IDENTIFICATION & SITE INFORMATION

• Name: de Havilland Vampire 17081
• Accident Date: November 29, 1953
• Location: Lake Ontario, near Whitby, ON
• Type: de Havilland Vampire
• Purpose: The de Havilland Vampire was a jet fighter aircraft used by the Royal Canadian Air Force (RCAF) during the early post-WWII years. It was one of the first jet-powered aircraft to serve in the RCAF and was primarily used for both training and operational roles, including formation flying, air defense, and pilot instruction.

HISTORY On November 29, 1953, two de Havilland Vampires from 400 City of Toronto Fighter (Auxiliary) Squadron were conducting formation flying exercises between Oshawa and Toronto. The exercise was routine, intended to maintain the proficiency of the pilots in formation flying techniques. However, as the aircraft returned to RCAF Station Downsview, poor weather conditions necessitated a beacon approach for landing.

Flying Officer Richard W. Russell, piloting Vampire 17081, was last seen by his formation leader as his aircraft entered a cloud. The poor weather conditions contributed to the loss of visual contact. Unfortunately, Russell did not return to the airbase and was declared missing. Following an extensive search operation, his Vampire was discovered in Lake Ontario near Whitby, ON.

FINAL DISPOSITION The accident resulted in the tragic loss of Flying Officer Richard W. Russell, aged 20. The Vampire 17081 crashed into Lake Ontario due to circumstances that remain unclear but were likely exacerbated by the poor weather conditions at the time. The wreckage was located after a thorough search, confirming the fatal outcome.

NOTMARs & ADVISORIES No specific Notices to Mariners (NOTMARs) related to this aircraft accident are noted, although the location in Lake Ontario may have warranted navigational warnings during the search and recovery operations.

LOCATED BY & DATE

• Discovery: The Vampire 17081 was found in Lake Ontario near Whitby after an extensive search effort following its disappearance on November 29, 1953.
• Date: Located shortly after the crash, exact recovery dates are not documented in the provided sources.

CURRENT CONDITION & ACCESSIBILITY

• Condition: The aircraft was confirmed to have crashed into Lake Ontario. The current condition of the wreckage is not documented, but it was recovered or confirmed during the search.
• Accessibility: The wreckage location was in Lake Ontario, which would have made accessibility for recovery challenging. There is no public information on whether the wreckage was recovered from the lake or remains submerged.

RESOURCES & LINKS

• Additional Resources:
  • The History Hangar – 400 Squadron Honour Roll
  • Find a Grave – Richard Walter Russell
  • Aviation Safety Network
• References:
  • The incident details were sourced from The Toronto Star, November 30, 1953 and The History Hangar.

ANALYSIS The crash likely resulted from the challenging weather conditions that forced the pilots to rely on instrument approaches. Given the technological limitations of the period and the demanding nature of such maneuvers in poor Visibility, spatial disorientation or navigational errors might have contributed to the accident. The aircraft’s entry into cloud cover and subsequent loss of visual contact were critical factors in the disappearance and crash.

KEYWORDS: de Havilland Vampire, RCAF, 400 Squadron, Lake Ontario, 1953, aircraft accident, formation flying, beacon approach, Flying Officer Richard W. Russell, Downsview, Whitby, military aviation