What happened
At approximately 00:21, the flight crew received instructions to divert and land at Bishop Court. After obtaining directional bearings from the local station, one engine ceased functioning shortly thereafter. The pilot attempted to maintain power using the remaining engines, but a second failure occurred within seconds. At an altitude of roughly 2,500 feet, the decision was made to abandon the aircraft.
The crew members ejected in sequence, with the wireless operator exiting first, followed by the navigator and another crew member. During their descent, one observer noted that the aircraft’s landing lights were illuminated, suggesting the pilot was attempting to identify a suitable area for a forced landing. The incident resulted in the death of one airman, while the other four crew members survived the ejection.
Findings
The official inquiry determined that the engine failures were caused by a shortage of fuel. Examination of the wreckage revealed that both outboard fuel tanks were empty and their respective cocks were in the "ON" position. Conversely, the inboard tanks contained at least 15 gallons of fuel each, but their cocks were turned OFF. This configuration prevented the engines from accessing the remaining fuel supply, leading to the total loss of power.