Date:	Wednesday 29 January 1947
Time:
Type:	Bristol Beaufighter TF Mk X
Owner/operator:	84 Sqn RAF
Registration:	RD770
MSN:
Fatalities:	Fatalities: 1 / Occupants: 2
Aircraft damage:	Destroyed
Location:	Island in the Straits of Johore. -   Singapore
Phase:	En route
Nature:	Training
Departure airport:	RAF Changi, Singapore
Destination airport:
Confidence Rating:	Information is only available from news, social media or unofficial sources

Narrative:
Beaufighter RD770/A: Took off for demonstration flight. 29/11/1947
The pilot was demonstrating Beaufighter RD770 to another pilot (F/O Belsham) who, was standing in the rear of the cockpit immediately behiond the pilot. At 1,000 feet, the starboard engine failed, and, as the pilot could not maintain height, he was compelled to land the Beaufighter into the tree tops of a coconut plantation on an island in the Johore Straits, off Singapore.
Unfortunately, the aircraft cartwheeled after coilliding with the tree tops, and fell to the ground. F/O Belsham, who was not strapped in to his seat, was thrown from the aircraft; he recieved serious burns, cuts and shock. He was rescued by local islanders, who took him back to Singapore for medical treatment.
Crew:
F/O (202942) Francis Reginald Anthony MALTESE (Pilot) RAF - killed.
F/O (58018) Ian Rollo Bernard BELSHAM (2.pilot) RAF - survived with injuries

1. Halley, James (1999). Broken Wings – Post-War Royal Air Force Accidents. Tunbridge Wells: Air-Britain.
2. Final Landings: A Summary of RAF Aircraft and Combat Losses 1946 to 1949.
3. Royal Air Force Aircraft PA100-RZ999 (James J Halley, Air Britain)
4. The Straits Times 10.4.47 page 7
5. http://www.rafcommands.com/forum/showthread.php?23744-470129-Unaccounted-Airmen-29-01-1947&p=137835#post137835
6. ORB 84 Sqdn RAF
7. https://www.cwgc.org.
8. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/No._84_Squadron_RAF#Postwar
9. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Straits_of_Johor
10. https://www.britmodeller.com/forums/index.php?/topic/234924309-seac-beaufighter-tf-mk-x-no-22-sqn-bay-of-bengal-1945-%E2%80%93-picture-profile/

Date/time	Contributor	Updates
11-May-2021 21:14	Nepa	Added [Operator]
09-Jun-2021 19:55	Dr. John Smith	Updated [Location, Country, Source, Narrative]
09-Jun-2021 19:56	Dr. John Smith	Updated [Narrative]
09-Jun-2021 19:58	Dr. John Smith	Updated [Source]
09-Jun-2021 20:06	Dr. John Smith	Updated [Source]
14-Aug-2021 17:08	TB	Updated [Location, Narrative, Operator]