Crash of a Bristol 170 Freighter 21P in Pakistan

Date & Time: Nov 15, 1959
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
G778
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
MSN:
12744
YOM:
1946
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
0
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
Suffered a landing accident somewhere in Pakistan during November 1959 (exact date unknown). There were no casualties.

Crash of a Bristol 170 Freighter 21E in Mahon: 1 killed

Date & Time: Mar 13, 1959 at 0902 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
EC-ADH
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Palma de Majorca – Mahon
MSN:
12776
YOM:
1946
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
3
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
15
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
1
Circumstances:
On final approach to Mahon Airport, at an altitude of 120 meters, the crew deployed the flaps when the airplane banked right and crashed 500 meters short of runway threshold. The airplane was totally destroyed and a passenger was killed while 17 other occupants were injured.
Probable cause:
The cause of the accident was probably a strong gust of wind which tilted the aircraft to the right during final approach to land, causing it to crash to the ground.

Crash of a Bristol 170 Freighter 31M at Chaklala AFB: 7 killed

Date & Time: Jan 29, 1959
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
S4426
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
MSN:
13174
YOM:
1954
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
3
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
4
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
7
Circumstances:
Shortly after takeoff from Chaklala AFB, while in initial climb, the airplane stalled and crashed in flames, killing all seven occupants.

Crash of a Bristol 170 Freighter 21 in Le Touquet

Date & Time: Nov 4, 1958 at 1200 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
F-BHVB
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
MSN:
12731
YOM:
1946
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
3
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
On final approach to Le Touquet Airport, the aircraft was too low and struck a beacon. The crew continued the approach and upon touchdown, the undercarriage failed. The airplane sank on its belly and came to rest, damaged beyond repair. The crew were uninjured.

Crash of a Bristol 170 Freighter 21E in Guriat

Date & Time: Mar 25, 1958
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
HZ-AAB
Survivors:
Yes
MSN:
12783
YOM:
1946
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
0
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
Upon landing, an undercarriage collapsed. The airplane skidded for several yards and came to a halt. There were no casualties but the airplane was damaged beyond repair.
Probable cause:
Undercarriage collapsed on landing.

Crash of a Bristol 170 Freighter 21 at Winter Hill: 35 killed

Date & Time: Feb 27, 1958 at 0945 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
G-AICS
Flight Phase:
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Schedule:
Douglas – Manchester
MSN:
12762
YOM:
1946
Region:
Crew on board:
3
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
39
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
35
Circumstances:
The aircraft, operated by Manx Airlines Ltd, took off at 0915LT from Ronaldsway Airport, Isle of Man, on a flight to Ringway Airport, Manchester. It carried 39 passengers and a crew of 3. At approximately 0945LT the aircraft crashed near the summit of Winter Hill, killing 35 of the 42 persons aboard. All five crew members survived but were seriously injured. The aircraft was destroyed upon impact.
Probable cause:
The accident was attributed to the error of the first officer in tuning the radio compass on Oldham Beacon Instead of on Wigan Beacon. A contributory cause was the failure of the captain to check that the radio compass was tuned on the correct beacon.
Final Report:

Crash of a Bristol 170 Freighter 31 in Christchurch: 4 killed

Date & Time: Nov 21, 1957 at 1133 LT
Type of aircraft:
Registration:
ZK-AYH
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Woodbourne – Paraparaumu – Timaru
MSN:
12828
YOM:
1947
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
2
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
2
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
4
Aircraft flight hours:
7898
Aircraft flight cycles:
12964
Circumstances:
The flight was a routine cargo flight from Woodbourne to Timaru via Paraparaumu. After take-off the aircraft was climbed to 2 500 ft on instruments and a period of asymmetric instrument flying followed during which the starboard pro- peller was feathered and rate half turns were made in both directions. The starboard propeller was unfeathered and when the minimum operating temperatures had been reached, normal power was applied. Two minutes later a sudden and severe vibration was felt throughout the aircraft. Feathering of the port engine was delayed until nearer the North Island coastline, and no further vibration was felt on the remainder of the flight to Paraparaumu. The aircraft was then loaded and one crew member was off-loaded prior to take-off on the second segment of the flight to Timaru. At 1127 hours the flight called Harewood Tower giving its position as 6 miles north of the Wairnakariri River mouth at 3 000 ft contact. It was subsequently cleared to maintain 3 000 ft to the Harewood Range Station. It then advised that it would descend VFR from the Range Station and proceed VFR to Timaru and was subsequently cleared for this procedure by Harewood Tower. At 1133 hours, at an approximate height of 2 000 ft, the aircraft was seen to suffer structural failure in the air. The starboard outer wing folded upwards and backwards and then separated. The remainder of the aircraft performed a series of violent manoeuvres while diving towards the ground at a mean angle of 35°' shedding a number of major components before finally striking the ground 1 000 yards beyond the point of wing separation. The 2 crew and 2 passengers aboard were killed, and the aircraft was destroyed.
Probable cause:
The accident was caused by in-flight structural fatigue failure of the starboard front lower spar boom. The circumstances which made the accident possible were created by the assessment of a life which was materially in excess of the safe life. The error in life assessment stemmed from the fact that simulated operational conditions from which the lifeing data was evolved were not truly representative of actual operating conditions.
Final Report:

Crash of a Bristol 170 Freighter 21E in Tarif

Date & Time: Oct 8, 1957
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
HZ-AAC
Survivors:
Yes
MSN:
12772
YOM:
1946
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
0
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
After touchdown at Tarif Airport, the airplane encountered difficulties to stop within the remaining distance, overran and came to rest. There were no injuries but the airplane was damaged beyond repair.

Crash of a Bristol 170 Freighter 21E in Tétouan

Date & Time: Sep 11, 1957
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
EC-AEH
Survivors:
Yes
MSN:
12786
YOM:
1946
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
0
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
For undetermined reason, the aircraft landed hard at Tétouan Airport and came to a halt. There were no injuries but the aircraft was considered as damaged beyond repair.

Crash of a Bristol 170 Freighter 21 in Madrid: 37 killed

Date & Time: May 9, 1957 at 1904 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
EC-ADI
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Santiago de Compostela – Madrid
MSN:
12757
YOM:
1946
Flight number:
AO111
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
5
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
32
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
37
Captain / Total flying hours:
5478
Copilot / Total flying hours:
427
Circumstances:
The aircraft was on a scheduled passenger transport flight from Santiago de Compostela to Madrid, carrying 32 passengers and 5 crew. As requested, the flight passed downwind to align itself for landing on the assigned runway 23 during which maneuver the control tower gave it the green light for landing. The aircraft went by at an altitude of about 300 metres, banking slightly to the left in order to see the light signal more easily. At 1904 hours it saw the green light, compensated for its left bank and, banking to the right, started a right spin which continued to the ground. The aircraft hit the ground with the front part of the fuselage, the right wing and the right engine propeller and caught fire. Although the airport fire fighting services reached the aircraft 6 minutes after the accident and promptly went into action, it was impossible to extinguish fire completely for more an hour. Its effects, however, were reduced to such an extent that the crew and passengers could have been saved had they not all died as a consequence of the violent impact.
Probable cause:
The accident was due to personnel errors.
1) The failure of radiotelephony compelled the pilot to concentrate on the green light during the approach manoeuvre,
2) The pilot's attention was so distracted that he operated close to the speed limit. Although such a distraction is infrequent, statistics show that it may occur after 5 000, 7 000 and even after 13 000 flying hours.
Final Report: