Date:	Friday 19 December 1952
Time:	day
Type:	English Electric Canberra B Mk 2
Owner/operator:	231 OCU RAF
Registration:	WF888
MSN:	71089
Fatalities:	Fatalities: 3 / Occupants: 3
Aircraft damage:	Destroyed
Location:	Steeple Morden, 5 miles West of Royston, Hertfordshire -   United Kingdom
Phase:	Initial climb
Nature:	Training
Departure airport:	RAF Bassingbourn, Cambridgeshire
Destination airport:
Confidence Rating:	Information is only available from news, social media or unofficial sources

Narrative:
EE Canberra B.2 WF888, 231 OCU, RAF: Written off 19/12/1952: Engines failed after take-off, dived into ground at Steeple Morden, near Royston, Hertfordshire, killing all 3 crew

The aircraft made a normal take off, and then climbed to about 500 feet. It was about to enter cloud when the engines were heard to stop. The Canberra then dived almost vertically into the ground, and exploded on impact. The cause of the apparent engine failure was not determined.

Struck off Charge as CAT 5(Scrap) at No.58 MU Sutton Bridge 12/1/53

Crew of Canberra WF888
Pilot Officer (2549810) Henry Lloyd Westwood RAF (pilot)
Pilot Officer Terrence Joseph McMillan (navigator)
Pilot Officer (3133157) Thomas William Tench (Observer/Bomb Aimer)

The reported crash location of Steeple Morden is a village and civil parish in Cambridgeshire, England, about 15 miles (24 km) south west of Cambridge and 5 miles (8 km) west of Royston.

1. Halley, James (1999) Broken Wings – Post-War Royal Air Force Accidents Tunbridge Wells: Air-Britain (Historians) Ltd. p. 139 ISBN 0-85130-290-4.
2. Last Take-off: A Record of RAF Aircraft Losses 1950 to 1953 by Colin Cummings p 322
3. Royal Air Force Aircraft WA100-WZ999 (James J Halley, Air Britain, 1983 p 41)
4. 231 OCU ORB (Operations Record Book)(Air Ministry Form AM/F.540) for the period 1/12/1951 to 31/8/1952: National Archives (PRO Kew) file AIR 29/2173 at https://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/details/r/C4101883
5. National Archives (PRO Kew) File BT233/130: https://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/details/r/C424251
6. National Archives (PRO Kew) File AVIA 5/32/S2610: https://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/details/r/C6578456
7. http://www.ukserials.com/results.php?serial=WF
8. http://www.planetrace.co.uk/1950-1959_26.html
9. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Steeple_Morden

Date/time	Contributor	Updates
07-Jun-2008 12:15	JINX	Added
04-Apr-2013 19:24	Dr. John Smith	Updated [Departure airport, Source, Narrative]
12-Nov-2018 21:23	Nepa	Updated [Operator, Operator]
31-Dec-2019 19:55	Dr. John Smith	Updated [Time, Operator, Location, Source, Narrative]
01-Jan-2020 09:02	stehlik49	Updated [Aircraft type, Operator, Nature, Operator]
05-Apr-2021 21:41	Dr. John Smith	Updated [Location, Source, Narrative]