BAe 125

The airplane departed Washington-National Airport bound for Birmingham, Alabama. Four minutes later, while climbing to an altitude of 9,300 feet, monitoring radar stations lost continuous reception of the aircraft's primary and secondary radar target information. Shortly thereafter, ground witnesses saw an explosion in the sky followed by the wreckage of the aircraft falling to the ground. the sky was overcast and light rain was falling. The four persons aboard were killed and the aircraft was destroyed. One residence and two automobiles were destroyed by impact and fire and several other homes were damaged by falling debris.

The HS-125-600B jet aircraft was making a demonstration flight at Dunsfold and took-off on runway 07 at 1611 hrs with two pilots and seven passengers on board. Until the aircraft started its takeoff run no birds had been noticed which could have been a hazard to the aircraft but nevertheless, in accordance with normal bird strike precautionary procedures, the aircraft took-off with its landing lights as well as strobe and navigation lights on. At the moment the aircraft started to roll eye-witnesses saw a large flock of birds rise from the grass verge north of and towards the eastern end of the runway, apparently having been disturbed by an incoming Harrier aircraft as it taxied west along the perimeter track after landing. This track lies about 120 metres north of and parallel to the runway at this point. These birds rose into the air in a fairly dense formation and wheeled south across the runway just as the HS-125 became airborne. Other witnesses noticed a second bird flock rise from the centre of the aerodrome at the same time and fly north. The aircraft became airborne shortly before the halfway point of the runway and the commander had just reduced power from 100% to between 98 and 96% and ordered the undercarriage raised when the aircraft, then at a height of 50 to 100 feet and a speed of approximately 150 knots, met either or both of the bird flocks. The commander heard and felt a series of bangs as birds hit the aircraft. The ground witnesses describe hearing the engines at high power prior to the aircraft encountering the birds, and then hearing a succession of noises (between one to three), variously described as a muffled explosion, bang, thump, boom or whoof followed by the cessation of the high power engine noise. At the same time balls of flame, lasting between one to three seconds, appeared at the rear of each engine. Some witnesses also saw birds falling away from the aircraft, and after the accident the remains of 11 dead birds identified as Lapwings (Vanellus vanellus) were found at a point about 1,170 metres from the commencement of the runway, i.e. a little over half way. The largest of the dead birds weighed 303g and had a wingspan of 61cm. Although neither pilot noticed any instrument indications following the bird strike the commander sensed an immediate decrease in acceleration which he considered was due to a complete loss of power on both engines; he also thought that some of the bangs were caused by the engines surging. He therefore decreased the climb attitude to maintain flying speed, partially reduced the throttle setting, and then re-opened to full throttle, but as far as he was aware there was no increase in thrust from either engine. He therefore decided to make a forced landing straight ahead and called for the undercarriage to be extended and for full flaps; simultaneously he closed the throttles and lowered the nose of the aircraft to assume the appropriate attitude for an approach to land. The aircraft touched down on the mainwheels about 180 metres before the end of the runway at a speed the commander estimated as approximately 120 knots; after lowering the nosewheel onto the ground he applied full wheel brakes which he maintained throughout the whole of the landing run. The aircraft overran the end of the runway and continued in a straight line across grass fields and through hedges before striking a ditch on the west side of the A281 road, about 285 metres beyond the end of the runway; the impact with the ditch ruptured and initiated the detachment of the entire undercarriage. The aircraft then bounced across the road at an estimated speed of 85 knots and in so doing struck and demolished a passing private Ford Cortina motor car; all six occupants of the car were killed. The aircraft continued on it underside for about 150 metres across a field on the far side of the road. Shortly before it came to a stop the commander closed the high pressure fuel cocks. Noticing light behind him the commander assumed the aircraft was on fire and ordered an immediate evacuation; the forward entry door was opened when the aircraft came to a stop and all nine occupants safely evacuated it before the fire spread.

While approaching Acapulco-General Juan N. Álvarez Airport in marginal weather conditions, the crew failed to realize his altitude was insufficient when the airplane struck the ground and crashed few km from the runway threshold. The aircraft was destroyed and all eight occupants were killed.

On approach to Findlay Airport by night, the crew encountered below minima weather conditions with fog and low ceiling. Unable to locate the runway, the captain decided to abandon the approach and initiated a go-around. Few minutes later, a second attempt to land was also abandoned. During a third attempt, the pilot-in-command descended below the minimum descent altitude when the aircraft struck tree tops, stalled and crashed in a wooded area located few dozen yards short of runway threshold. The aircraft was destroyed by a post crash fire and all seven occupants were injured.

