No fatalities

Six-Engine Aircraft Crash Landing in Carmarthenshire (Z1147)

Kidwelly, United KingdomFlight

On May 23, 1943, a Vickers 416 Wellington IC (registration Z1147) operated by Royal Air Force - RAF was involved in an aviation accident near Kidwelly, United Kingdom in flight. No fatalities were reported. Investigators recorded the probable cause as: Double 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 2026-08-05Data APIEditorial standards

A six-engine aircraft suffered a total loss of power over Carmarthenshire, resulting in an emergency crash landing where all six crew members escaped without injury.

What happened

The flight originated from RAF Talbenny as part of a cross-country navigation exercise. While traversing the airspace above Carmarthenshire, the aircraft experienced a catastrophic mechanical failure affecting both engines simultaneously. The pilot immediately initiated an emergency landing procedure to mitigate the situation. Despite the loss of thrust, the crew managed to guide the machine down into a nearby field. Upon impact, the airframe sustained severe structural damage and quickly burst into flames, ultimately being destroyed by the fire.

Findings

The official investigation identified double engine failure in flight as the primary cause of the incident. Remarkably, all six individuals on board survived the crash without sustaining any injuries. The crew consisted of a pilot, a flight engineer, a wireless operator, a navigator, and two air gunners.

Probable cause

Double engine failure in flight