Date:	Monday 20 December 1948
Time:	day
Type:	Vickers Wellington Mk X
Owner/operator:	201 AFS RAF
Registration:	NB131
MSN:
Fatalities:	Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 4
Aircraft damage:	Destroyed
Location:	RAF Swinderby, Lincolnshire, England -   United Kingdom
Phase:	Landing
Nature:	Military
Departure airport:	RAF Swinderby, Lincolnshire
Destination airport:	RAF Swinderby, Lincolnshire

Narrative:
Vickers Wellington Mk. X NB131 of 201 AFS, RAF Swinderby: Written off (damaged beyond repair) 20/12/1948 at RAF Swinderby, Lincolnshire.

The aircraft suffered a serious hydraulic failure while on approach to RAF Swinderby; this caused the undercarriage to fail to lock down, the flaps to be inoperative, and the bomb bay doors to drop open. The pilot managed to execute a 'wheels up' belly landing, feathering both engine at just 20 feet agl.

None of the crew were injured, and the pilot was commended by the subsequent Board of Inquiry for his skilful handling of the situation.

1. Halley, James (1999). Broken Wings – Post-War Royal Air Force Accidents. Tunbridge Wells: Air-Britain (Historians) Ltd. ISBN 0-85130-290-4.
2. Final Landings - A Summary of RAF Aircraft and Combat losses 1946-1949 by Colin Cummings p 457
3. 201 AFS ORB for the period 1-4-47 to 31-12-50: National Archives (PRO Kew) File AIR 29/1989/1: https://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/details/r/C7162797
4. http://www.bcar.org.uk/1945-49-incident-logs#1948
5. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/RAF_Swinderby#History

Date/time	Contributor	Updates
08-Apr-2023 12:26	Dr. John Smith	Added