What happened
A military aircraft belonging to the 48th Squadron was conducting a routine patrol along the eastern coast of England when it experienced a mechanical issue. The left engine failed while the plane was in flight, prompting the pilot to initiate an emergency procedure. Unable to reach land safely, the crew executed a ditching maneuver approximately 10 kilometers off the coast of Whitstable, Kent.
Following the water landing, rescue teams quickly located and extracted all four members of the crew from the aircraft. The plane was subsequently towed into the harbor at Whitstable for inspection. Upon assessment, the airframe was determined to be damaged beyond repair and was written off. This incident is recorded as the first accident involving an Avro 652 Anson Mk I.
Findings
The official investigation concluded that the immediate cause of the event was the failure of the left engine during flight, which necessitated the emergency ditching.