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List of accidents and incidents involving the Vickers Viscount

As World War II came to a close the British government realised that it was going to have to drastically change its air manufacturing industry to avoid becoming dependent on American aircraft companies. To address this issue the Brabazon Committee was formed in 1943 to investigate the future needs of the British Empire's civilian airliner market.

As a direct result of the specifications spelled out by the Brabazon Committee the Vickers Viscount was created: this was a medium-range turboprop airliner first flown in 1948 by Vickers-Armstrongs, making it the first such aircraft to enter service in the world. It would go on to be one of the most successful of the first-generation postwar transports, with 445 being built.

Of that relatively large number of 445 aircraft there have been over 150 accidents and incidents, including 144 hull losses. An accident or incident can involve anything from slight damage to total write-off and crash with all people on board killed.

The first incident was on 27 August 1952 when G-AHRF, operated by the UK Ministry of Supply crashed at the Khartoum International Airport. Eventually, with many newer aircraft designs available, the Viscount was phased out of operations by industrial nations but one remains airworthy (as of April 2010) in the developing world, and another remains flyable in the United States.

In April 2003, 9Q-CGL of Trans Intair was damaged on landing at a gravel strip in the Congo. The pilots attempted to take off with damaged engines but as the aircraft was gaining altitude a second engine failed and the aircraft crashed into some trees becoming a total write-off.

1950s

1960s

  • On 21 September 1967, EI-AKK of Aer Lingus was damaged beyond economic repair when it made a wheels-up landing at Bristol Lulsgate Airport.
  • On 28 November 1967, N7465 of United Air Lines was damaged beyond economic repair at Raleigh-Durham International Airport when the nose wheel collapsed on landing.
  • On 8 December 1967, FAB2100 of Força Aérea Brasiliera was written off at Rio de Janeiro Santos Dumont Airport when the undercarriage malfunctioned.
  • On 11 December 1967, N7429 of United Air Lines was damaged beyond economic repair when it overran the runway at Akron-Canton Airport.
  • On 24 March 1968, EI-AOM, operating Aer Lingus Flight 712 broke up in mid-air and crashed into the Irish Sea, killing all 61 on board. Speculation that the aircraft had been shot down by the Royal Air Force was finally ruled out in 2002, with a structural failure of the port tailplane identified as a likely cause.
  • On 4 May 1968, G-APPU of Channel Airways overran the runway on landing in a rainstorm at Southend Airport having landed at too high a speed and aquaplaned. The aircraft was written off.
  • On 9 August 1968, British Eagle Flight 802 crashed on Bundesautobahn 9 near Langenbruck (Reichertshofen) killing all 48 people on board. The cause of the accident was a loss of electrical power in flight, leading to instruments giving incorrect readings and loss of control.
  • On 11 September 1968, a Viscount of Air Canada was reported to have been hijacked by a Cuban passenger.
  • On 15 September 1968, PP-SRE of VASP crashed at São Paulo while on a crew training flight. One of the two crew was killed.
  • On 28 December 1968, OD-ACT of Middle East Airlines was destroyed in a raid by Israeli Commandos at Beirut International Airport.
  • On 31 December 1968, MacRobertson Miller Airlines Flight 1750 broke up in mid-air and crashed south of Port Hedland, Western Australia. All 26 people on board were killed.
  • On 2 February 1969, TC-SET of Turk Hava Yollari crashed on approach to Esenboğa International Airport, Ankara. There were no casualties.
  • On 20 February 1969, G-AODG of British Midland Airways was damaged beyond economic repair when it landed short of the runway at East Midlands Airport. There were no casualties.
  • On 20 March 1969, G-AVJA of British Midland Airways crashed on take-off at Ringway Airport, Manchester. Three of the four people on board were killed.
  • On 7 April 1969, CF-THK of Air Canada was damaged beyond economic repair by a fire which occurred on take-off from Sept-Îles Airport. The aircraft landed back at Sept-Îles but one passenger was killed in the fire.
  • On 27 June 1969, N7410 of Aloha Airlines was damaged beyond repair when it collided on the ground with Douglas DC-9-31 N906H of Hawaiian Airlines at Honolulu International Airport.
  • On 16 September 1969, a Viscount of Turk Hava Yollari was hijacked and landed in Sofia.
  • On 26 October 1969, 4X-AVC of Arkia crashed at Lod International Airport on a night training flight. There were no casualties.
  • On 22 December 1969, LX-LGC of Luxair was damaged beyond economic repair when it ran off the runway at Luxembourg – Findel Airport and the nose wheel collapsed.

1970s

  • On 25 October 1979, G-BFYZ of Alidair was damaged beyond economic repair when the aircraft departed the runway at Kirkwall Airport after #4 propeller struck the runway. The nosewheel collapsed when the aircraft reached an intersecting runway.

1980s

1990s

2000s

  • On 24 July 2001, 3D-OHM of Transtel was damaged beyond economic repair in a take-off accident at N'Djamena International Airport when the aircraft departed the runway, damaging the engines and propellers. Although written off by the insurers, the aircraft was repaired. Repairs were almost complete when a soldier accidentally discharged his firearm, puncturing a fuel tank.
  • In April 2003, 9Q-CGL of Trans Intair was damaged on landing at a gravel strip in the Congo. A takeoff with only three engines operable was attempted but a second engine failed and the aircraft crashed into some trees. The aircraft was damaged beyond economic repair.

References