Crash of a Bristol 170 Freighter 21 in Cowbridge: 4 killed
Date & Time:
Mar 21, 1950
Operator:
Registration:
G-AHJJ
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Bristol - Bristol
MSN:
12742
YOM:
1946
Crew on board:
1
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
3
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
4
Circumstances:
The aircraft was an MK.2 version and was recently converted to a 21 version. This flight was the second test one for the certification program. About 34 minutes after it left Bristol-Filton Airport, the airplane went out of control, dove into the ground and crashed in a field located in Cowbridge, south of Wales. All four occupants (three Bristol's engineers and one pilot) were killed.
Probable cause:
The accident was caused by a structural failure of the fuselage stern frame to which the fin was attached and must be attributed to the application on the fin and rudder of a load greater than the design ultimate load. Calculations suggested that the cause of this overloading was excessive rudder movement at a speed greater than 120 knots.
