No. 37 Squadron RAF — Flight SW344

An Avro Lancaster B Mk III GR (ASR.III) crashed into a residential area in Luqa shortly after takeoff from RAF Luqa following an engine failure. During the takeoff run, the inboard port Rolls-Royce Merlin engine began to cut out intermittently and failed completely as the aircraft became airborne. The pilot attempted to return to the airfield for an emergency landing, but the aircraft was turning to starboard and lacked sufficient speed and altitude to maintain control. It cartwheeled through several houses on St George Street and New Street before catching fire. Three crew members and one civilian on the ground were killed.

Aircraft

Avro Lancaster B Mk III GR (ASR.III)

Registration

SW344

Phase

Cause

Souls on Board

Fatalities

Origin → Dest

RAF Luqa, Malta → ?

Report

Investigation Summary

The aircraft, a World War II era bomber modified for maritime search and rescue, was performing a training flight. The mission was the first flight for Geoffrey Charles Glanville as the designated captain, though the more experienced Flight Sergeant John C.E. Smith was also on the flight deck. At 11:40 local time, the inboard port engine failed during the climb. Despite having three operational engines, the aircraft's low speed and altitude, combined with a starboard turn, made recovery impossible. Smith took control of the aircraft in an attempt to return to the airfield, but the resulting crash destroyed or severely damaged 14 properties. The tail section came to rest in a building site, while one engine was found in a garden 200 meters from the main wreckage. A civilian, Maria Zarb, was fatally burned when fuel from a wing section ignited in her garden; she succumbed to her injuries at St Luke's Hospital at 04:30 on 1 January 1953. The pilot, Flight Sergeant Smith, was the only survivor among the crew, though he suffered severe injuries.

Final Conclusions

The official inquest concluded that the crash was caused by the failure of the inboard port engine during takeoff. The pilot, Flight Sergeant John C.E. Smith, was officially exonerated of all blame for the accident, as the aircraft's low altitude and speed at the time of the failure left insufficient margin for a safe return to the runway.

Video Analysis

No video analysis linked for this case file yet.

Systems & Failure Modes

Rolls-Royce Merlin Engine

The aircraft was powered by four liquid-cooled V12 engines; the failure of the inboard port engine during the critical takeoff phase led to the loss of control.

Interesting Facts

01The aircraft was an Avro Lancaster B Mk III GR (ASR.III) modified for maritime search and rescue.
02Three crew members died: co-pilot Geoffrey Charles Glanville, radio operator John Crawford Logan, and flight engineer Wilfred Morris.
03One civilian on the ground, 60-year-old Maria Zarb, was killed.
04The crash caused damage to 14 residential properties in Luqa.
05RAF Luqa fire section chief Cecil F. Harrison was awarded the British Empire Medal for his rescue efforts at the burning wreckage.

Safety Actions & Advisories

Compensation Claims

Following the crash, the Claims Commission awarded compensation to affected residents based on court experts' evaluations after a campaign for adequate relief led by Dom Mintoff.