Vickers Viscount

Following a major overhaul, the crew (pilots and engineers) left London-Heathrow Airport in the morning for a post-maintenance check flight. Ten minutes after takeoff, while cruising at an altitude of 1,000 feet, the right wing failed and detached. Out of control, the airplane dove into the ground and crashed in a field located in Frimley. The aircraft was destroyed upon impact and all six occupants were killed.

The Viscount was parked at gate to board passengers when it was struck by a Seaboard & Western Airlines' Lockheed L-1049D Super Constellation which was performing training flight LN800 at Idlewild Airport. The Constellation began its takeoff run on runway 31R of the New York International Airport at 1100. When an airspeed of 117 knots (V 2) was reached, the aircraft became airborne and climbed to an altitude of approximately 25 feet. At this altitude severe control difficulty was encountered, causing the aircraft to veer suddenly to the left and the left wing to lower 20 to 30 degrees. This wing struck the runway and from this point on directional control of the aircraft was lost. The aircraft skidded In a westerly direction into a temporary terminal area and came to rest after striking the Viscount. All five crew members from the Constellation were injured while the Viscount was empty. Both aircraft were totally destroyed by fire.

Flight 495, a scheduled flight, departed Miami at 2200 hours en route to Varadero, a distance of about 200 miles, estimating its time of arrival at 2249 hours. It carried 16 passengers and a crew of 4. As there was no news of the flight at 2249 hours, an alert was declared. It was subsequently learned that the aircraft had crashed over 400 miles from Varadero at approximately 0210 hours in the Nipe Bay, Central Preston, Oriente Province, killing all aboard except 3 passengers. The aircraft left Miami with 1,600 gallons of fuel, total endurance thus being 3.47 hours, giving ample reserve for the intended flight. It was later proved that impact with the water occurred at 0210 hours. Thus, the aircraft had flown 23 minutes beyond the estimated endurance. Even though fuel on board always exceeds the amount required for a given flight, at the time of impact only 8 gallons remained in the tanks. According to testimony of residents in the accident area, the aircraft circled over the spot a number of times, finally making a wide turn, passing over the town of Antilla in the direction of Preston Airport, on final approach. It suddenly fell into the bay at about 400 metres from the coastline and 2 km from the airport. The direction of travel was reversed by the force of the impact with the water, and the aircraft travelled about 200 metres, furrowing the muddy bottom, which is at a depth of 2 fathoms.
After salvage the following evidence was found:
- The right wing was intact over its entire length, but the left wing tip was not found,
- Engines Nos. 3 and 4 were in perfect condition; engine No, 1 was lacking the hub and propeller; the propeller blades on No. 2 were bent backward,
- The tail section was completely separated from the fuselage, floating about 80 metres from the rest of the aircraft,
- When the cockpit was salvaged intact, it was found that all routine landing operations had been carried out.
The above information indicated that the pilot attempted to raise the aircraft's nose but was too near the water, which the tail hit, parting from the fuselage over a length of about 4 metres.

The Viscount, en route from London to Naples, flying on Airway Amber 1, reported over Ostia at 23,500 feet at 1144 hours advising that it was continuing to Ponza, estimating arrival over this point at 1157. At 1150 it collided east of Nettuno with an Italian Air Force F-86 Sabre which was taking part in group training of aerobatic maneuvers. The 26 passengers and 5 crew aboard the Viscount were killed in the accident, and the pilot of the F-86 parachuted to safety. Both aircraft were destroyed.

The flight is a scheduled service from Salisbury, Rhodesia, to London and is known as the Zambezi service. This service is operated by three crews, one crew operating from Salisbury to Entebbe, the second from Entebbe to Benina and the third from Benina to London. On 8 August this service departed from Salisbury at 0713LT and a stop was made at Ndola for traffic purposes. At Entebbe, a relief crew took over the aircraft for the sector to Benina. Stops were made at Khartoum and Wadi Halfa for refuelling and the aircraft left Wadi Halfa at 2120LT for Benina. The flight was completely uneventful and slightly ahead of schedule up to the time of the accident. At 0112 hours the aircraft was cleared into Benina control zone. At the request of the pilot, at 0114 hours, permission was given by Benina Approach Control to make a direct approach on to runway 330° Right, using the locator and the responder beacons. Between 20 and 30 seconds after this clearance had been acknowledged by the pilot the aircraft struck high ground 5,5 miles to the southeast of the aerodrome. Fire broke out on impact. Of the 7 crew and 47 passengers aboard the aircraft, 4 crew and 32 passengers were killed.

