Nighttime Electrical Failure Leads to Belly Landing and Fire (PH865)

What happened

During a nighttime flight under good weather conditions, the aircraft experienced a short-circuit on the electrical system. This malfunction resulted in the failure of several critical instruments. At the time, the crew was operating without a navigator, a configuration that contravened established RAF procedures. In response to the instrument failures, the captain elected to lower the altitude to attempt an emergency landing. The aircraft executed a belly landing in a prairie area. After skidding for several yards, the plane came to a stop with its left engine engulfed in flames. Both crew members successfully evacuated the airframe before it was completely destroyed by the fire.

Findings

The official investigation identified the root cause of the incident as the electrical short-circuit that initiated the sequence of events leading to the emergency landing.