FRE 349
IMAGECaptain James Cope, Flight Surgeon of the 352nd Fighter Squadron, 353rd Fighter Group, at the crash site of an Airspeed AS.10 Oxford in England. 1943-1945. This accident took place on 20th May 1944. Capt. John B. Rose Jr made an afternoon flight, returning from Goxhill to Raydon in the Group’s Airspeed Oxford (a/c no 1203). As he came over the field preparing to land two P-47’s from another Group were cleared to land, forcing Rose to go around for another approach after receiving a Red light from the tower. Rose reported : I immediately opened the throttles and pulled up my flaps. A few seconds later my port engine failed from lack of gas, I gave the starboard engine full power, switched to the auxiliary tanks, raised my wheels and attempted to restart my port engine. It caught momentarily but failed again and all further attempts were unsuccessful. At the time of the engine failure I was on main tanks which read five gallons just prior to my attempt to land. The starboard engine was not sufficient to maintain level flight, I was losing altitude gradually. When it became apparent that I could not clear a high row of trees, I cut the starboard engine and bellied the ship into a wheat field about two miles west of the field. Capt Rose and his passenger, the 352nd Flight Surgeon Capt James Cope, were unhurt. The Oxford suffered damage to its underside, carburetors, air scoops, cowling, right wing tip, right aileron and propellers. The accident report indicates the engine cut because Capt. Rose did not switch to his full auxiliary tank before landing and the engine was therefore starved of fuel.
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Units
- Unit Hierarchy: Squadron
- Air Force: Eighth Air Force
- Type Category: Fighter
- Unit Hierarchy: Group
- Air Force: Eighth Air Force
- Type Category: Fighter
People
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 353rd Fighter Group Headquarters (353rd Fighter Group)
- Service Numbers: O-24960
- Highest Rank: First Lieutenant
- Role/Job: Fighter Pilot
Aircraft
- Aircraft Type: Oxford
- Unit: 353rd Fighter Group