British South American Airways
Encyclopedia
British South American Airways (BSAA) or British South American Airways Corporation was a state-run airline in Britain in the 1940s. It was originally called British Latin American Air Lines Ltd.(BLAA). It began as part of British Overseas Airways Corporation and returned to BOAC in 1949.
to operate the United Kingdom's Caribbean
and South Atlantic routes. It used Langley Airfield for maintenance before transferring all operations to London Heathrow Airport
. It began transatlantic scheduled services in March 1946, the BSAA Lancastrian G-AGWG Star Light making the first ever operational flight from the newly-opened London Heathrow Airport. BSAA operated mostly Avro
aircraft: Yorks
, Lancastrians
and Tudors
. It flew to Bermuda
, the West Indies and the western coast of South America. BSAA was planning to introduce de Havilland Comet
s when in 1949 it merged back into BOAC.
BSAA had several mysterious accidents. The loss without trace of the Tudors G-AHNP Star Tiger
and G-AGRE Star Ariel
were cited as evidence of the Bermuda Triangle
, and the loss of the Lancastrian Star Dust in the Andes
after sending a partly unreadable radio message was named the STENDEC incident. Wreckage of Star Dust found in 2000 appeared to confirm a mundane accident (controlled flight into terrain
).
aircraft lost over the Atlantic. The loss of each without a trace, plus the unexplained disappearance of a DC-3 south of Miami on 27 December 1948, and the loss of Flight 19
on 5 December 1945, led to the creation of the Bermuda Triangle myth.
. Early on 31 January the captain asked for a bearing for Bermuda. The request was routine, and there was no cause for alarm. He then gave an estimated arrival at 05:00. That was the last contact. Azores to Bermuda is 2,230 miles (3,588 km). At 05:00 a search
was launched from Bermuda but the aircraft was not found.
on 17 January 1949. Soon after take-off captain John McPhee radioed a standard departure message including an estimate at Kingston of 14:10. This was followed by a position report "I was over 30° N at 9:37 I am changing frequency to MRX." Star Ariel it was never heard from again. Over 70 aircraft and many ships searched between up to 500 miles south of Bermuda, including the aircraft carriers USS Kearsage
and USS Leyte
, and the battleship , involving more than 13,000 men. No debris, oil slicks, or wreckage were found. The Tudor IV was later discontinued.
History
British Latin American Air Lines split from British Overseas Airways CorporationBritish Overseas Airways Corporation
The British Overseas Airways Corporation was the British state airline from 1939 until 1946 and the long-haul British state airline from 1946 to 1974. The company started life with a merger between Imperial Airways Ltd. and British Airways Ltd...
to operate the United Kingdom's Caribbean
Caribbean
The Caribbean is a crescent-shaped group of islands more than 2,000 miles long separating the Gulf of Mexico and the Caribbean Sea, to the west and south, from the Atlantic Ocean, to the east and north...
and South Atlantic routes. It used Langley Airfield for maintenance before transferring all operations to London Heathrow Airport
London 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...
. It began transatlantic scheduled services in March 1946, the BSAA Lancastrian G-AGWG Star Light making the first ever operational flight from the newly-opened London Heathrow Airport. BSAA operated mostly Avro
Avro
Avro was a British aircraft manufacturer, with numerous landmark designs such as the Avro 504 trainer in the First World War, the Avro Lancaster, one of the pre-eminent bombers of the Second World War, and the delta wing Avro Vulcan, a stalwart of the Cold War.-Early history:One of the world's...
aircraft: Yorks
Avro York
The Avro York was a British transport aircraft that was derived from the Second World War Lancaster heavy bomber, and used in both military and airliner roles between 1943 and 1964.-Design and development:...
