Southend-on-Sea

Charter/Taxi (Non Scheduled Revenue Flight)

Flight Type:

Survivors:

Site:

Schedule:

Rotterdam - Southend

MSN:

364

YOM:

1958

Location:

Country:

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Circumstances:

The crew completed the landing procedure on a wet runway 06 at a too high speed. After touchdown, the captain started the braking procedure but thought he was encountering aquaplaning situation when control was lost. The airplane veered to the right and went down an embankment before coming to rest, broken in several pieces. All 83 occupants were evacuated safely while the aircraft was destroyed.

Probable cause:

The accident was caused through landing at a too high speed for the landing distance available. A contributory factor was reduced braking effectiveness due to the main wheel being mechanically locked by the application of the hand-brake.

Crash of a Vickers 812 Viscount in Southend: 2 killed

Date & Time: May 3, 1967

Type of aircraft:

Vickers Viscount

Operator:

Registration:

G-AVJZ

Flight Phase:

Takeoff (climb)

Flight Type:

Test

Survivors:

Site:

Aviation Traders ATL-98 Carvair

Schedule:

Southend - Southend

MSN:

360

YOM:

1958

Location:

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Circumstances:

The crew was involved in a local test flight out from Southend Airport in the goal to renew the Airworthiness certificate. Shortly after takeoff, while in initial climb, a technical failure occurred on the engine number four. The crew was forced to shut down the engine and to feather its propeller when control was lost. The airplane lost height and crashed in an open field located near the airport, broke in two and came to rest. While all three crew members were injured, two people on the ground were killed.

Probable cause:

Loss of control during takeoff after feathering of No.4 propeller had been initiated.

Crash of a Aviation Traders ATL-98 Carvair in Rotterdam: 1 killed

Date & Time: Dec 28, 1962 at 1055 LT

Type of aircraft:

Operator:

Registration:

G-ARSF

Flight Phase:

Flight Type:

Scheduled Revenue Flight

Survivors:

Site:

Handley Page H.P.81 Hermes

Schedule:

Southend – Rotterdam

MSN:

3/18339

YOM:

1962

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Total fatalities:

Captain / Total flying hours:

6534

Captain / Total hours on type:

450.00

Copilot / Total flying hours:

6014

Copilot / Total hours on type:

201

Circumstances:

The crew was completing a visual approach to Rotterdam-Zestienhoven Airport in conditions of snow (visibility 1460 m). During the final approach the landing gear struck a 6 feet high dyke located 800 feet short of the runway threshold. The plane bounced and struck the ground heavily 200 feet further on. The right was sheared off and the aircraft crashed upside down in a snow covered field. The captain was killed and the copilot was seriously injured. Two other crew members were injured while all 14 passengers were unhurt.

Probable cause:

The accident was due to the fact that the commander carried out the final stage of approach below the normal glide path with insufficient engine power, as a result of which the speed of descent was too high in relation to the horizontal distance still to be covered to the beginning of the runway. Consequently, the aircraft, at a high vertical speed, hit a dyke, after facing the direction of approach. The Board was of the opinion that even if there had been no dyke, and it was not an obstruction of any significant height, the aircraft would still have hit the ground a considerable distance short of the runway threshold, although possibly with less fatal consequences than in the present instance.

Final Report:

Crash of a Handley Page H.P.81 Hermes IV in Southend

Date & Time: Oct 9, 1960 at 1247 LT

Type of aircraft:

Operator:

Falcon Airways - UK

Registration:

G-ALDC

Flight Phase:

Charter/Taxi (Non Scheduled Revenue Flight)

Flight Type:

Survivors:

Site:

Schedule:

Barcelona – Southend

MSN:

81/4

YOM:

1949

Location:

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Total fatalities:

Aircraft flight hours:

17183

Circumstances:

Following an uneventful flight from Barcelona, the crew completed the approach and the landing on a wet runway. After touchdown, the pilot applied brakes according to the procedures but the aircraft was unable to stop within the remaining distance, overran, struck an embankment and came to rest with its nose on a railway track. All 76 occupants were evacuated safely while the aircraft was considered as damaged beyond repair.

