Roland, Manitoba
LAC Hancock and Sergeant G.A. Payton (RNZAF) were engaged in night circuits and landings and were killed when Cessna Crane aircraft 7877 crashed on take-off two miles north-west of the aerodrome at Dauphin. The accident is believed to have been caused by structural failure and happened just before Leading Aircraftman Hancock was to graduate.
Hancock, Kenneth Melvin (Leading Aircraftman)
Killed in Flying Accident 1943-January-06
Birth Date: 1921-April-29
Born:
Parents: Son of Luther S. Hancock and Clara M. Hancock, of Roland.
Spouse:
Home: Roland, Manitoba
Enlistment:
Enlistment Date: unkown date
Service
RCAF
Unit
10 SFTS- Service Flying Training School
Base
Dauphin, Manitoba, Canada
Rank
Leading Aircraftman
Position
Pilot
Service Numbers
R/134775
School Daily Diary Entry - 1943-01-06
Canadian Virtual War Memorial
Commonwealth War Graves Commission
Finadagrave.comCrew or Other Personnel
Crane 7877
Accident Card - Cessna Crane Mk. I serial:7877
This accident involved 1 aircraft on 1943-January-06. Cessna Crane s/n 7877.
This accident involved 2 people. Hancock KM, Payton GA
This accident had 2 fatalities. Sergeant Geoffrey Allen Payton RNZAF Killed in Flying Accident service no:42447 Crane 7877, Leading Aircraftman Kenneth Melvin Hancock RCAF Killed in Flying Accident service no:R/134775 Crane 7877
Unit Desciption
10 SFTS (10 Service Flying Training School)
Graduates of the EFTS "learn-to-fly" program went on a Service Flying Training School (SFTS) for 16 weeks. For the first 8 weeks the trainee was part of an intermediate training squadron; for the next 6 weeks an advanced training squadron and for the final 2 weeks training was conducted at a Bombing & Gunnery School. The Service schools were military establishments run by the RCAF or the RAF.
There were two different types of Service Flying Training Schools. Trainees in the fighter pilot stream went to an SFTS like No. 14 Aylmer, where they trained in the North American Harvard or North American Yale. Trainees in the bomber, coastal or transport pilot stream went to an SFTS like No. 5 Brantford where they learned multi-engine technique in an Airspeed Oxford, Avro Anson or Cessna Crane.
No10 SFTS Dauphin
For More Information on RCAF Station Dauphin see here
RCAF.Info - RCAF Station Dauphin Manitoba
RCAF.Info - Relief Landing Field North Junction MB
RCAF.Info - Relief Landing Field Valley River MB
Manitoba Historical Society - 10 SFTS Dauphin
Manitoba Historical Society - North Junction Relief Landing Field
YouTube - Valour Canada Aerodrome of Democracy