, Lancastrians
Avro Lancastrian
|-See also:-References:NotesBibliography* Franks, Richard A. The Avro Lancaster, Manchester and Lincoln: A Comprehensive Guide for the Modeller. London: SAM Publications, 2000. ISBN 0-9533465-3-6....
and Tudors
Avro Tudor
Avro's Type 688 Tudor was a British piston-engined airliner based on their four-engine Lincoln bomber, itself a descendant of the famous Lancaster heavy bomber, and was Britain's first pressurised airliner...
. It flew to Bermuda
Bermuda
Bermuda is a British overseas territory in the North Atlantic Ocean. Located off the east coast of the United States, its nearest landmass is Cape Hatteras, North Carolina, about to the west-northwest. It is about south of Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada, and northeast of Miami, Florida...
, the West Indies and the western coast of South America. BSAA was planning to introduce de Havilland Comet
De Havilland Comet
The de Havilland DH 106 Comet was the world's first commercial jet airliner to reach production. Developed and manufactured by de Havilland at the Hatfield, Hertfordshire, United Kingdom headquarters, it first flew in 1949 and was a landmark in aeronautical design...
s when in 1949 it merged back into BOAC.
BSAA had several mysterious accidents. The loss without trace of the Tudors G-AHNP Star Tiger
G-AHNP "Star Tiger"
Star Tiger was an Avro Tudor Mark IV passenger aircraft owned and operated by British South American Airways which disappeared without trace over the Atlantic Ocean while on a flight between Santa Maria in the Azores and Bermuda on 30 January 1948...
and G-AGRE Star Ariel
G-AGRE "Star Ariel"
Star Ariel was an Avro Tudor Mark IVB passenger aircraft owned and operated by British South American Airways which disappeared without trace over the Atlantic Ocean while on a flight between Bermuda and Kingston, Jamaica on 17 January 1949...
were cited as evidence of the Bermuda Triangle
Bermuda Triangle
The Bermuda Triangle, also known as the Devil's Triangle, is a region in the western part of the North Atlantic Ocean where a number of aircraft and surface vessels allegedly disappeared under mysterious circumstances....
, and the loss of the Lancastrian Star Dust in the Andes
Andes
The Andes is the world's longest continental mountain range. It is a continual range of highlands along the western coast of South America. This range is about long, about to wide , and of an average height of about .Along its length, the Andes is split into several ranges, which are separated...
after sending a partly unreadable radio message was named the STENDEC incident. Wreckage of Star Dust found in 2000 appeared to confirm a mundane accident (controlled flight into terrain
Controlled flight into terrain
Controlled flight into terrain describes an accident in which an airworthy aircraft, under pilot control, is unintentionally flown into the ground, a mountain, water, or an obstacle. The term was coined by engineers at Boeing in the late 1970s...
).
Avro Lancastrian
- Avro 691 Lancastrian 2Avro Lancastrian|-See also:-References:NotesBibliography* Franks, Richard A. The Avro Lancaster, Manchester and Lincoln: A Comprehensive Guide for the Modeller. London: SAM Publications, 2000. ISBN 0-9533465-3-6....
- G-AKMW Star Bright
- G-AKTB Star Glory
- Avro 691 Lancastrian 3Avro Lancastrian|-See also:-References:NotesBibliography* Franks, Richard A. The Avro Lancaster, Manchester and Lincoln: A Comprehensive Guide for the Modeller. London: SAM Publications, 2000. ISBN 0-9533465-3-6....
- G-AGWG Star Light
- G-AGWH Star Dust
- G-AGWI Star Land
- G-AGWJ Star Glow
- G-AGWK Star Trail
- G-AGWL Star Guide
- G-AHCD Star Valley
- Avro 691 Lancastrian 4Avro Lancastrian|-See also:-References:NotesBibliography* Franks, Richard A. The Avro Lancaster, Manchester and Lincoln: A Comprehensive Guide for the Modeller. London: SAM Publications, 2000. ISBN 0-9533465-3-6....