Probable cause:

The accident was due to the aircraft aquaplaning during part of the landing run. The low frictional values during this condition prevented the captain from obtaining effective braking.

Crash of a Vickers 614 Viking 1 in Southend

Date & Time: Jul 28, 1959

Type of aircraft:

Vickers Viking

Operator:

Registration:

G-AHPH

Flight Phase:

Charter/Taxi (Non Scheduled Revenue Flight)

Flight Type:

Survivors:

Site:

MSN:

141

YOM:

1946

Location:

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Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

On approach to Southend Airport while on a charter flight, the crew completed the approach check-list and noted that the green light connected to the right main gear was not ON. The crew elected to use the emergency gear extension system that failed so a landing was attempted on the grassy area parallel to the runway. On touchdown, the undercarriage collapsed and the airplane slid for several yards before coming to rest. All 39 occupants were evacuated safely while the aircraft was considered as damaged beyond repair.

Crash of a De Havilland DH.104 Dove 2 in Dungeness

Date & Time: Jan 15, 1958

Type of aircraft:

De Havilland DH.104 Dove

Operator:

Registration:

G-AOCE

Flight Phase:

Flight

Flight Type:

Scheduled Revenue Flight

Survivors:

Site:

Plain, Valley

Schedule:

Rotterdam – Southend

MSN:

04044

YOM:

1955

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Circumstances:

While approaching the British coast on a flight from Rotterdam to Southend, the crew was informed by ATC that a landing at Southend was impossible due to foggy conditions and was rerouted to Lydd Airport. On final, the crew was forced to make a go around because he was unable to locate the runway. Few minutes later, a second attempt to land at Lydd was also abandoned. While flying vertical to the Dungeness beaches, both engines failed. The crew reduced his altitude and completed an emergency landing. The airplane slid for dozen yards before coming to rest. All seven occupants were injured and the aircraft was destroyed.

Probable cause:

Double engine failure caused by a fuel exhaustion.

Crash of a Short S.25 Sunderland III off Southend: 4 killed

Date & Time: Oct 21, 1947

Type of aircraft:

Short S.25 Sunderland

Operator:

Registration:

DV976

Flight Phase:

Flight

Flight Type:

Training

Survivors:

Handley Page H.P.52 Hampden

Site:

Lake, Sea, Ocean, River

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Circumstances:

During a training sortie, the engine number three failed. The captain decided to reduce his altitude in an attempt to ditch the aircraft when the same engine caught fire. Shortly later, the engine detached and the seaplane hit the water surface at high speed, overturned and came to rest off Southend. Six crew members were injured while the captain and all three passengers were killed.

Probable cause:

The exact cause of the engine failure was not determined with certainty. However, the absence of an experienced copilot was considered as a contributory factor as the workload caused by an emergency situation was too heavy for the sole captain.

Crash of a Handley Page H.P.52 Hampden I off Southend-on-Sea: 4 killed

Date & Time: Jul 5, 1941

Type of aircraft:

Operator:

Registration:

L4185

Flight Phase:

Flight

Flight Type:

Bombing

Survivors:

Site:

Plain, Valley

Schedule:

Coningsby - Coningsby

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Circumstances:

The airplane departed RAF Coningsby at 2300LT on July 4 on an operation to Dortmund. While returning to base the following morning, the crew called several times for help before the aircraft crashed in the Thames Estuary. All four crew members were killed.
Crew:
P/O George Francis Wadeson, pilot,
P/O George Frederick Edward Greenhalgh, pilot,
Sgt Reginald Aubrey Gilbert, wireless operator,
Sgt Gerald George Hutson, wireless operator.

Crash of a Bristol 142 Blenheim IV in Southend

Date & Time: Jun 25, 1941 at 1330 LT

Type of aircraft:

Bristol 142 Blenheim

Operator:

Registration:

V6381

Flight Phase:

Flight Type:

Bombing

Survivors:

Site: