Crash of a Douglas C-124C Globemaster II at Travis AFB: 3 killed

Date & Time: Apr 7, 1956
Operator:
Registration:
52-1078
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Travis - Travis
MSN:
43987
YOM:
1952
Crew on board:
7
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
3
Circumstances:
The crew was conducting a post-maintenance test flight. Shortly after takeoff from Travis AFB, while climbing to a height of 100 feet, the aircraft banked left, stalled and crashed in flames. Three crew members were killed while four others were injured. The aircraft was destroyed.
Crew:
1st Lt James Lyman Hayter,
2nd Lt Richard C. Nelson,
2nd Lt Garth L. Tingey,
M/Sgt Russell M. Hobart,
M/Sgt Harold E. Roache, †
M/Sgt Arthur G. Bird, †
S/Sgt Amos H. Kolb. †
Probable cause:
Ailerons and elevators control cables have been changed by mechanics based at Travis AFB and the crew was engaged in a post-maintenance check flight. It is believed that control was lost during initial climb because these cables were incorrectly installed, not adhering to the manufacturer procedures.

Ground accident of an Avro 706 Ashton Mk.3 at RAF Defford

Date & Time: Aug 4, 1955
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
WB492
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Defford - Defford
Region:
Crew on board:
5
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
The crew was engaged in a test flight on behalf of the Telecommunications Research Establishment (TRE). While taxiing, a fire broke out in a wheel well. The pilot was able to stop the airplane and all five occupants escaped without any injuries. The airplane was considered as damaged beyond repair and later transferred to Farnborough for structural test.
Probable cause:
Wheel fire during taxiing.

Crash of a Lockheed 14-08 Super Electra in Winterburn: 6 killed

Date & Time: Jun 7, 1955 at 1705 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
CF-TCI
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Winterburn - Winterburn
MSN:
1472
YOM:
1938
Country:
Crew on board:
2
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
4
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
6
Circumstances:
The aircraft took off at approximately 1700LT on a local test flight carrying a crew of 2 and 4 passengers. The purpose of the flight was to test the single-engine performance of the aircraft when loaded to the maximum permissible weight for take-off and to determine the correct power setting and performance. Just before 1705LT witnesses stated that they saw the aircraft turn onto its back with a sudden cessation of engine noise and white or grey vapor was seen to come from both engines as it dived in a very steep nose down attitude to the ground. From statements of witnesses it was deduced that it was probable that the aircraft was below 1,000 feet when it turned onto its back. The aircraft exploded on impact and caught fire. All the occupants were killed and the aircraft was destroyed.
Probable cause:
For reasons that were not conclusively determined, the aircraft assumed an unusual position at an altitude above the ground which was insufficient to permit recovery. The aircraft was overloaded by at least 900 lbs and this would raise the stalling speed and affect the controllability of the aircraft.
Final Report:

Crash of an Avro 691 Lancastrian C.2 at RAF Hucknall: 4 killed

Date & Time: Mar 29, 1955
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
VL970
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Hucknall - Hucknall
Region:
Crew on board:
4
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
4
Circumstances:
The crew was completing a local test flight at RAF Hucknall on behalf of the Rolls Royce motorist. On short final, the pilot-in-command decided to make a go around when control was lost. A wing hit the ground and the airplane crashed, killing all four crew members.

Crash of a Percival P.66 Pembroke C.1 in Andover: 3 killed

Date & Time: Mar 11, 1955
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
WV698
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Farnborough - Lyneham
MSN:
1
YOM:
1955
Region:
Crew on board:
3
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
3
Circumstances:
The crew was engaged in a test flight on behalf of the Empire Test Pilots' School (ETPS) and departed Farnborough for RAF Lyneham. Enroute, a technical failure occurred on the right engine that caught fire. The pilot-in-command reduced his altitude, contacted ATC and elected to make an emergency landing. After passing Chibolton and while descending through the last cloud layer, the starboard wing was on fire. While attempting to land, the airplane hit a tree and crashed in flames. The aircraft was destroyed and all three crew members were killed.
Crew:
W/Cdr K. J. Sewell,
F/Lt D. B. James,
F/Lt J. C. Crouch.
Probable cause:
Fire on right engine in flight.

