No fatalities

Training Aircraft Stall and Crash at RAF Cranwell (E3446)

Cranwell AFB, United KingdomLanding (descent or approach)

On December 12, 1921, an Avro 504 (registration E3446) operated by Royal Air Force - RAF was involved in an aviation accident near Cranwell AFB, United Kingdom during landing or approach. No fatalities were reported. Investigators recorded the probable cause as: The aircraft stalled during the final approach phase at low altitude, leading to a crash. This summary draws on records from the Bureau of Aircraft Accidents Archives (B3A); 8 related events involving the same aircraft type or operator are linked below.

Sourcesthe Bureau of Aircraft Accidents Archives (B3A)Primary reportUpdated 2026-08-04Data APIEditorial standards

A single-engine aircraft stalled during a low-altitude final approach while conducting a local training mission at RAF Cranwell, resulting in injuries to both crew members.

What happened

The incident occurred during a routine local training exercise at RAF Cranwell. The aircraft involved was a single-engine airplane operating under the control of its crew. While executing the final approach phase of the flight, the machine descended to a low altitude above the runway environment. At this stage, the aircraft experienced an aerodynamic stall. Consequently, the plane lost lift and crashed into the ground shortly after.

Findings

The immediate cause of the accident was identified as a stall occurring during the final approach at low height. The impact resulted in both pilots being injured. No fatalities were reported in this event.

Probable cause

The aircraft stalled during the final approach phase at low altitude, leading to a crash.