- G-AKFF Star Flight
- G-AKFG Star Traveller
- Avro Lancaster FreighterAvro LancasterThe Avro Lancaster is a British four-engined Second World War heavy bomber made initially by Avro for the Royal Air Force . It first saw active service in 1942, and together with the Handley Page Halifax it was one of the main heavy bombers of the RAF, the RCAF, and squadrons from other...
- G-AGUJ Star Pilot
- G-AGUK Star Gold
- G-AGUL Star Watch
- G-AGUM Star Ward
Avro Tudor
- Avro Tudor Freighter 1Avro TudorAvro's Type 688 Tudor was a British piston-engined airliner based on their four-engine Lincoln bomber, itself a descendant of the famous Lancaster heavy bomber, and was Britain's first pressurised airliner...
- G-AGRG Star Cressida
- G-AGRH (not named; was to have been Star Ceres)
- Avro 688 Tudor 4 and 4BAvro TudorAvro's Type 688 Tudor was a British piston-engined airliner based on their four-engine Lincoln bomber, itself a descendant of the famous Lancaster heavy bomber, and was Britain's first pressurised airliner...
- G-AGRE Star Ariel
- G-AGRF (not named)
- G-AHNI Star Olivia
- G-AHNJ Star Panther
- G-AHNK Star Lion
- G-AHNN Star Leopard
- G-AHNP Star Tiger
- Avro 689 Tudor 5Avro TudorAvro's Type 688 Tudor was a British piston-engined airliner based on their four-engine Lincoln bomber, itself a descendant of the famous Lancaster heavy bomber, and was Britain's first pressurised airliner...
- G-AKBY Star GirlLlandow air disasterThe Llandow air disaster was an aircraft accident in Wales in 1950. At that time it was the world's worst air disaster with a total of 80 fatalities...
- G-AKBZ Star Falcon
- G-AKCA Star Hawk
- G-AKCB Star Kestrel
- G-AKCC Star Swift
- G-AKCD Star Eagle
- G-AKBY Star Girl
Avro York
- Avro YorkAvro YorkThe Avro York was a British transport aircraft that was derived from the Second World War Lancaster heavy bomber, and used in both military and airliner roles between 1943 and 1964.-Design and development:...
- G-AGJA Star Fortune
- G-AGJE Star Way
- G-AGNN Star Crest
- G-AGNS Star Glory
- G-AGNU Star Dawn
- G-AGNX Lima
- G-AGOC Star Path
- G-AHEW Star Leader
- G-AHEX Star Venture
- G-AHEY Star Quest
- G-AHEZ Star Speed
- G-AHFA Star Dale1953 Skyways Avro York disappearanceThe 1953 Skyways Avro York disappearance occurred on the 2 February when an Avro York four-engined piston airliner registered G-AHFA of Skyways Limited disappeared over the North Atlantic on a flight from the United Kingdom to Jamaica...
- G-AHFB Star Stream
- G-AHFC Star Dew
- G-AHFD Star Mist
- G-AHFE Star Vista
- G-AHFF Star Gleam
- G-AHFG Star Haze
- G-AHFH Star Glitter
Airspeed Consul
- Airspeed ConsulAirspeed Consul-See also:-References:...
- G-AIUX Star Master
- G-ALTX Star Monitor
Star Tiger and Star Ariel
The Star Tiger and Star Ariel were Avro Tudor IVAvro Tudor
Avro's Type 688 Tudor was a British piston-engined airliner based on their four-engine Lincoln bomber, itself a descendant of the famous Lancaster heavy bomber, and was Britain's first pressurised airliner...
aircraft lost over the Atlantic. The loss of each without a trace, plus the unexplained disappearance of a DC-3 south of Miami on 27 December 1948, and the loss of Flight 19
Flight 19
Flight 19 was the designation of five TBM Avenger torpedo bombers that disappeared on December 5, 1945 during a United States Navy-authorized overwater navigation training flight from Naval Air Station Fort Lauderdale, Florida. All 14 airmen on the flight were lost, as were all 13 crew members of a...
on 5 December 1945, led to the creation of the Bermuda Triangle myth.
