On 24 October 1958, Vulcan B1 XA908 of No. 83 Squadron crashed in Detroit, after a complete electrical systems failure. The failure occurred at around 30,000 ft (9,100 m) and the backup system should have provided 20 minutes of emergency power to allow the aircraft to divert to Kellogg Airfield. Due to a short circuit in the service busbar, backup power only lasted three minutes before expiring locking the aircraft controls. XA908 then went into a dive of between 60–70 degrees before it crashed, leaving a 70 ft (21 m) deep crater in the ground. All six crew members were killed, including the co-pilot who had ejected. He landed in Lake St Clair and drowned. His body was never found. It is thought he was the only member of the squadron who could not swim
