 1 |
| Other fatalities: | 0 |
| Airplane damage: | Written off (damaged beyond repair) |
| Location: | 7 miles east of Brawdsey, Suffolk -
 United Kingdom
|
| Phase: | Manoeuvring (airshow, firefighting, ag.ops.) |
| Nature: | Military |
| Departure airport: | RAF Stradishall, Suffolk |
During air combat training the pilot made a cine attack on his target and followed it into a dive from 37,000 feet. At 31,000 feet the dive steepened uncontrollably and the aircraft diving vertically into the sea 7 miles east of Brawdsey, Suffolk.
Pilot - Flying Officer Hedley Molland - ejected at 25,000 feet, and Mach 1.1 - his left arm was broken on ejection as he only used his left hand to initiate ejection
The pilot survived the supersonic ejection with the aforementioned injuries, and was rescued. The accident was finally attributed to the probable effects of using flaps at high speeds as an aid to combat manoeuverability.
On 29-9-1965, Flying Officer Hedley Molland, by then promoted to a Flt. Lt., ejected for 2nd time: on that occasion from Lightning F3 XP739
Sources:
http://www.ejection-history.org.uk/project/year_pages/1955.htm
http://www.mhas.org.uk/MHAS/runway22/200509.pdf
Revision history:
| Date/time | Contributor | Updates |
|---|---|---|
| 10-Jan-2009 11:55 | ASN archive | Added |
| 03-Dec-2011 14:46 | Dr. John Smith | Updated [Operator, Total occupants, Total fatalities, Other fatalities, Location, Country, Phase, Departure airport, Source, Narrative] |
| 15-Aug-2012 08:11 | Nepa | Updated [Aircraft type, Operator] |
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