Avro 685 York

Operator:

Registration:

G-AMGL

Flight Phase:

Flight Type:

Cargo

Survivors:

Site:

Hamburg-Helmut-Schmidt (Fuhlsbüttel)

Schedule:

London – Hamburg

MSN:

1354

YOM:

1946

Location:

Hamburg

Country:

Germany

Region:

Europe

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

On final approach to Hamburg-Fuhlbüttel Airport, all four engine failed simultaneously. The aircraft lost speed, height and eventually crash landed in a field short of runway. All ten occupants were quickly rescued while the aircraft was written off.

Probable cause:

Failure of all four engines due to a fuel exhaustion on final approach.

Crash of an Avro 685 York C.1 in Singapore

Date & Time: Oct 25, 1950

Type of aircraft:

Operator:

Registration:

MW102

Flight Phase:

Flight Type:

Survivors:

Site:

Schedule:

Northolt – Singapore

MSN:

MW102

YOM:

1943

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

Crash landed in Changi Airport for unknown reason. There were no casualties but the aircraft was damaged beyond repair.

Crash of an Avro 685 York C.1 in Nairobi

Date & Time: Nov 15, 1949

Type of aircraft:

Operator:

Registration:

MW297

Flight Phase:

Flight Type:

Survivors:

Site:

Schedule:

London – Nairobi

MSN:

MW297

YOM:

1946

Location:

Nairobi-Wilson

Nairobi City District

Country:

Kenya

Region:

Africa

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

Due to a lack of coordination and a poor flight preparation, the crew completed the approach to Nairobi-Wilson Airport instead of Nairobi-Eastleigh Airport. Following a wrong approach configuration, the four engine aircraft landed long, and after touchdown, was unable to stop within the remaining distance. It overran, lost its undercarriage and came to rest. While the aircraft was damaged beyond repair, all 27 occupants were unhurt.

Probable cause:

Crew error.

Crash of an Avro 685 York C.1 in Wünsdorf

Date & Time: Jul 30, 1949

Type of aircraft:

Operator:

Registration:

MW145

Flight Phase:

Takeoff (climb)

Flight Type:

Survivors:

Site:

Schedule:

Wünsdorf – Northolt

MSN:

MW145

YOM:

1945

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

Just after liftoff, while in initial climb, engines number one and two lost power. The aircraft banked left and the captain decided to abandon the takeoff procedure so he landed immediately. After touchdown, he realized that the distance available was insufficient so he raised the landing gear. The aircraft sank on its belly and slid for several yards before coming to rest. There were no casualties but the aircraft was considered as damaged beyond repair.

Probable cause:

Simultaneous loss of power on both left engines just after liftoff for undetermined reason.

Crash of an Avro 685 York C.1 in Wünsdorf AFB

Date & Time: Jun 19, 1949

Type of aircraft:

Operator:

Registration:

G-ALBX

Flight Phase:

Takeoff (climb)

Flight Type:

Cargo

Survivors:

Site:

Schedule:

Wünsdorf - London

MSN:

PC4494

YOM:

1945

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

Shortly after takeoff, while in initial climb, the engine number four failed. The crew elected to return but while at an altitude of 550 feet, the engine number three suffered a loss of power. In such conditions, the captain attempted to make an emergency landing in a field. The aircraft crash landed and came to rest few km from the airport. While all three crew members were unhurt, the aircraft was damaged beyond repair.

Probable cause:

Engine failure.

Crash of an Avro 685 York C.1 in Gütersloh

Date & Time: Apr 21, 1949

Type of aircraft:

Operator:

Registration:

MW188

Flight Phase:

Flight Type:

Survivors:

Site:

Schedule:

Wunstorf – Lyneham

MSN:

MW188

YOM:

1945

Location:

Gütersloh

North Rhine-Westphalia

Country:

Germany

Region:

Europe

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

Shortly after takeoff from Wunstorf AFB, the crew informed ground that the tire on the left main gear burst and decided to divert to Gütersloh Airport for an emergency landing. On touchdown, the left main gear collapsed, the aircraft skidded for several yards and came to rest. All five crew members were unhurt while the aircraft was damaged beyond repair.

Probable cause:

Failure of the left main gear on landing due to the bursting of the tire during the last takeoff procedure.

Crash of an Avro 685 York I in Berlin: 3 killed

Date & Time: Mar 15, 1949

Type of aircraft:

Operator:

Registration:

G-AHFI

Flight Phase:

Flight Type:

Cargo

Survivors:

Site:

Schedule:

Northolt – Berlin

MSN:

1316

YOM:

1946

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

On final approach to Berlin-Gatow Airport, the four engine aircraft rolled to the left and crashed few hundred metres short of runway threshold. The airplane was destroyed and all three crew members were killed. They were performing a cargo flight from Northolt, taking part to the Berlin Airlift.
Crew:
Cpt Cecil Golding, pilot,
Henry Thomas Newman, copilot,
Peter James Edwards, radio operator.

Crash of an Avro 685 York I in Castel Benito

Date & Time: Feb 1, 1949

Type of aircraft:

Operator:

Registration:

G-AGJD

Flight Phase:

Takeoff (climb)

Flight Type:

Scheduled Revenue Flight

Survivors:

Site:

Castel Benito (Qaser Bin Ghashir)

Schedule:

Castel Benito – London

MSN:

1210

YOM:

1944

Location:

Tripoli (طرابلس)

Country:

Libya

Region:

Africa

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

During the takeoff run, the aircraft was caught by a strong crosswind gust and slewed across the runway. The captain over-corrected and the aircraft ran off the runway on the opposite side and rolled over on the grass, breaking in two in the process. There were no injuries but all the passengers were suspended upside down in their seats by their seatbelts. The only reason they all got out was that, mercifully, the York didn’t catch fire despite being full of fuel for the sector it was starting.
Thanks to Andy Frish for his testimony and pictures.

Crash of an Avro 685 York I in Caravelas: 3 killed

Date & Time: Jan 5, 1949

Type of aircraft:

Operator:

Registration:

G-AHEX

Flight Phase:

Flight

Flight Type:

Scheduled Revenue Flight

Survivors: