Date & Time:
Jan 6, 1954 at 1720 LT
Type of aircraft:
Vickers Valetta
Operator:
Registration:
WJ474
Flight Phase:
Takeoff (climb)
Flight Type:
Military
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Bovingdon – Thorney Island
MSN:
599
YOM:
22
Country:
United Kingdom
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
4
Crew fatalities:
4
Pax on board:
13
Pax fatalities:
12
Other fatalities:
0
Total fatalities:
16
Circumstances:
The crew was flying back to his base at RAF Thorney Island after he took part to a rugby game at RAF Bovingdon. The departure was completed in poor weather conditions with low visibility due to snow falls. While climbing to a height of 400 feet, the pilot-in-command made a turn to the left when the aircraft hit trees and crashed in a wooded area located five miles north of the airfield. A passenger was seriously injured while 16 other occupants were killed. The aircraft was destroyed upon impact, except the rear part of the fuselage.
Probable cause:
Investigations were unable to determine the exact cause of the accident. However, the following findings were reported:
- Low visibility due to snow falls,
- The plane was carrying one extra passenger, despite having only 16 passenger seats. However, this was not considered as a contributory factor,
- weather was not considered as a factor,
- An assumption was made that the pilot was trying to fly within sight of the ground, in conditions of poor visibility.
- Low visibility due to snow falls,
- The plane was carrying one extra passenger, despite having only 16 passenger seats. However, this was not considered as a contributory factor,
- weather was not considered as a factor,
- An assumption was made that the pilot was trying to fly within sight of the ground, in conditions of poor visibility.
