Date & Time:
Oct 10, 1961
Type of aircraft:
Handley Page H.P.67 Hastings
Operator:
Registration:
WD498
Flight Phase:
Takeoff (climb)
Flight Type:
Military
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
El Adem – Luqa
MSN:
126
YOM:
1951
Country:
Libya
Region:
Africa
Crew on board:
3
Crew fatalities:
1
Pax on board:
34
Pax fatalities:
16
Other fatalities:
0
Total fatalities:
17
Circumstances:
The aircraft was engaged in a flight from El Adem to Luqa, Malta, carrying 34 members of the Maltese Artillery Contingent and 3 crew members of the 70th Squadron. Shortly after rotation, while in initial climb, the aircraft stalled and banked right. Immediately, the captain elected to regain control but the airplane struck the runway surface, rotated 90° and eventually crashed and burst into flames. A crew member and 16 passengers were killed while 20 other occupants were injured, some of them seriously. The aircraft was destroyed.
Probable cause:
Investigations determined that the loss of control that occurred shortly after takeoff was caused by the movement of the safety catch located on the rails of the copilot's seat that dislodged. This caused the seat to slid on its rails back to the stop. As a result, the copilot involuntarily pull the control column, causing the aircraft to nose up and to stall due to an excessive angle of attack. It was determined that the copilot was flying when control was lost after rotation, which was non compliant as he did not have a licence allowing him to perform a takeoff with passengers on board.
