No fatalities

Training aircraft overrun incident at RAF Turnhouse (K8779)

Turnhouse AFB, United KingdomLanding (descent or approach)

On May 19, 1939, an Avro 652 Anson (registration K8779) operated by Royal Air Force - RAF was involved in an aviation accident near Turnhouse AFB, United Kingdom during landing or approach. No fatalities were reported. Investigators recorded the probable cause as: Loss of directional control during the landing roll led to an uncontrolled overrun and undercarriage failure. This summary draws on records from the Bureau of Aircraft Accidents Archives (B3A); 8 related events involving the same aircraft type or operator are linked below.

Sourcesthe Bureau of Aircraft Accidents Archives (B3A)Primary reportUpdated 2026-08-04Data APIEditorial standards

A training aircraft experienced directional instability after landing at RAF Turnhouse, resulting in an overrun and loss of undercarriage. Both crew members exited the wreckage without injury.

What happened

The incident involved a local training flight operating out of RAF Turnhouse. Following the initial touchdown, the aircraft began to swerve unexpectedly on the runway surface. The pilot was unable to regain control of the machine, leading to an overrun beyond the intended landing area. During this sequence, the airframe lost its undercarriage before finally coming to a complete stop. Both individuals aboard the aircraft escaped the event uninjured.

Findings

The primary issue identified in the sequence of events was the loss of directional control immediately after landing. This instability caused the aircraft to deviate from the runway centerline, resulting in the subsequent overrun and structural damage to the landing gear.

Probable cause

Loss of directional control during the landing roll led to an uncontrolled overrun and undercarriage failure.