1957 Nutts Corner BEA Viscount crash
Encyclopedia
The 1957 Nutts Corner BEA Viscount crash was a British European Airways
(BEA) flight from London to Belfast that crashed at Nutts Corner Airport on 23 October 1957, killing all seven passengers and crew.
, registration G-AOJA, built and delivered to BEA the previous year. It was the first 800 Series Viscount built and was used by the manufacturer Vickers-Armstrongs for test and promotional flights prior to delivery.
at 15:16 GMT on a non-scheduled positioning flight to Nutts Corner Airport in Belfast
, Northern Ireland
, where it was due to pick up the UK government Minister of Supply
Aubrey Jones
and a group of journalists. An hour-and-a-half later, with low cloud and rain at Nutts Corner, the aircraft commenced its approach
to land from the east on runway 28. As the aircraft neared the runway it veered right of the runway centreline. Less than ¾ of a mile (or 1320 yards (1.2 km)) from the eastern end of the runway the crew carried out a go-around
, but the aircraft crashed about 1000 feet (305 m) to the left of the far end of the runway. The accident killed all five crew and the two passengers (a BEA official and his wife) on board, and the aircraft was destroyed.
was convened to investigate the accident, during which it emerged that the airport's approach lighting system may have been switched off at the time of the aircraft's landing attempt. The inquiry also heard evidence regarding a bent screwdriver that had been found in the wreckage, but as this had been removed by an airport worker before its position in the wreckage had been recorded, the likelihood of the object jamming the flight controls could not be assessed. At the conclusion of the inquiry; while it made recommendations regarding the security of aircraft crash sites and tool control during maintenance; and suggested that records be kept of when airport approach lighting was switched on or off; no official cause of the accident was determined.
British European Airways
British European Airways or British European Airways Corporation was a British airline which existed from 1946 until 1974. The airline operated European and North African routes from airports around the United Kingdom...
(BEA) flight from London to Belfast that crashed at Nutts Corner Airport on 23 October 1957, killing all seven passengers and crew.
Aircraft
The aircraft was a Vickers Viscount 802Vickers Viscount
The Vickers Viscount was a British medium-range turboprop airliner first flown in 1948 by Vickers-Armstrongs, making it the first such aircraft to enter service in the world...
, registration G-AOJA, built and delivered to BEA the previous year. It was the first 800 Series Viscount built and was used by the manufacturer Vickers-Armstrongs for test and promotional flights prior to delivery.
Accident
On the afternoon of the accident the aircraft took off from London Heathrow AirportLondon Heathrow Airport
London Heathrow Airport or Heathrow , in the London Borough of Hillingdon, is the busiest airport in the United Kingdom and the third busiest airport in the world in terms of total passenger traffic, handling more international passengers than any other airport around the globe...
at 15:16 GMT on a non-scheduled positioning flight to Nutts Corner Airport in Belfast
Belfast
Belfast is the capital of and largest city in Northern Ireland. By population, it is the 14th biggest city in the United Kingdom and second biggest on the island of Ireland . It is the seat of the devolved government and legislative Northern Ireland Assembly...
, Northern Ireland
Northern Ireland
Northern Ireland is one of the four countries of the United Kingdom. Situated in the north-east of the island of Ireland, it shares a border with the Republic of Ireland to the south and west...
, where it was due to pick up the UK government Minister of Supply
Minister of Supply
The Minister of Supply was the minister in the British Government responsible for the Ministry of Supply, which existed to co-ordinate the supply of equipment to the national armed forces...
Aubrey Jones
Aubrey Jones
Aubrey Jones was a Conservative Party politician in the United Kingdom.At the 1950 general election, he was elected as the first Member of Parliament for the new constituency of Birmingham Hall Green. He was Minister of Fuel and Power from 1955 to 1957, and the last Minister of Supply from 1957...
and a group of journalists. An hour-and-a-half later, with low cloud and rain at Nutts Corner, the aircraft commenced its approach
Ground-controlled approach
In aviation a ground-controlled approach , is a type of service provided by air-traffic controllers whereby they guide aircraft to a safe landing in adverse weather conditions based on radar images...
to land from the east on runway 28. As the aircraft neared the runway it veered right of the runway centreline. Less than ¾ of a mile (or 1320 yards (1.2 km)) from the eastern end of the runway the crew carried out a go-around
Go-around
A go-around is an aborted landing of an aircraft that is on final approach.- Origin of the term :The term arises from the traditional use of traffic patterns at airfields. A landing aircraft will first join the circuit pattern and prepare for landing in an orderly fashion...
, but the aircraft crashed about 1000 feet (305 m) to the left of the far end of the runway. The accident killed all five crew and the two passengers (a BEA official and his wife) on board, and the aircraft was destroyed.
Investigation and cause
A Public inquiryPublic inquiry
A Tribunal of Inquiry is an official review of events or actions ordered by a government body in Common Law countries such as the United Kingdom, Ireland or Canada. Such a public inquiry differs from a Royal Commission in that a public inquiry accepts evidence and conducts its hearings in a more...
was convened to investigate the accident, during which it emerged that the airport's approach lighting system may have been switched off at the time of the aircraft's landing attempt. The inquiry also heard evidence regarding a bent screwdriver that had been found in the wreckage, but as this had been removed by an airport worker before its position in the wreckage had been recorded, the likelihood of the object jamming the flight controls could not be assessed. At the conclusion of the inquiry; while it made recommendations regarding the security of aircraft crash sites and tool control during maintenance; and suggested that records be kept of when airport approach lighting was switched on or off; no official cause of the accident was determined.