On the 29th of March 1943 this aircraft took off from Thornaby for a circuits practice. Power was lost soon after take off and an attempted crash landing was made at 00.05 hours near Bowesfield Farm, Stockton on Tees. The resulting crash killed the three airmen and the aircraft was destroyed by fire. The C of I stated that the cause for the crash was obscure, the aircraft sustained Cat E2/FA Burnt damage.

The aircraft was built by Lockheed Vega at Burbank, California and purchased without contract by the B.P.C. It was delivered by ship to the UK arriving in June 1940. After acceptance at MU it was issued to 1 (c)OTU at Silloth in July 1941. It later moved with the unit to Thornaby in March 1943.

Pilot - WO1 John C Haist RCAF, aged 20, of Niagara Falls, Ontario, Canada. Buried Thornaby on Tees Cemetery, Yorkshire.

W Op / AG - F/Sgt Douglas V Kaye RCAF, aged 21, of Bracebridge, Ontario, Canada. Buried Thornaby on Tees Cemetery, Yorkshire.

Nav / Bomber - F/O Arthur Haydn Fletcher RCAF, aged 21, of Lindsay, Ontario, Canada. Buried Thornaby on Tees Cemetery, Yorkshire.

The three airmen's graves at Thornaby on Tees Cemetery.