Date & Time:
Jan 20, 1954
Type of aircraft:
Vickers Varsity
Operator:
Registration:
WF391
Flight Phase:
Landing (descent or approach)
Flight Type:
Training
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Hullavington - Hullavington
MSN:
550
YOM:
1952
Country:
United Kingdom
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
4
Crew fatalities:
4
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
0
Other fatalities:
0
Total fatalities:
4
Circumstances:
The crew was performing a local training sortie at RAF Hullavington. During a Blind Approach Beam System (BABS) approach by night and marginal weather conditions, the pilot-in-command encountered difficulties to locate the runway and decided to make a go around. While climbing, the airplane stalled and crashed three miles from the runway threshold. The aircraft was destroyed and all four crew members were killed.
Probable cause:
The crew was unable to locate the runway due to the combination of a reduced visibility due to the night and poor weather conditions and the failure of the instruments to locate the approach beacons. During the initial climb, the aircraft stalled due to an insufficient speed.