The crew was engaged in a local demonstration flight at Cape Town Airport, taking part to an airshow. With two other similar aircraft in a V formation, the Mercurius completed a low pass over Cape Town Airport then proceeded to the west. Shortly later, all three aircraft struck simultaneously the slope of the Devil's Peak shrouded in clouds and located about 15 km west of Cape Town Airport. All three aircraft were totally destroyed and all 11 crew members were killed.

The crew was engaged in a local demonstration flight at Cape Town Airport, taking part to an airshow. With two other similar aircraft in a V formation, the Mercurius completed a low pass over Cape Town Airport then proceeded to the west. Shortly later, all three aircraft struck simultaneously the slope of the Devil's Peak shrouded in clouds and located about 15 km west of Cape Town Airport. All three aircraft were totally destroyed and all 11 crew members were killed.

The crew was engaged in a local demonstration flight at Cape Town Airport, taking part to an airshow. With two other similar aircraft in a V formation, the Mercurius completed a low pass over Cape Town Airport then proceeded to the west. Shortly later, all three aircraft struck simultaneously the slope of the Devil's Peak shrouded in clouds and located about 15 km west of Cape Town Airport. All three aircraft were totally destroyed and all 11 crew members were killed.

While descending to Boise International Airport by night and marginal weather conditions, the crew failed to realize his altitude was too low when the airplane struck a mountain located 10 miles northeast of the airfield. The aircraft was totally destroyed and both pilots were killed.

On the day of the accident the aircraft left Bristol under the command of the company's chief pilot for a flight to Edinburgh via East Midlands Airport. After conveying passengers to Edinburgh it was scheduled to position empty at Newcastle Airport to collect passengers for Bristol. Weather briefing had been obtained and a thorough flight plan covering the outward and return flights had been filed before the aircraft left Bristol in the morning. As there were no passengers on the flight from Edinburgh to Newcastle, the captain decided to make use of this sector to continue the other pilot's training for command of the HS-125. Accordingly, the trainee captain was flying the aircraft from the left hand seat. Prior to takeoff he was briefed that a failure of one of the engines (he was not told which one), would be simulated on takeoff and for the purpose of the exercise the rudder bias system would be switched 'OFF'. The pilots decided that no flap would be used for the takeoff which was started from the end of runway 13. The point where the aircraft became airborne was approximately 2,700 feet from the start of the roll, which was normal for the aircraft's weight and configuration, with both engines operating. The training captain called 'rotate' at approximately 120 knots, which was slightly faster than the calculated figure and when the aircraft had reached a height of approximately 12 feet and had accelerated to about 130 knots, he pulled back the thrust lever of the port engine to simulate a failure. He considered that the trainee pilot's reaction to the emergency was slow and was just about to apply right rudder to counteract the yaw when the trainee pilot applied considerable force to the left rudder and locked his leg in position. The captain immediately applied full right aileron and opened the port thrust lever but he was unable to prevent a high rate of roll developing to the left. Approximately 700 feet after the point where the aircraft became airborne the port wing tip struck the runway, fracturing the port fuel tank and spilling out fuel. The aircraft left the runway at an angle of approximately 30 degrees to the left and travelled across the grass, becoming partially inverted before settling back sideways on the ground on its undercarriage. The sideways movement of the aircraft pulled off the nose gear and the aircraft then gyrated across the airfield sustaining further structural damage before coming to rest on its main wheels and tail facing approximately in the opposite direction to the direction of takeoff. During the aircraft's gyrations on the ground, fuel, which was centrifuged out of the fractured port tank, ignited and a flash fire occurred. When the aircraft finally came to rest there was a small residual fire in the port wing which was very quickly extinguished by the airport fire service.

The twin engine aircraft departed Churchill Falls Airport at 1800LT on a flight to Montreal with an intermediate stop in Wabush (Labrador City). On final approach, the crew encountered poor weather conditions and failed to realize his altitude was insufficient. Out of track, the airplane struck trees then crashed on a mountainous terrain located few km from the airport. The controller at Wabush Airport informed Moncton ATC about the disappearance of the aircraft and SAR operations were initiated. All eight occupants were killed, among them Donald J. McParland, President of Churchill Falls (Labrador) Corporation, his assistant John Lethbridge, Eric Lambert and three employees of the Acres Canadian Bechtel.