WW2 Spitfire emergency landing after losing power - May 2025

[whole diary]

[Chris from Nailsea]

From the BBC^» (British Broadcasting Corporation - home page):

A World War Two Spitfire has been forced to make an emergency landing in Kent after losing power.

Spitfire MJ627 came down in a field on Lower Wall Road, West Hythe, on Saturday evening, said its owner Fly a Spitfire.

Kent Fire & Rescue Service said one of the two people in the plane, which saw action over the Netherlands in 1944, was treated by paramedics.

The Air Accident Investigation Branch has launched an investigation into what caused the loss of power.



Fly a Spitfire said: "We have spoken to the pilot who has advised that a precautionary landing was made at a non-airfield site."  The company said the pilot and passenger "are uninjured", adding that it had no further information "at this stage".

The fire service said two fire engines attended the scene at 19:25 BST and made the aircraft safe.

Spitfire MJ627 first entered service on 25 September 1944 and, just two days later, destroyed Messerschmitt Me 109 over Arnhem.

It was previously involved in an emergency landing in 1998, when its pilot made a "wheels up landing" at Coventry Airport.

Last year, the cockpit canopy detached from the plane during take-off from Biggin Hill Airport. It was able to land safely and neither of the two occupants in that incident were harmed.

[Surrey 455]

I wonder if that's the same plane I saw flying over Eastney beach yesterday along with what looked like an old bomber. That had similar white stripes on the wings.

[Clan Line]

I wonder if that's the same plane I saw flying over Eastney beach yesterday along with what looked like an old bomber. That had similar white stripes on the wings.

Probably not.  The aircraft that came to grief was MJ627.  There were 2 Spitfires doing flights from Chichester that day: BS410 & SM520. Couldn't see your "bomber" any where - if you can give me a rough time, I'll have another look.

The white stripes were D Day recognition markings.

[Clan Line]

Found it/them !

[Surrey 455]

Thank you Clan Line. That is quite probably what I saw. I can't remember the time of day but the two planes seemed to be flying in formation with the larger plane just behind the Spitfire and slightly to its right. I didn't know that FlightRadar24 offered a playback facility.

[GBM]

Thank you Clan Line. That is quite probably what I saw. I can't remember the time of day but the two planes seemed to be flying in formation with the larger plane just behind the Spitfire and slightly to its right. I didn't know that FlightRadar24 offered a playback facility.

Very useful site!

[Chris from Nailsea]

An update, from the BBC^» (British Broadcasting Corporation - home page):

Maintenance warning after Spitfire engine failure


The World War Two aircraft's propeller and underside were damaged in the emergency landing

A heritage Spitfire was forced to do an emergency landing after its engine stopped mid-flight, investigators have found.

The World War Two aircraft made the emergency landing in a field in West Hythe, Kent, on 3 May due to the "failure, probably age related, of a gasket", the Air Accidents Investigation Branch (AAIB^▸ (Air Accident Investigation Branch)) said.

The UK^▸ (United Kingdom) Civil Aviation Authority subsequently issued a safety notice on the "importance of monitoring and maintaining the airworthiness" of ageing fuel and hydraulic systems.

Fly a Spitfire, which owns the aircraft, said it had noted the safety notice and "fully" supported the AAIB's findings.

The passenger on the plane suffered minor bruising and the pilot was uninjured in the incident, the AAIB said.

The engine on Spitfire MJ627 began vibrating then started cutting out and producing dark smoke 35 minutes into the flight, according to the AAIB report.

Investigators said they found a degraded gasket had created a fuel system leak, which caused the power loss.

The agency found the system was "at least 70-years-old and its last overhaul date was unknown".

The emergency landing damaged the Spitfire's underside and propeller, the report said.

According to the AAIB, the Spitfire pilot opted not to lower the landing gear or jettison the plane's canopy after losing power to reduce drag and glide for longer.

Fly a Spitfire said that the aircraft had "safely returned to service" after "minor" repairs.

The pilot, who is a flying instructor, routinely practiced forced landings, the AAIB said. He asked the pilot of another Spitfire flying in formation to make a mayday call to air traffic control, investigators wrote.

According to Fly a Spitfire, the pilot "identified a suitable landing area and completed the manoeuvre safely and in full accordance with training and established procedures".

The AAIB said the passenger was an experienced commercial pilot who "remained calm throughout".

Spitfire MJ627 first entered service on 25 September 1944 and, just two days later, destroyed a Messerschmitt Me 109 over Arnhem in the Netherlands.

It was previously involved in an emergency landing in 1998, when its pilot made a "wheels up landing" at Coventry Airport.

The cockpit canopy detached from the plane during a take-off from Biggin Hill Airport in 2024, but it landed safely and neither occupant was harmed.