Vickers 440 Wellington X accident at Ir-Rabat, Malta, 5 Apr 1946 (HE274)
On April 5, 1946, a Vickers 440 Wellington X (registration HE274) operated by Royal Air Force - RAF was involved in an aviation accident near Ir-Rabat, Malta in flight. 20 people were killed. Investigators recorded the probable cause as: The loss of control was attributed to strong smoke spread in the cockpit due to a leak on a hydraulic line, intoxicating the crew that was unable to maintain a directional control of the aircraft and could not send any distress call. 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.
Probable cause
The loss of control was attributed to strong smoke spread in the cockpit due to a leak on a hydraulic line, intoxicating the crew that was unable to maintain a directional control of the aircraft and could not send any distress call.
— NTSB Determination
Accident narrative
The crew was completing a training sortie, simulating an aerial attack with a RAF Spitfire. While cruising at a height between 4,000 and 5,000 feet, the aircraft banked 20° to the left then dove into the ground and crashed in the center of the city. The aircraft exploded on impact and damages on ground were so heavy with several houses destroyed. All four crew members were killed plus 16 people on the ground. Several others were injured, some of them seriously.
Probable cause (official findings): The loss of control was attributed to strong smoke spread in the cockpit due to a leak on a hydraulic line, intoxicating the crew that was unable to maintain a directional control of the aircraft and could not send any distress call.