Crash of a Vickers 634 Viking 1B in Cairo: 3 killed

Date & Time: Sep 15, 1954
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
SU-AFO
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Cairo - Cairo
MSN:
212
YOM:
1947
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
4
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
3
Circumstances:
Following a 1,000 hours maintenance check, the twin engine airplane christened 'Tutankhamun' was involved in a 3 minutes test flight with two pilots and two technicians on board. On final approach to runway 32, the crew voluntarily shot down the left engine and feathered its propeller to conduct an asymmetric landing. It is believed the aircraft was unstable as it landed too long, in the last third of the runway. In such conditions, the captain decided to make a go around and increased power on the right engine when the aircraft stalled and crashed in flames. Three crew members were killed while a fourth occupant was seriously injured.

Crash of a Beechcraft D18S off Tokyo: 4 killed

Date & Time: Aug 24, 1954
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
JA5012
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Tokyo - Tokyo
MSN:
A-0975
YOM:
1953
Location:
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
2
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
2
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
4
Circumstances:
The crew (two technicians and two pilots) were conducting a post maintenance test flight when the twin engine aircraft crashed in unknown circumstances into the Tokyo Bay. The aircraft sank and was lost and all four occupants were killed.

Ground accident of a Kaiser-Frazer C-119J Flying Boxcar in Birmingham

Date & Time: Apr 17, 1954
Operator:
Registration:
51-8133
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Birmingham - Birmingham
MSN:
136
YOM:
1952
Crew on board:
2
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
The crew (engineers and technicians) were performing ground test following technical modifications. While taxiing, the airplane went out of control, veered off taxiway and came to rest. Both occupants were uninjured while the aircraft was damaged beyond repair.

Crash of a Douglas C-47A-90-DL in New Delhi: 3 killed

Date & Time: Feb 25, 1954 at 1100 LT
Operator:
Registration:
VT-ATU
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Site:
Schedule:
New Delhi - New Delhi
MSN:
20358
YOM:
1944
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
3
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
3
Circumstances:
The crew was completing a local test flight out from New Delhi-Safdarjung Airport, a mission that was part of the official investigations from the Indian Civil Aviation Authorities following the crash of a C-47 at Nagpur on 12 December 1953. On approach to Safdarjung Airport, the aircraft went out of control and crashed in the district of Jammu Bridge, near the airfield. While nobody on the ground was injured, all three crew members were killed.

Crash of a Bristol 175 Britannia 101 off Littleton-upon-Severn

Date & Time: Feb 4, 1954
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
G-ALRX
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Bristol - Bristol
MSN:
12874
YOM:
1953
Region:
Crew on board:
13
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
The crew (Bristol pilots and engineers and KLM pilots) was performing a test flight out from Bristol-Filton Airport. About seven minutes after takeoff, the engine number three temperature rose. The engine was shut down and later restarted as the temperature cooled. While climbing to an altitude of 10,000 feet, the temperature rose again and the engine exploded. The fire could not be extinguished and as a precaution, it was decided to shot down the engine number four and to return to Filton. On approach, both left engines stopped but were quickly restarted. In such conditions, the captain decided to attempt a belly landing in the Severn estuary, off Littleton-upon-Severn. All 13 occupants escaped with minor injuries while the aircraft was damaged beyond repair.
Source:
http://www.bristol-britannia.com/p/history-of-romeo-x-ray.html
Probable cause:
It was determined that the explosion of the engine number three was the consequence of the failure of the reduction gear. A pinion at the front of the propeller shaft had been stripped of its teeth. The revolutionary Proteus turboprop engine had a free turbine design, so the reduction gear failure left the propeller turbine unloaded. In this state it rapidly oversped, and eventually disintegrated in an explosion. The fire was caused by shrapnel piercing the engine oil tank, and igniting the oil. The reduction gear was later redesigned and installed in subsequent aircraft. The straight teeth on the offending pinion were replaced with helical teeth. The cause of the shutdown of engines no. 1 and 2 was due to a short circuit, caused by the fire.