Crash of a Vickers 648 Varsity T.1 at Manston: 3 killed

Date & Time: Jan 23, 1958
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
WL633
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Thorney Island – Manston
YOM:
1953
Location:
Region:
Crew on board:
5
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
3
Circumstances:
Following an uneventful flight from RAF Thorney Island, the crew completed a normal approach to Manston Airport. After touchdown, the airplane deviated from the centerline of the runway to the left. The pilot-in-command elected to correct the deviation but after a run of about 250 meters, the airplane hit a snow wall, ground looped for about 130° and came to rest in flames 30 meters farther with its left wing sheared off. Two cadets were uninjured while three other crew members were killed.
Probable cause:
The exact cause of the loss of control upon landing was not determined with certainty.

Crash of an Avro 696 Shackleton T.4 near RAF Kinloss: 2 killed

Date & Time: Jan 10, 1958 at 2200 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
VP259
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Kinloss - Kinloss
YOM:
1950
Region:
Crew on board:
9
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
2
Circumstances:
The crew was engaged in a night training mission at RAF Kinloss. After completing several manoeuvres in the area, the crew started a descent to the airbase when the instructor decided to abandon the approach and attempted a go around. Few minutes later, in limited visibility, the crew did not realize his altitude was insufficient when the airplane struck trees and crashed in flames in a dense wooded area located five miles east of the airfield. Four crew members were injured and three other were unhurt. Unfortunately, the captain and one student pilot were killed.
Source: http://tonycunnane.uk/page-261.html

Crash of an Avro 652 Anson C.19 off Gibraltar

Date & Time: Jan 2, 1958
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
TX188
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Gibraltar - Gibraltar
Region:
Crew on board:
4
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
Shortly after takeoff from Gibraltar-North Front Airport, while on a local training mission, the airplane stalled and crashed into the sea. All four crew members were rescued while the aircraft sank and was lost.
Probable cause:
Loss of control during initial climb following an engine failure.

Crash of an Avro 694 Lincoln B.11 at RAF Hemswell

Date & Time: Dec 20, 1957
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
RF557
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Hemswell - Hemswell
Region:
Crew on board:
6
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
After touchdown at RAF Hemswell, a sudden gust of wind ballooned the aircraft back into the air. It landed heavily tail down and swung off the runway. All six crew members were unhurt while the aircraft was considered as damaged beyond repair.

Crash of a Miles M.60 Marathon T.2 at RAF Topcliffe

Date & Time: Dec 10, 1957
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
XA250
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Topcliffe - Topcliffe
MSN:
102
YOM:
1949
Region:
Crew on board:
4
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
The crew was completing a local training sortie at RAF Topcliffe. Upon touchdown, the leg of a main landing gear collapsed. The airplane sank on its belly and slid for several yards before coming to rest. While all four crew members were uninjured, the aircraft was considered as damaged beyond repair.
Probable cause:
Undercarriage collapsed upon landing.

Crash of a Miles M.60 Marathon at RAF Thorney Island

Date & Time: Nov 30, 1957
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
XA273
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Thorney Island - Thorney Island
MSN:
126
YOM:
1950
Region:
Crew on board:
2
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
The crew was engaged in a local training flight at RAF Thorney Island. After touchdown, one of the main landing gear collapsed. The airplane sank on its belly and slid for several yards before coming to rest. Both pilots were uninjured while the aircraft was considered as damaged beyond repair.
Probable cause:
Undercarriage collapsed on landing.

Crash of a Vickers 648 Varsity T.3 at Saint Peter

Date & Time: Nov 2, 1957
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
WJ470
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
MSN:
595
YOM:
1952
Region:
Crew on board:
0
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
The crew completed the landing in strong crosswinds. After touchdown, the airplane went out of control and veered off runway. It lost its undercarriage and came to rest, broken in two. There were no casualties.

Crash of a Handley Page H.P.67 Hastings C.1 at RAF Colerne

Date & Time: Oct 21, 1957
Operator:
Registration:
TG615
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Colerne - Colerne
MSN:
93
YOM:
1949
Region:
Crew on board:
5
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
The crew was completing a local training sortie at RAF Colerne and the approach was attempted with one engine voluntarily inoperative to test asymmetric thrust. On final, the aircraft rolled left and right, lost height and hit trees. The pilot-in-command started a go-around maneuver when the airplane stalled and crashed in flames in a prairie located about 1,3 mile short of runway threshold. All five crew members were rescued while the aircraft was totally destroyed by a post crash fire.

Crash of a Vickers 648 Varsity T.1 in Falstone: 5 killed

Date & Time: Sep 20, 1957
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
WL640
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Thorney Island - Thorney Island
YOM:
1953
Region:
Crew on board:
5
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
5
Circumstances:
The crew was performing a training flight out from RAF Thorney Island. While cruising at an altitude of 13,000 feet, the aircraft went out of control, entered a spin and dove into the ground. At an altitude of 1,500 feet, the airplane disintegrated in the air and eventually crashed in a field located in Falstone. All five crew members were killed.
Probable cause:
A Board of Inquiry into the accident was held but was unable to determine the cause of the accident. Only those on board knew what had really occurred but our records indicate that the Board, whilst unable to say for certain what had happened, concluded that the mostly likely reason that the aircraft broke up was that it had been overstressed but there was no evidence to say why this had occurred and the Board could only conjecture.

Crash of an Avro 696 Shackleton MR.2 in Gibraltar

Date & Time: Sep 14, 1957
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
WL792
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Gibraltar - Gibraltar
YOM:
1
Region:
Crew on board:
0
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
While conducting a maritime patrol flight over the Mediterranean Sea, the crew encountered technical difficulties with two engines and were forced to feather their propellers. In such conditions, the captain decided to return to Gibraltar-North Front Airport, but due to a loss of hydraulic pressure, the crew was unable to lower the landing gear. The aircraft belly landed and slid for dozen yards before coming to rest. There were no injuries but the aircraft was damaged beyond repair.