Date & Time:
Apr 1, 1958 at 1113 LT
Type of aircraft:
Handley Page H.P.81 Hermes
Operator:
Registration:
G-ALDV
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Test
Survivors:
No
Site:
Plain, Valley
Schedule:
Stansted - Stansted
MSN:
81/22
YOM:
1950
Country:
United Kingdom
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
3
Crew fatalities:
3
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
0
Other fatalities:
0
Total fatalities:
3
Circumstances:
The aircraft took off on a test flight from Stansted Airport at 1059LT and climbed steeply towards the northwest. A few minutes later it was observed approaching the airport from the west at a height of approximately 1,500 feet. At 1113LT the Air Traffic Control Tower received a radio call from the aircraft in which the captain declared an emergency and said that the controls were jammed. At about the same time the aircraft was seen some 6 miles northeast of the airfield descending in a series of dives and climbs. It crashed in a field shortly thereafter killing the crew of three. The greater part of the wreckage was destroyed by fire.
Probable cause:
The accident was caused by the elevator mechanism becoming jammed, loss of control resulted. The jamming was due to the presence of a small extraneous object which entered the control mechanism.
Final Report:
G-ALDV.pdf4.31 MB
