Crash of a Bristol 170 Freighter 1A in Wau

Date & Time: Nov 23, 1947
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
G-AIMC
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Wau - Wau
MSN:
12793
YOM:
1946
Location:
Region:
Crew on board:
5
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
The crew was performing a demo flight to potential clients. Upon landing in Wau Airport, on a relative steep runway, the aircraft failed to stop properly. The aircraft eventually overran and came to rest into a ditch. All five crew members were slightly injured while the aircraft was damaged beyond repair.
Probable cause:
A brake cable failed after landing, preventing the aircraft to decelerate properly.

Crash of a Bristol 170 Freighter 11 near Ravello: 21 killed

Date & Time: Nov 18, 1947 at 1500 LT
Type of aircraft:
Registration:
SE-BNG
Flight Phase:
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Schedule:
Addis-Ababa – Cairo – Catanie – Rome – Stockholm
MSN:
12792
YOM:
1946
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
4
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
21
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
21
Circumstances:
The aircraft was returning to Stockholm with a crew of four and 21 Swedish pilots who delivered Saab B-17 to the Ethiopian Army in Addis-Ababa. It left Catania Airport at 1428LT bound for Rome. After passing over the Island of Stromboli, the crew encountered poor weather conditions with thick clouds. To avoid this area, the crew modified his route but few minutes later, while flying at an insufficient altitude of 1,040 meters in poor visibility, the aircraft hit tree tops located on the Mt Cerro near Ravello. The captain tried to avoid a ground collision so he increased engine power and attempted a 180 turn when the left wing hit the Santa Maria del Monte Peak. The aircraft crashed in flames and was destroyed. Four occupants were rescued while 21 others were killed.
Probable cause:
There is no reason to believe that the engines or instrument were not operating normally. The cause of the accident must have been the pilot's failure to realize that his aircraft was in mountainous territory. The surviving passengers could not give an account of what happened immediately prior to the accident as they all were asleep when it occurred.

Crash of a Bristol 170 Freighter I off Cabo de Palos: 42 killed

Date & Time: Oct 16, 1947 at 1450 LT
Type of aircraft:
Registration:
F-BCJN
Flight Phase:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Paris – Marseille – Oran – Casablanca
MSN:
12788
YOM:
1946
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
5
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
39
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
42
Captain / Total flying hours:
3000
Circumstances:
While flying along the Spanish coast, the radio operator informed ground by radio: 'one engine stopped, are forced to ditch the aircraft'. Shortly later, the aircraft crashed into the sea some 25 km southeast off Cabo de Palos. The first rescuers arrived on site 24 hours later and were able to evacuate two survivors, the mechanic and a passenger. All 42 other occupants were killed.
Crew:
Mr. Galindo, pilot,
Mr. Remy, mechanic,
Mr. Chase, mechanic,
Mr. Chanel, radio navigator,
Anne-Marie Rouannet, stewardess.
Probable cause:
As the aircraft quickly sank by a significant depth, a recovery was not possible and only few debris were found. Due to lack of evidence, and based on the testimony of both survivors, it was not possible to determine the exact cause of the engine failure.

Crash of a Bristol 170 Freighter 2A into the Atlantic Ocean

Date & Time: Jul 4, 1946
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
G-AHJB
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Bristol – Bathurst – Natal – Rio de Janeiro
MSN:
12734
YOM:
1946
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
5
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
The crew was on his way to Rio de Janeiro to deliver the aircraft to the Brazilian operator Real Aerovias. While at cruising level off Aracaju, both engines failed simultaneously. The captain ditched the aircraft about 198 km off the Brazilian coast. While the aircraft sank and was lost, all five crew members were rescued by the crew of an American merchant ship.
Probable cause:
Double engine failure due to a fuel exhaustion caused by a navigational error on part of the crew.