Halifax HR879 at Rufforth airfield.
During the night of 3rd / 4th December 1944 this 1663 Heavy Conversion Unit aircraft was flown on a cross country training flight. During the flight the port outer engine failed. The crew managed to fly back to the circuit of Rufforth airfield on three engines and while making an approach to land the aircraft the pilot realised that the aircraft would undershoot. He was forced to attempt to use the failed port out engine which then over-sped and then caught fire when it was re-started. The aircraft was slightly off alignment with the runway and low, so before landing it clipped a tree and came to rest within the airfield site near the bomb dump at 00.08hrs. The constant speed unit on the propeller had failed and caused the engine to overspeed.
Pilot - F/Lt Wynford Frederick Johnson Morgan RAFVR (117478).