Date & Time:
Jan 22, 1970
Type of aircraft:
Vickers Viscount
Operator:
Registration:
G-AWXI
Flight Phase:
Landing (descent or approach)
Flight Type:
Scheduled Revenue Flight
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
London - East Midlands
MSN:
339
YOM:
1958
Country:
United Kingdom
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
5
Crew fatalities:
0
Pax on board:
37
Pax fatalities:
0
Other fatalities:
0
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
Shortly after takeoff from runway 28R at London-Heathrow Airport, while climbing to a height of 1,000 feet, the engine n°4 failed and caught fire. The crew declared an emergency and was cleared for an emergency landing on the same runway. For undetermined reason, the crew was unable to feather the propeller. Following a normal approach, the airplane landed and was stopped in flames after a course of several hundred yards. All 42 occupants were quickly evacuated and there were no casualties. The fire was extinguished by the fire brigade but the aircraft was damaged beyond repair.
Probable cause:
The exact cause of the failure of the engine n°4 could not be determined. The crew was unable to feather its propeller that was windmilling, causing drag. However, it was reported that a fuel line located near the engine n°4 failed, causing the fuel to ignite while in contact with high-temperature components of the engine.
