1957 Blackbushe Viking accident
Encyclopedia
The 1957 Blackbushe Viking accident occurred on 1 May 1957 when an Eagle Aviation twin-engined Vickers VC.1 Viking
registered
G-AJBO crashed into trees near Blackbushe Airport
, located in Hampshire
, England, on approach following a suspected engine failure on take-off. All five crew and 29 of the 30 passengers were killed.
on an unscheduled passenger flight to RAF Idris
in Libya. The aircraft on charter to the War Office had five crew, 25 soldiers from the Royal Army Ordnance Corps
, one soldier's wife, two children and two war department civilians. At 21:16 the pilot reported I have port engine failure, I am making a left-hand circuit to come in again. As the aircraft turned onto the approach to land about 1200 yards from the runway the aircraft crashed into a wooden copse at Start Hill. Thirty-four of the 35 on board were killed.
personnel temporarily based at Blackbushe.
The 29 bodies were recovered and four survivors were taken to Cambridge Military Hospital in Aldershot
. Three of those in hospital subsequently died leaving only one survivor.
A public inquiry was opened in London on 23 July 1957. The inquiry report was published in November 1957 and determined that the loss was caused by an error of skill and judgement by the pilot. The report noted that although Captain Jones had flown over 6,800 hours of which 4,800 had been with the Viking he had not made a single-engined landing for at least two years. Because of the fire it was not possible to determine if the port engine had failed.
Vickers VC.1 Viking
The Vickers VC.1 Viking was a British twin-engine short-range airliner derived from the Vickers Wellington bomber and built by Vickers Armstrongs Limited at Brooklands near Weybridge in Surrey. In the aftermath of the Second World War, the Viking was an important airliner with British airlines...
registered
Aircraft registration
An aircraft registration is a unique alphanumeric string that identifies a civil aircraft, in similar fashion to a licence plate on an automobile...
G-AJBO crashed into trees near Blackbushe Airport
Blackbushe Airport
Blackbushe Airport , in the civil parish of Yateley in the north-east corner of the English county of Hampshire, comprises an airfield, much reduced in size since its heyday, a British Car Auctions site, a kart track owned by Camberley Kart Club, and a small business park...
, located in Hampshire
Hampshire
Hampshire is a county on the southern coast of England in the United Kingdom. The county town of Hampshire is Winchester, a historic cathedral city that was once the capital of England. Hampshire is notable for housing the original birthplaces of the Royal Navy, British Army, and Royal Air Force...
, England, on approach following a suspected engine failure on take-off. All five crew and 29 of the 30 passengers were killed.
Accident
At 21:14 the Viking took off from Blackbushe AirportBlackbushe Airport
Blackbushe Airport , in the civil parish of Yateley in the north-east corner of the English county of Hampshire, comprises an airfield, much reduced in size since its heyday, a British Car Auctions site, a kart track owned by Camberley Kart Club, and a small business park...
on an unscheduled passenger flight to RAF Idris
RAF Castel Benito
RAF Castel Benito was a Royal Air Force station near Tripoli in Libya between 1943 and 1966.-History:Originally a Regia Aeronautica airfield where later the first units of Italian parachutists were trained and formed shortly before the Second World War. The first Italian Military Parachute...
in Libya. The aircraft on charter to the War Office had five crew, 25 soldiers from the Royal Army Ordnance Corps
Royal Army Ordnance Corps
The Royal Army Ordnance Corps was a corps of the British Army. It dealt only with the supply and maintenance of weaponry, munitions and other military equipment until 1965, when it took over most other supply functions, as well as the provision of staff clerks, from the Royal Army Service...
, one soldier's wife, two children and two war department civilians. At 21:16 the pilot reported I have port engine failure, I am making a left-hand circuit to come in again. As the aircraft turned onto the approach to land about 1200 yards from the runway the aircraft crashed into a wooden copse at Start Hill. Thirty-four of the 35 on board were killed.
Aftermath
The aircraft exploded and burst into flames when it hit the ground about 50 yards from the A30 road. Passing lorry drivers were the first to help and ambulances and six fire tenders from the airport were quickly on the scene. The airport fire tenders were soon joined by others from Surrey, Berkshire and Hampshire and United States NavyUnited States Navy
The United States Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the seven uniformed services of the United States. The U.S. Navy is the largest in the world; its battle fleet tonnage is greater than that of the next 13 largest navies combined. The U.S...
personnel temporarily based at Blackbushe.
The 29 bodies were recovered and four survivors were taken to Cambridge Military Hospital in Aldershot
Aldershot
Aldershot is a town in the English county of Hampshire, located on heathland about southwest of London. The town is administered by Rushmoor Borough Council...
. Three of those in hospital subsequently died leaving only one survivor.
Investigation
A coroner's inquest was held at Aldershot on 5 June 1957 which returned a verdict of accidental death on the 34 who died.A public inquiry was opened in London on 23 July 1957. The inquiry report was published in November 1957 and determined that the loss was caused by an error of skill and judgement by the pilot. The report noted that although Captain Jones had flown over 6,800 hours of which 4,800 had been with the Viking he had not made a single-engined landing for at least two years. Because of the fire it was not possible to determine if the port engine had failed.