Halifax in Clifton, York.

Technically this incident is actually outside the Ryedale area but is so close to the area it is included.

The Halifax was being ferried from Hooton Park to Clifton Airfield where it was to be scrapped. The pilot approached from the Haxby direction and was on his final approach with only three good engines, one, the port outer had been feathered earlier. On his approach air traffic control signaled to him, via a red verey cartridge, not to land as there was an obstruction blocking the runway. The pilot attempted to overshoot but a such a low height of 50 feet and with only three engines but gaining height was vertually impossible. A wingtip clipped the top of St Joseph's Catholic Church, Burdike Avenue, Clifton and crashed into the car park of the nearby Imperial Hotel killing both airmen instantly on board. Fifty one years after this crash members of the Yorkshire Air Museum were responsible for erecting a memorial at the foot of the church tower in Clifton. Members of the airmens families were in attendance, including Air Comm Colin Cruickshanks AFC (the pilots son), the pilots mother and two sisters of the flight engineer. A memorial is located in the church for the two who were killed.

Pilot - F/Lt Ian J A Cruickshanks RAFVR, aged 26, of ?, buried Leamington Milverton Cemetery.

F Eng - F/Sgt Victor H Clare DFM RAFVR, aged 20, of Acton, Middlesex, buried Fulford Cemetery, York.

F/Sgt Clare was awarded a DFM for his attempts in fighting a fire on board a Halifax over Europe. He eventually gave up and bailed out, escaped capture and returned to the UK.