Crash of a Vickers 951 Vanguard in Aarsele: 63 killed
Date & Time:
Oct 2, 1971 at 1110 LT
Operator:
Registration:
G-APEC
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
London - Salzburg
MSN:
706
YOM:
1959
Flight number:
BE706
Crew on board:
8
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
55
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
63
Captain / Total hours on type:
1927.00
Copilot / Total hours on type:
764
Aircraft flight hours:
21683
Aircraft flight cycles:
17261
Circumstances:
En route from London-Heathrow to Salzburg at an altitude 19,000 feet, the rear pressure bulkhead ruptured. An explosive decompression of the fuselage occurred, causing serious interior damage and severe distortion of upper tailplane skin attachments. The tail surfaces subsequently detached, causing the airplane to enter a steep dive. The Vanguard spiraled down out of control and crashed in a field next to a highway. During the investigation corrosion was found in the lower part of the rear pressure bulkhead underneath plating that was bonded to the structure. The bond was completely delaminated in this area and the bulkhead material literally eaten away. Fluid contamination, perhaps from the lavatory, was thought to have been the root cause for the corrosion.
Probable cause:
The accident was caused by the rupture of the rear pressure bulkhead, which led to the separation both tailplanes in flight and caused the aircraft to dive into the ground.
Final Report:
