Crash of a Vickers 648 Varsity T.1 at RAF Little Rissington

Date & Time: Nov 27, 1973
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
WF411
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Little Rissington - Little Rissington
MSN:
557
YOM:
1952
Region:
Crew on board:
3
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
The crew was completing a local training flight at RAF Little Rissington on behalf of the Central Flying School. After touchdown, the airplane was unable to stop within the remaining distance, overran and came to rest. All three crew members escaped uninjured while the aircraft was damaged beyond repair.

Crash of a Lockheed C-130K Hercules at RAF Colerne: 5 killed

Date & Time: Sep 10, 1973
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
XV198
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Colerne - Colerne
MSN:
4219
YOM:
1967
Region:
Crew on board:
5
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
5
Circumstances:
The crew was engaged in a local training flight at RAF Colerne and was completing touch-and-go manoeuvres. While in initial climb with the engine n°1 voluntarily off, the engine n°2 failed. The airplane rolled to the left and crashed in flames in a wooded area located few hundred yards past the runway end. The aircraft was destroyed and all five crew members were killed.
Crew:
S/L Anthony Barratt,
F/Lt Douglas Mills,
F/Lt Stuart Fraser,
Sgt Peter Coate,
L/M Walter Natt.
Probable cause:
Failure of the engine n°2 for unknown reasons while the engine n°1 was off for training puposes.

Crash of a Lockheed C-130K Hercules in Tromsö

Date & Time: Sep 12, 1972
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
XV194
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Wittering - Tromsø
MSN:
4214
YOM:
1967
Location:
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
12
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
The aircraft was completing a flight from RAF Wittering to Tromsø, carrying a Harrier load. After touchdown on a runway covered with slush, the airplane deviated to the left. The Aircraft Captain, without saying 'he had control' feathered the two starboard engines. The co-pilot, believing he was still in control, applied right rudder and brakes. Instead of a gentle correction to the centreline, the aircraft swung hard right and left the runway. As it crossed over the 'monnie' drain the cockpit area of the fuselage broke off by the crew door, coming to rest at an angle to the main fuselage, the tail also broke off. At this stage the crew 'legged it' through the flight deck windows leaving everything still switched on and live! The passenger had trapped his hand on the 'towel rail' when it folded under the impact, the navigator gave him a 'whack' which loosened his hand but broke his fingers.On hitting the ground outside the aircraft, the ALM had a heart attack (non-fatal). The main fuselage was covered in dirt which had entered through the break and if the ALM and pax had been sitting there they would have been killed. The Load remained 'nailed to the floor' and not one bottle was broken!
Crew:
F/Lt Charles Collier,
F/O Brian Clucas,
F/S Taff Thomas,
F/S Tony ‘Chomper’ Lamb,
Sgt Ivan Gervais,
Sgt Merv Corke,
Cpl Keith Simmonds,
Cpl Tom Blues,
SAC Bob Ford,
SAC Bob Thacker,
SAC Keri Eynon,
SAC Fred Kitts.
Source: http://ukmamsoba.org/obb022318_light.html
Probable cause:
At the Board of Enquiry everyone, apart from the Navigator, was found guilty of negligence, both pilots for lack of coordination, the engineer for leaving the frame live and the ALM for not being at his correct position for landing.

Crash of a Hawker Siddeley HS.780 Andover C.1 in Siena: 4 killed

Date & Time: Apr 8, 1972
Operator:
Registration:
XS609
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Siena - Pisa
MSN:
SET16
YOM:
1966
Location:
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
3
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
18
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
4
Circumstances:
Shortly after takeoff from Siena-Ampugnano Airport, while in initial climb, the airplane banked right and crashed. Both pilots and two passengers were killed while 17 other occupants were injured. The airplane was enroute from Siena to Pisa, carrying paratroopers from the 46th Squadron (Falcons).
Probable cause:
Failure of the right engine shortly after liftoff.

Crash of an Avro 696 Shackleton at RAF Lossiemouth

Date & Time: Apr 7, 1972
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
WR967
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Lossiemouth - Lossiemouth
YOM:
1954
Region:
Crew on board:
7
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
For unknown reason, the airplane landed hard and was considered as damaged beyond repair and retired from service. All seven crew airman were uninjured.

Crash of a Lockheed C-130K Hercules off Pisa: 52 killed

Date & Time: Nov 9, 1971 at 0540 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
XV216
Flight Phase:
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Pisa - Pisa
MSN:
4243
YOM:
1967
Flight number:
Chalk 4
Location:
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
6
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
46
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
52
Circumstances:
The Hercules was involved in a combined exercise called 'Cold Stream' between British and Italian Army under call sign 'Chalk 4', and was carrying 46 Italian paratroopers and six British crew members to the Villacidro dropzone located in Sardinia. Shortly after takeoff from Pisa-San Giusto Airport, while climbing by night, the airplane went out of control and crashed into the sea about 7 km offshore. The aircraft was destroyed and none of 52 occupants survived the crash. The assumption that the loss of control was the consequence of an in-flight structural failure was not ruled out.

Crash of an Armstrong Whitworth AW.650 Argosy C.1 at RAF Benson

Date & Time: Jun 4, 1970
Operator:
Registration:
XP441
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Benson - Benson
MSN:
6773
YOM:
1962
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 flight at RAF Benson. On final approach, the pilot-in-command failed to realize his altitude was too low when the airplane struck the ground and crashed in an open field. The undercarriage were partially torn off as well a part of the left wing. All five crew members escaped uninjured.
Probable cause:
Too low approach on part of the flying crew.

Crash of a Vickers 648 Varsity T.1 at RAF Oakington

Date & Time: Aug 21, 1969
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
WJ895
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Oakington - Oakington
MSN:
619
YOM:
1952
Region:
Crew on board:
2
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
While completing training manoeuvres in the vicinity of RAF Oakington, the twin engine airplane collided with a private Cessna 150 registered G-ATKF. The pilot of the Cessna was able to perform an emergency landing as well as the crew of the Varsity who landed at RAF Oakington. Nevertheless, the aircraft was later considered as damaged beyond repair.

Crash of a Lockheed C-130K Hercules at RAF Fairford: 6 killed

Date & Time: Mar 24, 1969
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
XV180
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Fairford - Fairford
MSN:
4196
YOM:
1967
Region:
Crew on board:
6
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
6
Circumstances:
The crew was engaged in a training mission out from RAF Fairford. During initial climb, the captain ordered the copilot under supervision to shut down the engine n°4 and to feather its propeller. For unknown reason, the copilot inadvertently activated the reverse thrust system, causing asymmetric thrust. The airplane went out of control and crashed in flames in an open field, killing all six occupants.

Crash of a Vickers 648 Varsity T.1 at RAF Stradishall

Date & Time: Jun 10, 1968
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
WL677
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
YOM:
1953
Region:
Crew on board:
0
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
For unknown reason, the airplane landed hard, causing the undercarriage to be torn off. The airplane then slid for several yards and came to rest. There were no casualties.