Country
Crash of an Armstrong Whitworth AW.650 Argosy 222 in Blenheim
Date & Time:
Apr 1, 1990
Registration:
ZK-SAF
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Christchurch – Wellington
MSN:
6801
YOM:
1965
Crew on board:
2
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Aircraft flight hours:
47035
Aircraft flight cycles:
36329
Circumstances:
On final approach to Wellington Airport, the crew selected gear down but the left main gear failed to lock down. The crew decided to divert to Blenheim Airport for an emergency landing. Upon touchdown on runway 25, the left main gear collapsed and the aircraft came to rest. Both pilots escaped uninjured.
Probable cause:
The failure of the left main undercarriage to fully extend was caused by the seizure of the piston rod within the undercarriage jack assembly. The piston rod and the spring housing through which it passed had become scored, eventually resulting in the seizure. The piston rod had been installed, new, in the jack assembly some seven months earlier and had completed 787 landings. Further investigation found that the synthetic wiper ring had been installed incorrectly and would allow foreign material to find its way into the spring housing when the undercarriage was retracted. Additionally, hydraulic components on the undercarriage may have become contaminated during cleaning in an inadequately filtered cleaning booth, which was also used for general cleaning involving the use of abrasive pads.
Crash of an Armstrong Whitworth AW.650 Argosy in West Freugh AFB
Date & Time:
Oct 1, 1984 at 1200 LT
Operator:
Registration:
XN817
Survivors:
Yes
MSN:
6746
YOM:
1961
Crew on board:
11
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
Upon landing at RAF West Freugh, the right main gear collapsed. The airplane slid on its belly and eventually came to rest on a grassy area to the right of the runway. All 11 occupants escaped uninjured while the aircraft was damaged beyond repair. It was completing a flight on behalf of the Aeroplane & Armament Experimental Establishment.
Probable cause:
Failure of the right main gear upon landing.
Crash of an Armstrong Whitworth AW.650 Argosy 102 in Belfast
Date & Time:
Apr 17, 1982
Operator:
Registration:
G-APRN
Survivors:
Yes
MSN:
6654
YOM:
1959
Crew on board:
2
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
Upon landing at Belfast-Aldergrove Airport, the right main gear collapsed. The airplane came to rest on the runway and was damaged beyond repair. Both pilots escaped uninjured.
Probable cause:
Loss of a pivot pin from the anti-torque link assembly.
Crash of an Armstrong Whitworth AW.650 Argosy in Lubumbashi
Date & Time:
Jun 1, 1979
Registration:
9Q-COE
Survivors:
Yes
MSN:
6778
YOM:
1962
Crew on board:
0
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
Damaged beyond repair following a hard landing at Lubumbashi-Luano Airport. There were no casualties.
Crash of an Armstrong Whitworth AW.660 Argosy C.1 at RAF Boscombe Down: 2 killed
Date & Time:
Apr 27, 1976
Operator:
Registration:
XR105
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Boscombe Down - Boscombe Down
MSN:
6783
YOM:
1962
Crew on board:
3
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
2
Circumstances:
The crew was completing a local training mission at RAF Boscombe Down. On final approach with one engine voluntarily inoperative, the airplane banked left and right, causing a wing to drop and to struck a building. Out of control, the airplane lost height and crashed. A crew member was injured while two other occupants were killed, among them an officer from the Italian Army.
Crash of an Armstrong Whitworth AW.650 Argosy 101 in Point Hope
Date & Time:
Jul 8, 1974 at 1250 LT
Operator:
Registration:
N894U
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Galena - Point Hope
MSN:
6658
YOM:
1961
Crew on board:
3
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Captain / Total hours on type:
477.00
Circumstances:
Upon landing at Point Hope Airport, one of the main landing gear collapsed. The airplane slid on the ground, veered off runway and came to rest. All three crew members escaped uninjured while the aircraft was damaged beyond repair.
Probable cause:
Gear collapsed upon landing due to fatigue fracture and stress corrosion cracking.
Final Report:
Crash of an Armstrong Whitworth AW.650 Argosy 101 in Anchorage
Date & Time:
May 19, 1974 at 0920 LT
Operator:
Registration:
N891U
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Anchorage - Aniak
MSN:
6655
YOM:
1959
Crew on board:
6
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Captain / Total hours on type:
2039.00
Circumstances:
During the takeoff roll on runway 20 at Anchorage-Intl Airport, the pilot-in-command realized the takeoff was not possible so he decided to abort. Unable to stop within the remaining distance, the aircraft overran, rolled for 689 yards then collided with trees and came to rest. All six occupants escaped uninjured while the aircraft was damaged beyond repair.
Probable cause:
Aborted takeoff and overran following poor flight preparation on part of the flying crew. The following factors were reported:
- Inadequate preflight preparation and/or planning,
- Gust locks engaged,
- Lack of familiarity with aircraft,
- Elevator gust lock not removed.
- Inadequate preflight preparation and/or planning,
- Gust locks engaged,
- Lack of familiarity with aircraft,
- Elevator gust lock not removed.
Final Report:
Crash of an Armstrong Whitworth AW.650 Argosy C.1 at RAF Benson
Date & Time:
Jun 4, 1970
Operator:
Registration:
XP441
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Benson - Benson
MSN:
6773
YOM:
1962
Crew on board:
5
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
The crew was completing a local training flight at RAF Benson. On final approach, the pilot-in-command failed to realize his altitude was too low when the airplane struck the ground and crashed in an open field. The undercarriage were partially torn off as well a part of the left wing. All five crew members escaped uninjured.
Probable cause:
Too low approach on part of the flying crew.