On may 20, 1958, about 1129 e. d. t., a Capital Airlines Viscount, N 7410 and a Maryland Air National. Guard T-33, 35966, collided in the air about four miles east-northeast of Brunswick, Maryland. Seven passengers and the crew of four aboard the Viscount were killed. A passenger in the T-33 was killed but the pilot, although severely burned, parachuted safely. Both aircraft were totally destroyed by in-flight collision, ground impact, and the ensuing fire. The collision occurred at an altitude of about 8,000 feet on Victor Airway lilt while the Viscount was descending en route from Pittsburgh to Baltimore-Friendship Airport. It was operating on an instrument flight rules flight plan but in visual flight rules weather conditions. The T-33 pilot was on a VFR proficiency flight from Martin Airport, Baltimore, Maryland. Just before the collision the aircraft were observed in the area west of Brunswick flying parallel easterly courses with the T-33 some distance behind and to the left of the Viscount. The T-33 quickly overtook the Viscount and made a gentle right turn, during which it struck the forward left side of the fuselage of the Viscount. Both aircraft were being operated in visual flight rules weather conditions and it was therefore the responsibility of each crew to provide separation from other aircraft by visual reference. The right-of-way rules contained in the Civil Air Regulations clearly set out the pilot's responsibility in the overtaking situation. It is the Board's aim to provide for a positive control system of air-craft separation which will not depend upon the "see and be seen" principle to prevent the occurrence of collision accidents. The Board has been actively engaged for some time in the development of such a program. Its full implementation is several years away and will be dependent on additional technical improvements in equipment and on the expansion of the air traffic control facilities to accommodate the ever increasing amount of traffic. Since the accident the USAF and Capital Airlines, along with other carriers, in an effort to reduce collision hazards, have required, in general, that all aircraft on airways above 10,000 feet be operated in accordance with IFR.

The accident occurred at 2208 hours during an unscheduled flight from London to Prestwick where the aircraft mas to pick up passengers for BOAC under a charter arrangement and fly them to London. The aircraft took off at 2042 hours GMT from London Airport, cruised on the Airways at 18 500 ft and then commenced the descent to Prestwick with an initial clearance to 8 500 ft. Within a few minutes the clearance was amended to cross the Prestwick radio beacon at 4 000 ft. The descent appeared to the pilots to be normal until the aircraft struck the ground close to the site of the beacon very shortly after the captain had reported passing 11 000 ft in the holding pattern. The aircraft slid along the ground for 400 yards, and fire broke out in the starboard wing, Of the five crew aboard the aircraft, three were seriously injured. The airplane was totally destroyed by fire.

At 2306, four minutes after takeoff, the flight, pursuant to clearance instructions, reported to Flight tower that it was at 3,600 feet and was departing the Flint outer marker. At this time the tower requested the estimated time of arrive at Tri-City and was advised that it was 2315. Flight 67 was then given the following clearance: "ARTC (Air Route Traffic Control) clears Capital 67 to hold north of the Saginaw omni range, one minute pattern, right turn, maintain 3,600 feet. Expect further clearance 2320, change to company frequency for this clearance." This clearance was acknowledged and, as per instructions, the frequency was changed to that of the company at Detroit. At 2310, Capital at Detroit relayed the following clearance to the flight: "ARTC clears Flight 67 for approach at Saginaw (Tri-City) Airport. Report time on the ground to Saginaw radio." These instructions were verified. The flight then called Saginaw ATCS (Air Traffic Communication Station) and was given the local 2300 weather observation and the runway in use, No. 5. The Tri-City Airport does not have a traffic control tower. The 2300 Saginaw weather was reported as: Measured ceiling 900 feet, overcast, visibility 3 miles, light snow showers, temperature 34; dewpoint 33; wind north-northeast 18, peak gusts to 27 knots; altimeter 29.48, comments--drizzle ended and snow showers began at 2225. At 2316 Trip 67 advised Saginaw radio that it was over the airport. A short time later, ground witnesses observed the lights of the aircraft when it was on the downwind leg of the traffic pattern. The aircraft was seen to make a left turn onto base leg and at this time the landing lights of the aircraft were observed to come on. During this portion of the approach the aircraft was flying beneath the overcast, estimated to be 900 feet, and appeared to be descending. When turning on final, Trip 67 flew a short distance beyond the extended centerline of the runway and the turf was seen to steepen for realignment with the runway. Soon after this the aircraft was observed to level off and then to descend steeply and strike the ground. A large fire immediately erupted. The aircraft was totally destroyed and all 47 occupants have been killed.

On the day of the accident the aircraft had taken off from London Airport at 0130 hours GMT on a scheduled flight to Kastrup Airport, Copenhagen, carrying a crew of 2 and a cargo of mail, freight and newspapers. The flight was without incident until when holding over Radio Beacon Bella, three of the aircraft's four engines stopped. It lost height and a forced landing was made at 0403 hours GMT, 14 miles northwest of Kastrup. The aircraft was considerably damaged, but there was no fire. The crew were not injured.

The aircraft departed London Airport at 1516LT hours GMT on a flight to Belfast in pursuance of a special charter, carrying 5 crew and 2 company employees. At 1645 the aircraft was taken over by the Precision Approach Controller for a GCA talkdown on runway 28 (276°) in weather conditions which the captain thought would allow him to become visual at or above his critical height of 500 ft. Soon after '3/4 of a mile from touchdown' the aircraft was to the right of the centerline and shortly afterwards was 'well right of centerline', Just after '1/2 a mile from touchdown' the Precision Approach Controller said 'if you're overshooting turn left left 5° on overshoot over' to which the reply came '...overshooting'. At about this time a number of witnesses heard the aircraft "rev-up". Shortly thereafter (at 1651 hours) the aircraft crashed within the boundary of the airport approximately 1,000 ft to the south of the western end of runway 28, killing all occupants.