North American - Harvard - 2790
Serial Number: 2790
Designer: North American
Manufacturer:
basic designation: Harvard
variant or model: Mk. II
company designation: NA-66
company number: 66-2524
first date: 10 January 1941 – Taken on strength
History:
- Served with No. 32 SFTS at Moose Jaw, Saskatchewan. Category A damage on 27 April 1941 while with No. 33 Service Flying Training School at Carberry, Manitoba. At the time of the accident the aircraft was being piloted by LAC John George Permuth. The crash occured 1 mile from the Carberry Aerodrome.
last date: 11 November 1941 – Struck off
Most of the above information from RWR Walkers website at http://www.rwrwalker.ca/RCAF_2750_2799_detailed.html
Operational Record Book:
Crash Card Information - 27 April 1941
Duty on which engaged:
- Night flying circuits and landings.
Nature of accident and Stage of Flight:
- Crash occured just after the take-off. The pilot took off and climbed to appoximately 300 feet and then went into a steep right hand turn, lost height and struck the ground with his starboard wing after he had turned approximately 120 degrees.
Primary Cause:
- The artificial horizon may not have been functioning correctly. If so the right wing dropped while the artificial horison still showed the aircraft level and slightly below the horizon. The pupil eased the control column back to bring the miniature aerplane slightly above the horizon, which in fact, caused the aircraft to turn, and the nose to drop until the starboard wing struck the ground. There was no moon and the horizon was almost non-existent.
Secondary cause or contributing factors:
Court of inquiry, investigating officer or commanding officer’s report:
- OOC/AOC/PSF/D/I/AID
- Narrative report of the commanding officer.
- G/C H.E. Walker
Court of Inquiry:
Date: 29-4-41
Composition:
- President S/L G. duTemple
- Member F/L H. Ricketts
- Member R.W.C. Sharpe
Recommendations:
- That more importance be given to the turn and bank indicator for night takeoffs instead of the artificial horizon. Note AFHQ considers this a very plausable suggestion and will go more thoroughly into the matter.
Action Taken:
- Nil