Radlett | Bureau of Aircraft Accidents Archives

The crew consisting of pilots and engineers from the manufacturer Handley Page Aircraft was completing a test flight in Radlett. Upon landing, an undercarriage collapsed. The aircraft went out of control and veered off runway before coming to rest. All four occupants were unhurt while the aircraft was damaged beyond repair.

Probable cause:

Undercarriage collapsed on landing.

Crash of a Handley Page H.P.68 Hermes I in Radlett: 2 killed

Date & Time: Dec 3, 1945

Type of aircraft:

Handley Page H.P.81 Hermes

Operator:

Registration:

G-AGSS

Flight Phase:

Takeoff (climb)

Flight Type:

Test

Survivors:

Site:

Airport (less than 10 km from airport)

Schedule:

Radlett - Radlett

MSN:

68/1

YOM:

1945

Location:

Country:

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Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

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Circumstances:

First prototype of the Hermes, this model H.P.68 (s/n 68/1) was later renamed H.P.81. Both crew members left Radlett Airfield to complete the first test flight on this new airplane. Few minutes after takeoff, while cruising in the vicinity of the aerodrome, the four engine aircraft went out of control and crashed in a field located 5 km from the airport. Both occupants were killed.

Probable cause:

Investigators considered that the accident was the direct result of elevator overbalance, this brought about flight conditions the nature of which caused the pilot to lose control. Although the porpoising motions set up by the overbalanced elevators would have been expected, the final manoeuvre of the aircraft, in climbing suddenly, cannot be satisfactorily explained. It seems certain, however, that at different trimmer settings, a reversal of stick forces would have occurred with which the pilot could not have kept in phase as the loads increased.

Crash of a Handley Page H.P.52 Hampden I in Radlett

Date & Time: Sep 2, 1940

Type of aircraft:

Handley Page H.P.52 Hampden

Operator:

Registration:

P4374

Flight Phase:

Landing (descent or approach)

Flight Type:

Military

Survivors:

Yes

Site:

Airport (less than 10 km from airport)

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

Written off after the undercarriage collapsed on landing at the Handley Page Aerodrome at Radlett. The pilot evacuated safely.
Crew:
P/O C. P. D. Price.

Crash of a Handley Page H.P.54 Harrow I in Radlett

Date & Time: Mar 25, 1937

Type of aircraft:

Handley Page H.P.54 Harrow

Operator:

Registration:

K6940

Flight Phase:

Landing (descent or approach)

Flight Type:

Ferry

Survivors:

Yes

Site:

Airport (less than 10 km from airport)

Schedule:

Feltwell - Radlett

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

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Circumstances:

The airplane departed RAF Feltwell on a ferry flight to Radlett where the crew was supposed to take delivery of other Handley Page H.P.54 Harrow. On final approach to Radlett Airport, the airplane was too low and collided with a train (the 1025 L.M.S. express from St. Pancras to Manchester which was travelling at 60 mph). It lost its undercarriage and crashed in a field in Napsbury. All six crew members were injured, two seriously.

Crash of a De Havilland DH.60X Moth in Radlett: 1 killed

Date & Time: Jul 18, 1929

Type of aircraft:

De Havilland DH.60 Moth

Operator:

Registration:

G-EBZS

Flight Phase:

Flight

Flight Type:

Training

Survivors:

Site:

Plain, Valley

Schedule:

Stag Lane - Stag Lane

MSN:

684

YOM:

1928

Location:

Country:

Region:

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Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

The pilot P. D. Bennett was completing a local training flight out from Stag Lane Airport. The accident occurred in unknown circumstances in Radlett, killing the pilot, sole on board.