Royal Air Force - RAF

Flight Type:

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MSN:

107

YOM:

1950

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Damaged beyond repair after a hard landing at RAF Topcliffe. There were no injuries.

Crash of a Blackburn B-101 Beverley C.1 near RAF Abingdon: 20 killed

Date & Time: Mar 5, 1957 at 1100 LT

Type of aircraft:

Blackburn B-101 Beverley

Operator:

Registration:

XH117

Flight Phase:

Flight Type:

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Site:

City

Schedule:

Abingdon – Akrotiri

MSN:

1023

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The aircraft departed RAF Abingdon at 1042LT bound for RAF Akrotiri in Cyprus. It was carrying cargo, a relief crew, eight RAF police dog handlers and eight police dogs. There was low cloud at 500 feet (150 m), visibility was less than 1,000 feet (300 m), and an easterly wind of 10 knots (19 km/h). As the aircraft climbed, the engine number one developed a fuel leak. The flight crew responded by shutting down the engine and feathering its propeller. The flight crew declared an emergency and requested a blind approach to RAF Abingdon. The controller alerted emergency services on the ground. A short time later, cockpit instruments alerted the flight crew to a large loss of fuel from No. 2 fuel tank, the second of four such tanks in the port wing. In an effort to stop the leak, the crew de-activated the fuel cocks and boosters for the No. 2 tank, but left them on for the No. 1 tank. As the Beverley turned on to final approach for RAF Abingdon the crew attempted to increase power from the remaining three Bristol Centaurus engines but No. 2 engine – also on the port wing – failed to respond and the aircraft began to lose speed and height. Knowing he could not reach the airfield, the captain tried to land in a field. However, the aircraft became uncontrollable and struck a number of high tension cables and a group of elm trees that tore the port wing from the fuselage. On impact with the ground, the aircraft destroyed a caravan and a prefabricated house before somersaulting and crashing upside down. Eighteen occupants were killed, among them three crew members, and two people on the ground.

Probable cause:

A Board of Inquiry investigated the crash and found it was caused by loss of power from Nos. 1 and 2 engines, both mounted on the port wing. George Ward told the House of Commons that "the four fuel tanks on the port side of the Beverley feed into a collector box from which the two port engines are fed. From the available evidence, including inspections of part of the aircraft's fuel system, it is clear that a non-return valve between No. 1 (port) tank and the collector box had been fitted in reverse and that the fuel supply from Nos. 3 and 4 (port) tanks were switched off throughout the flight." Ward continued, saying that the loss of power from No. 1 was caused by it being shut down as a precautionary measure, and the fuel starvation to No. 2 engine was caused by an incorrectly fitted non-return valve in the supply line from No. 1 fuel tank. No. 2 fuel tank had been isolated and two smaller fuel tanks in the port wing had not been selected during the flight. The tradesman who had fitted the valve, and his supervisor, were prosecuted and charged, and the technician was court-martialled for negligence and punished with a reprimand. The Board also noted that some fuel was available from two smaller tanks but they were not used during the flight, and that the captain "must bear some responsibility" for not using those tanks. Ward said, however, that "owing to the nature of the flight the amount of fuel in the two smaller tanks was not large, and it can only be assumed that the captain had no reason to believe that both port engines would not operate satisfactorily off the two main port tanks individually." The captain was killed in the accident and no allegations were brought against him or any of his crew.

Crash of a Percival P.66 Pembroke C.1 in Ad Dali'

Date & Time: Jan 23, 1957

Type of aircraft:

Percival P.66 Pembroke

Operator:

Registration:

WV738

Flight Phase:

Flight Type:

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Site:

Schedule:

Aden – Ad Dali’

MSN:

0038

YOM:

1956

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On touchdown at Ad Dali', the nose gear collapsed. The airplane came to rest and was damaged beyond repair. There were no injuries. It is believed the accident was the consequence of a hard landing.

Probable cause:

Nose gear collapsed on landing following a hard landing.

Crash of a Lockheed P2V Neptune MR.1 at RAF Kinloss

Date & Time: Jan 22, 1957

Type of aircraft:

Lockheed P-2 Neptune

Operator:

Registration:

WX511

Flight Phase:

Takeoff (climb)

Flight Type:

Training

Survivors:

Site:

Schedule:

Kinloss - Kinloss

MSN:

426-5106

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The crew was performing a local training flight at RAF Kinloss, consisting of touch and goes. On takeoff, the propellers failed to go into fine pitch. The captain aborted the takeoff procedure and started an emergency braking maneuver. Eventually, the captain selected the undercarriage up but only the nose wheel retracted. The twin engine aircraft overran and came to rest in a field. All eight crew members were uninjured while the airplane was considered as damaged beyond repair.

Crash of a Vickers 607 Valetta C.1 in Hargeisa

Date & Time: Dec 19, 1956

Type of aircraft:

Vickers Valetta

Operator:

Registration:

VW840

Flight Phase:

Flight Type:

Survivors:

Site:

Woqooyi Galbeed (وقويي جالبيد‎)

MSN:

401

YOM:

Location:

Hargeisa

Country:

Somalia

Region:

Africa

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On touchdown at Hargeisa Airport, the airplane lost a wheel, swerved on runway and came to rest. There were no injuries but the aircraft was considered as damaged beyond repair.

Crash of an Avro 696 Shackleton MR.3 near Foolow: 4 killed

Date & Time: Dec 7, 1956

Type of aircraft:

Avro 696 Shackleton

Operator:

Registration:

WR970

Flight Phase:

Flight

Flight Type:

Test

Survivors:

Site:

Plain, Valley

Schedule:

Woodford - Woodford

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The crew departed Woodford for a stall-warning test flight. En route, while cruising at a relative low altitude, the crew initiated a stall when control was lost. The airplane dove into the ground and crashed in a prairie located near Foolow. All four crew members were killed, among them Jack Bertram Wales, test pilot by Avro.

Probable cause:

Loss of control during a stall-warning test flight. The stall was initiated at an insufficient altitude to expect a recovery.

Crash of a Vickers 607 Valetta C.1 in Aden

Date & Time: Nov 28, 1956

Type of aircraft:

Vickers Valetta

Operator:

Registration:

VW183

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Schedule:

Ataq - Aden

MSN:

339

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During the takeoff roll at Ataq Airport, the aircraft collided with goats, damaging the undercarriage. The departure was no interrupted and the crew continued the flight to Aden. On approach to Khormaksar, the undercarriage could not be lowered and the captain decided to perform a belly landing. After touchdown, the aircraft slid for dozen yards before coming to rest. There were no injuries but the aircraft was considered as damaged beyond repair.

Probable cause:

Collision with goats during takeoff roll, damaging the undercarriage.

Crash of a Lockheed P2V-2 Neptune MR.1 at RAF Topcliffe

Date & Time: Nov 27, 1956

Type of aircraft:

Lockheed P-2 Neptune

Operator:

Registration:

WX546

Flight Phase:

Flight Type:

Training

Survivors:

Site: