Date & Time:
Jan 9, 1943 at 1030 LT
Type of aircraft:
Short S.26 G-Class
Operator:
Registration:
G-AFCK
Flight Phase:
Landing (descent or approach)
Flight Type:
Scheduled Revenue Flight
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Lake, Sea, Ocean, River
Schedule:
Lisbon – London
MSN:
S.873
YOM:
1937
Country:
Portugal
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
6
Crew fatalities:
5
Pax on board:
9
Pax fatalities:
8
Other fatalities:
0
Total fatalities:
13
Circumstances:
Twenty minutes after his departure from Lisbon, bound for London, the crew encountered technical problems and decided to return to Lisbon. While descending to an altitude of 1,200 feet, the crew experienced strong vibrations and smoke spread in the cabin and the cockpit as well. The seaplane christened 'Golden Horn' went out of control and crashed into the bay, some 800 meters off shore. The radio operator and a passenger were rescued while 13 other occupants were killed.
Probable cause:
A technical failure occurred on the fourth piston of the sixth cylinder on the engine number three, causing hydraulic fluid and gasoline to spill and ignite in contact with high temperature elements. It was stated that the loss of control was due to the fact that pilots were incapacitated while part of the aircraft was on fire. Also, the number of victim was raised by the fact that the crew did not follow the emergency procedures and that passengers were neither attached nor correctly prepared for such emergency maneuver.
