Date:	Sunday 10 January 1954
Time:	day
Type:	Miles M.65 Gemini 1A
Owner/operator:	Flight Magazine
Registration:	G-AFLT
MSN:	6520
Fatalities:	Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 2
Aircraft damage:	Destroyed
Location:	Anchor & Horseshoes Inn, London Road, Burpham, Surrey -   United Kingdom
Phase:	En route
Nature:	Private
Departure airport:
Destination airport:
Confidence Rating:	Information is only available from news, social media or unofficial sources

Narrative:
Just to show that personalised registrations are nothing new, the publishers of Flight magazine, when they registered the house aeroplane in June 1949, persuaded the MoA to issue to them the mark G-AFLT, on 26 June 1949. Which is the registration carried by their Miles Gemini until it crashed at Burpham, a suburb of Guildford, on 10 January 1954.

It is presumed, but not confirmed that the accident on 10 January 1954 was terminal to Gemini G-AFLT, as there are very few records on this aircraft (and most that exist refer to the "previous occupant" of the registration Aeronca ELY 700 C/N AB131). Also there seem to be no photographs of this aircraft dated after 1953. However, the following contemporary newspaper report describes the incident that befell G-AFLT ("Belfast News-Letter" - Monday 11 January 1954)

"AIRCRAFT CRASHES IN GARDEN
Pilot and woman passenger hurt

The pilot and a woman passenger escaped with injuries when a civil aircraft crashed into the back garden of the Anchor and Horseshoes Inn, London Road, Burpham, near Guildford, last night. The aircraft, a Miles Gemini belonging to the aeronautical trade paper, "Flight," by whom the pilot is employed, was wrecked.

Mr, Kenneth Owen, the pilot, of Cranleigh Gardens, South Kensington, London, and the passenger, Miss Adam, of Clarence Road, Notting Hill, were taken to hospital. Mr. Owen had cuts to the face and head and Miss Adam a leg injury.

Mr Robert Lintott, the inn licensee, said:- "I think the pilot was trying to land on some open ground at the back of the premises."

G-ALFT was formerly registered in Eire as EI-ADM in 14 November 1947. Re-registered as G-ALFT 26 June 1949. Registration presumably cancelled on or after 10 January 1954

1. Kites, Birds & Stuff - MILES Aircraft.p.76 By P.D. Stemp
2. Rose, David (2016). Guildford Pubs. Amberley. p. 52. ISBN 978-1-4456-5719-6.
3. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Burpham,_Surrey#Air_accident
4. https://cwsprduksumbraco.blob.core.windows.net/g-info/HistoricalLedger/G-AFLT.pdf
5. https://www.airteamimages.com/miles-gemini_G-AFLT_-private_346872.html
6. G-AFLT at Wolverhampton-Pendeford (Goodyear Air Races) 1953: https://abpic.co.uk/pictures/view/1250756
7. G-AFLT at Croydon in 1953: https://abpic.co.uk/pictures/view/1281611
8. http://sussexhistoryforum.co.uk/index.php?topic=15745.0
9. https://www.airhistory.net/photo/9747
10. https://www.flickr.com/photos/dwhitworth/5505091503
11. https://www.getsurrey.co.uk/news/local-news/can-anyone-give-date-plane-4847325

Date/time	Contributor	Updates
04-Mar-2020 21:00	Dr. John Smith	Added
14-Oct-2020 19:12	Anon.	Updated [Source]
15-May-2022 02:15	Ron Averes	Updated [Aircraft type]