Date:	Friday 18 April 1947
Time:	12:10 LT
Type:	Avro Lancaster B Mk III GR
Owner/operator:	ASWDU RAF
Registration:	SW291
MSN:
Fatalities:	Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 7
Aircraft damage:	Destroyed
Location:	RAF Thorney Island, Emsworth, Hampshire, England -   United Kingdom
Phase:	Landing
Nature:	Military
Departure airport:	RAF Thorney Island, Emsworth, Hampshire
Destination airport:	RAF Thorney Island, Emsworth, Hampshire

Narrative:
Lancaster III serial SW291 was burnt out on the ground at RAF Thorney Island, Emsworth, Hampshire on 18th April 1947 after a fire developed in one engine shortly after touchdown. None of the crew were injured in the accident. The aircraft had taken off from Thorney Island at 09.40 hours, the intention being to test 'special equipment'

The following statement was made by the pilot of SW291 after the accident;

"At 12:10 hours on 18 April, 1947 towards the end of the landing run, the navigator standing behind the engineer on the starboard side of the aircraft reported flames coming from the rear exhaust stub, and burning fluid running down on to the wheel, which appeared to be well alight. I noticed flames under the nacelle, and W/O Dawes on the starboard beam look-out window states that he saw a flash and sheet of flame from the trailing edge of the starboard inner nacelle. The inside of the fuselage, at the same time, filled with smoke. The engineer turned off the main fuel cocks, and the engine isolating cocks, operated the idle cut-offs, and switched off the magneto switches. Expecting the fuel tanks to explode, the whole crew then abandoned the aircraft. The engine fire extinguisher in the starboard inner was not operated, as the fire appeared to be behind the firewall and in the wing.

A few minutes later, as the tanks had not exploded, I re-entered the aircraft to check up and make sure nothing could be done with hand extinguishers, but the inside was full of smoke and the fire seemed to be inside the starboard wing, so I switched the 'Ground/Flight' switch to 'ground' and left.

The fire truck from Flying Control did not appear on the scene for some 5 minutes after we had abandoned the aircraft, and then approached across the grass to leeward of the fire, and became bogged about 100 yards short. The crew of the fire truck, which appeared to consist of three airmen, then ran out the hose and turned on the foam which failed to run into the hose, and emerged from the back of the truck, helping to bog it further. By this time some 10 minutes had elapsed; the fire had by then taken a firm hold and the ammunition had started to explode, so all fire equipment was withdrawn to a safe distance. The aircraft then burnt out with the exception of the port wing and engines, and the remains were finally extinguished by the N.F.S. In my opinion, if the fire truck had arrived more smartly and operated efficiently the aircraft could have been saved."

"ASWDU" = Air Sea Warfare Development Unit. Not repaired, deemed Cat. E(FA) and struck off charge 3 July 1947

1. Halley, James (1999). Broken Wings – Post-War Royal Air Force Accidents. Tunbridge Wells: Air-Britain (Historians) Ltd. p.61. ISBN 0-85130-290-4.
2. Royal Air Force Aircraft SA100-VZ999, James J Halley (Air Britain 1985)
3. The Lancaster File (James J Halley, Air Britain, 1985 p 138)
4. Final Landings: A Summary of RAF Aircraft and Combat Losses 1946 - 1949 by Colin Cummings p.293
5. http://sussexhistoryforum.co.uk/index.php?topic=2693.0;wap2
6. http://www.hampshireairfields.co.uk/hancrash.html
7. National Archives (PRO Kew) File AVIA 5/29/W2372 at http://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/details/r/C6578218
8. ASWDU RAF ORB for the period 1-1-1946 to 31-12-1950; National Archives (PRO Kew) File AIR29-1236: https://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/details/r/C4100946
9. https://www.avro-lancaster.info/swseries/SW291
10. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/RAF_Thorney_Island#Post-war_units

Date/time	Contributor	Updates
10-Mar-2013 15:23	Dr. John Smith	Added
21-Jul-2013 15:04	Nepa	Updated [Aircraft type, Operator, Narrative]
26-Dec-2014 17:42	Dr. John Smith	Updated [Time, Aircraft type, Departure airport, Source, Narrative]
26-Dec-2014 17:43	Dr. John Smith	Updated [Time]
20-Nov-2019 01:12	Dr. John Smith	Updated [Operator, Source, Narrative]
24-Nov-2019 00:58	Dr. John Smith	Updated [Location, Departure airport, Destination airport, Narrative]
27-Nov-2019 11:54	Nepa	Updated [Operator, Location, Departure airport, Destination airport, Operator]
15-Feb-2020 21:15	Dr. John Smith	Updated [Operator, Departure airport, Destination airport, Source]
15-Feb-2020 21:16	Dr. John Smith	Updated [Source]
18-Feb-2020 11:49	Iwosh	Updated [Aircraft type, Operator, Location, Operator]
18-May-2023 15:00	Dr. John Smith	Updated [[Aircraft type, Operator, Location, Operator]]