Star Tiger
On 30 January 1948, Star Tiger was flying from England to Bermuda. It stopped for fuel in the AzoresAzores
The Archipelago of the Azores is composed of nine volcanic islands situated in the middle of the North Atlantic Ocean, and is located about west from Lisbon and about east from the east coast of North America. The islands, and their economic exclusion zone, form the Autonomous Region of the...
. Early on 31 January the captain asked for a bearing for Bermuda. The request was routine, and there was no cause for alarm. He then gave an estimated arrival at 05:00. That was the last contact. Azores to Bermuda is 2,230 miles (3,588 km). At 05:00 a search
Search and rescue
Search and rescue is the search for and provision of aid to people who are in distress or imminent danger.The general field of search and rescue includes many specialty sub-fields, mostly based upon terrain considerations...
was launched from Bermuda but the aircraft was not found.
Star Ariel
Star Ariel G-AGRE left Bermuda for Kingston, JamaicaKingston, Jamaica
Kingston is the capital and largest city of Jamaica, located on the southeastern coast of the island. It faces a natural harbour protected by the Palisadoes, a long sand spit which connects the town of Port Royal and the Norman Manley International Airport to the rest of the island...
on 17 January 1949. Soon after take-off captain John McPhee radioed a standard departure message including an estimate at Kingston of 14:10. This was followed by a position report "I was over 30° N at 9:37 I am changing frequency to MRX." Star Ariel it was never heard from again. Over 70 aircraft and many ships searched between up to 500 miles south of Bermuda, including the aircraft carriers USS Kearsage
USS Kearsarge (CV-33)
USS Kearsarge was one of 24 s completed during or shortly after World War II for the United States Navy. The ship was the third US Navy ship to bear the name, and was named for a Civil War-era steam sloop. Kearsarge was commissioned in March 1946...
and USS Leyte
USS Leyte (CV-32)
USS Leyte was one of 24 s built during and shortly after World War II for the United States Navy. The ship was the third US Navy ship to bear the name. Leyte was commissioned in April 1946, too late to serve in World War II...
, and the battleship , involving more than 13,000 men. No debris, oil slicks, or wreckage were found. The Tudor IV was later discontinued.
Further accidents and incidents
- 7 September 1946: an Avro 685 York IAvro YorkThe Avro York was a British transport aircraft that was derived from the Second World War Lancaster heavy bomber, and used in both military and airliner roles between 1943 and 1964.-Design and development:...
registration G-AHEW named "Star Leader" flying from LondonLondonLondon is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
to Buenos AiresBuenos AiresBuenos Aires is the capital and largest city of Argentina, and the second-largest metropolitan area in South America, after São Paulo. It is located on the western shore of the estuary of the Río de la Plata, on the southeastern coast of the South American continent...
via Lisbon, Bathurst (Banjul)-JeshwangBanjul-Transport:Ferries sail from Banjul to Barra. The city is served by the Banjul International Airport. Banjul is on the Trans–West African Coastal Highway connecting it to Dakar and Bissau, and will eventually provide a paved highway link to 11 other nations of ECOWAS.Banjul International Airport...
, NatalAugusto Severo International AirportAugusto Severo International Airport , formerly called Parnamirim Airport, is the airport serving Natal, Brazil, located in the adjoining municipality of Parnamirim...
, Rio de Janeiro-Santos Dumont and MontevideoCarrasco International AirportCarrasco/General Cesáreo L. Berisso International Airport , commonly known simply by Aeropuerto Internacional de Carrasco in reference to the neighborhood where it is located, is the main airport serving Montevideo, Uruguay, located in the adjoining municipality of Ciudad de la Costa...
lost control and crashed shortly after takeoff from Bathurst. The cause of the loss of control cannot be determined with certainty, but a mishandling of the controls by the captain is the most likely explanation. All 24 occupants died.