No fatalities

Navigation training exercise crash near Swindon (R9643)

Weston Subedge, United KingdomFlight

On June 18, 1941, an Avro 652 Anson (registration R9643) operated by Royal Air Force - RAF was involved in an aviation accident near Weston Subedge, United Kingdom in flight. No fatalities were reported. Investigators recorded the probable cause as: Engine failure in flight. 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 military aircraft crashed into a pasture near Swindon after an engine failure during a navigation training exercise, resulting in injuries to all five crew members and total loss of the airframe.

What happened

The incident occurred while the flight crew was conducting a navigation training exercise departing from RAF Upwood. During the flight, one of the aircraft's engines failed. In response to the mechanical failure, the captain initiated an emergency landing procedure. The aircraft ultimately crash-landed in a pasture located in Weston Subedge, near Swindon.

Following the impact, all five crew members sustained injuries. The airframe suffered extensive damage that rendered it beyond repair. The specific registration of the aircraft is not provided in the available source material.

Findings

Official investigations identified the primary cause of the accident as an engine failure occurring during flight. This mechanical issue necessitated the emergency landing, which resulted in the crash and subsequent injuries to the personnel on board.

Probable cause

Engine failure in flight