Vickers-Armstrongs Ltd

Piper PA-31-310 Navajo

The aircraft was operating a company communications flight from Edinburgh to Walney Island (Barrow-in-Furness) and departed from Edinburgh at 1908 hrs with five passengers on board, one of whom occupied the right hand pilot's seat. The flight proceeded normally on airways at FL080 until leaving controlled airspace south of Dean Cross at 1940 hrs, when the pilot contacted Walney Island aerodrome and requested the latest weather and landing information. The tower reported that there was heavy rain and a strong wind from 300° at 25 to 30 knots, and the pilot was advised that the runway in use was 30 and the QFE 1001. It was dark night with an estimated visibility of 8 km. The aircraft was next in contact with Walney Island at 1952 hrs when the pilot queried the serviceability of the non-directional beacon (NDB) 'WL'. The tower replied that it was operating. The passenger in the right hand seat states that at about this time the lights of Barrow-in-Furness could be seen intermittently through the clouds, but that the pilot was unable to see the runway lights. The pilot then requested the other runway lights to be put on, and the tower confirmed that all the lights were on. A short time later, the pilot called to say that he was on a left hand base leg for runway 30 and he received clearance to land. The wind was reported to the aircraft at that stage as 300°, 25-30 knots and the weather as continuous rain. The aircraft was observed to make its approach over the slag bank to the south-east of the airfield; one witness stated that as it crossed Walney Channel the aircraft was lower than normal. The passenger in the right hand pilot seat states that the approach appeared normal; the landing lights were on and the left hand wind screen wiper was operating and he could see the runway sodium lights ahead. He was next aware of a sudden increase in engine power and looking ahead, he saw that the runway lights ha disappeared from view. He then saw some trees illuminated by the landing lights and immediately afterwards felt the aircraft's impact with the ground. When the aircraft failed to appear on the runway, the tower operator ordered the emergency services to search the approach end of runway 30. Some difficulty was experienced in locating the aircraft which had crashed below aerodrome level into the west bank of Walney Channel and was out of view. It was only when one of the passengers had extricated himself from the wreckage and climbed the bank, that the aircraft was found. There was no fire, but the aircraft was substantially damaged. The pilot received fatal injuries, and two o the passengers, including the one in the right hand pilot's seat were seriously injured.

Vickers Viscount

The aircraft was temporarily based at the Jan Smuts Airport where the manufacturers were conducting experimental flights which included measured takeoff s and landings. The data had to be obtained for incorporation in the Aircraft Flight Manual to be associated with the certification for public transport operation. The aircraft was being operated in the special categories Research or Experimental and Demonstration. The captain was cleared to use runway 03, the main instrument runway, and took off at 1040 hours on an experimental flight. After completing a circuit, the captain was cleared to land back on runway 03. He approached the runway, holding at 300 - 400 feet until he passed over the threshold. At this point the angle of descent increased to about 45°. The descent continued until the aircraft was about 70 feet above the surface of the runway where it leveled out, but the path of descent appeared to remain fixed at about 45° until touchdown where upon the main bogies appeared to move rearwards and inwards with the starboard side moving rearwards somewhat further than the port side. After this the aircraft bounced a few feet before settling down further along the runway. At this stage heavy smoke was emitted from both bogies as the aircraft continued forward. It finally swung to the right and off the runway and came to rest on a heading of 180° M at a point approximately 1,590 yards from the threshold. No one was killed or injured, but the aircraft was substantially damaged.

Vickers Viscount

Vickers Viking

The crew left Wisley Airfield at 1705LT on a local test flight on this first prototype, in accordance to the certification program. Five minutes after takeoff, while cruising at an altitude of 1,000 feet, the crew willingly shut down the right engine. Four minutes later, the left engine encountered technical problems and failed. Unable to maintain a safe altitude, the captain decided to attempt an emergency landing and the airplane crash landed in a field located in Effingham, about 2 miles southeast of the Wisley Airfield. While all four crew members were uninjured, the aircraft was damaged beyond repair. This was the first mishap involving a Vickers Viking.

Vickers Vanguard (Serie I)

The crew departed Brooklands on a test flight. While cruising at an altitude of 2,000 feet, the airplane suffered a structural failure with the tail that failed. The aircraft entered an uncontrolled descent and crashed in an open field located near Shepperton. The aircraft was totally destroyed and both crew members were killed. Crew: F/Lt Edward Rodolph Clement 'Tiny' Scholefield, pilot, S. W. Sherratt, mechanic.

Vickers Valentia

The seaplane departed Cowes, Isle of Wight, on a delivery flight to the Isle of Grain, carrying three crew members. En route, the aircraft crashed in the sea off St Leonards-on-Sea, near Hastings. All three crew members were rescued while the aircraft was damaged beyond repair.

Avro 504

The pilot was performing a training flight from Joyce Green Airport, in Dartford, Kent, to Brooklands Airport, Weybridge, Surrey. Shortly after take off, he lost control of the aircraft that crashed in a field. While the pilot was injured, the aircraft was destroyed.

Avro 504

Crashed while taking off from Brooklands Airfield. The pilot was injured.

Vickers FB.27 Vimy Commercial

The crew was performing a flight from UK to South Africa. En route, he encountered several technical problems. At 0650LT, the aircraft took off from Tabora Airport but the cooling system failed shortly later. The pilots returned to Tabora and made the appropriate repairs. The aircraft took off again at 1400LT but shortly later, the left engine failed. The aircraft stalled and crashed in an acacias area near the airport. While all five occupants were injured, the aircraft was damaged beyond repair. The flight was one of the first transafrican cross country flight from London to Cape Town and was sponsored by the London Times.

Vickers Viking (Serie I/II/III & IV)

The British aviator John William Alcock departed Brooklands (Weybridge) that day to Paris-Le Bourget to take part to the first airplane exhibition in Europe after the WWI. While overflying Seine-Maritime, the pilot lost control of the seaplane that crashed in Cottévrard, some 20 km north of Rouen. The pilot was seriously injured (skull fracture) and died few hours later. He performed the first nonstop transatlantic flight from Newfoundland to Ireland last 15JUN1919 with Arthur Whitten Brown. He was aged 27.

Vickers FB.27 Vimy Commercial

British aviators John Alcock and Arthur Whitten Brown were performing one of the first transatlantic crossflight from the US to Europe. The aircraft departed Saint John’s-Lester Field, Newfoundland, on 14JUN1919 at 1345LT. Following an uneventful flight of 15 hours and 57 minutes at an altitude of 12,000 feet and at an average speed of 185 km/h, both pilots reached the Irish coast on the morning of June 15. While landing in an open field located in Clifden, Galway, the twin engine aircraft nosed down and came to rest. Both pilots were slightly injured while the aircraft was damaged beyond repair.