The Sunderland flying boat stalled and crashed into the sea as the pilot was attempting an emergency landing. The aircraft was returning to Abourkir Bay, Egypt at the time with a no. 1 engine that had failed. The Group Commander concluded: “I consider this accident was primarily due to the fact that there had been a fatal accident in the Squadron a few days previously due to an engine catching fire in the air and the resulting smoke filled the cockpit, making it impossible for the pilot to make a safe landing. In this case, the pilot after flying for 35 minutes on thee engines, states that he suddenly noticed a bright glow and small burst of flame on another engine and decided to land immediately, in so doing he stalled the aircraft which broke its back on hitting the water. I consider the pilot made a wrong decision in deciding to land and was guilty of an error of judgement in making the actual landing.”