Binstead Swordfish crash - August 1939

On Wednesday 23 August 1939 a Swordfish observer aircraft made a forced landing on the foreshore at Binstead, Isle of Wight; the three people on board escaped without injury.

The third crash in the vicinity of the Island within 48 hours occurred when a Swordfish observer from Fleet Air Arm at Lee-on-Solent was flying at about 6000 feet when it appears that a raft stowed under one of the wings came loose and landed on the rudder. As a result the pilot could not steer the aircraft and was forced to make a landing on the foreshore near Player's Copse.

The pilot and the two observers on board escaped withoot injury, but the left wheel and undercarriage were torn off and a wing was damaged during the landing.

Territorials from a nearby camp stood guard over the aircraft until it was removed by the Naval authorities later that day.