No fatalities

Engine Failure and Icing Lead to Forced Landing in Field (VV883)

Cranfield, United KingdomLanding (descent or approach)

On January 1, 1953, an Avro 652 Anson (registration VV883) operated by Royal Air Force - RAF was involved in an aviation accident near Cranfield, United Kingdom during landing or approach. No fatalities were reported. Investigators recorded the probable cause as: Failure of the left engine in flight and icing conditions. 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 2026-06-12Data APIEditorial standards

Following a left engine failure and icing conditions during descent, the pilot-in-command executed an emergency landing in a field. All three crew members were injured and the aircraft was destroyed.

Incident Overview

During a cruise at 10,000 feet on a flight from Halfpenny Green to RAF Cranfield, the crew experienced technical problems with the left engine, which was shot down. The crew initiated an emergency descent. While descending through clouds, the pilot-in-command encountered icing conditions.

Emergency Descent and Landing

After breaking through the cloud base at approximately 200 feet, roughly 3 miles from the airfield, the pilot-in-command was unable to maintain safe control due to icing. With one engine inoperative, he attempted an emergency landing in a field. The aircraft sustained damage beyond repair, and all three crew members were injured.

Probable Cause

The official investigation determined the probable cause as the failure of the left engine in flight and icing conditions.