Warwick Mark V PN777 took off from Weybridge at about 12 noon on its maiden flight. During this first flight the pilot, W/Cdr Maurice Summers, was to explore the problem of rudder overbalance, an issue that had already caused two Warwicks to crash. The pilot was accompanied by a flight test observer, Mr George Hemsley of Vickers Aircraft. The test for rudder overbalance was commenced at about 1225 at 13,000 feet, and the plane was almost immediately in difficulties. The rudder locked hard over and the Warwick entered an irrecoverable spin. W/Cdr Summers ordered the test observer to bale out and then followed him. Both parachuted to safety but were lightly injured in either the exit from the plane or the landing. The Warwick spun down and crashed on two houses in Ruxley Lane, West Ewell. The plane and the houses were totally destroyed. There was no fire. No one was injured in 16 Ruxley Lane, but the occupant of no.14, Mrs Annie Elizabeth Swan and a friend Mrs Edith May Connor were just sitting down to lunch and were killed in the impact SWAN, ANNIE ELIZABETH Rank: Civilian Date of Death: 01/02/1945 Age: 43 Regiment/Service: Civilian War Dead Reporting Authority: EPSOM AND EWELL, MUNICIPAL BOROUGH Additional Information: of 14 Ruxley Lane, Ewell. Daughter of Mr. and Mrs. G. H. Mathews, of 113 Honeywell Road, Wandsworth Common, London; wife of George Douglas Swan. Died at 14 Ruxley Lane. CONNOR, EDITH MAY Rank: Civilian Date of Death: 01/02/1945 Age: 42 Regiment/Service: Civilian War Dead Reporting Authority: EPSOM AND EWELL, MUNICIPAL BOROUGH Additional Information: Daughter of Arthur and Mabel Leppard, of 65 Falmer Road, Woodingdean, Brighton, Sussex; wife of Percy Ernest Connor, of 20 Ravensfield Gardens, Ewell. Died at Ruxley Lane, Ewell. ASN Aircraft accident 01-FEB-1945 Vickers Warwick Mk V PN777 Tragedy on the Home Front
