TX270

While cruising at an altitude of 1,500 feet in low visibility due to the night and rain falls, the aircraft collided with a RAF Vickers 607 Valetta C.1 registered VX562. En route from Luqa to Northolt, the Valetta was carrying 16 passengers and a crew of three. Following the collision, both aircraft crashed into the Mediterranean sea about 46 km southwest of Agrigento. All 26 occupants in both aircraft were killed. The Lancaster crew was following HMS Gambia and other Royal Navy ships on an antisubmarine exercise.

Flight / Schedule

TX270

Registration

TX270

Date

January 15, 1953 at 04:48 AM

Type

CRASH

Flight Type

Training

Flight Phase

Flight

Crash Site

Lake, Sea, Ocean, River

Crash Location

Agrigento Sicily

Region

Europe • Italy

Coordinates

37.3123°, 13.5747°

Crash Cause

Weather

Narrative Report

On January 15, 1953 at 04:48 AM, TX270 experienced a crash involving Avro 683 Lancaster, operated by Royal Air Force - RAF, with the event recorded near Agrigento Sicily.

The flight was categorized as training and the reported phase was flight at a lake, sea, ocean, river crash site.

7 people were known to be on board, 7 fatalities were recorded, 0 survivors were identified or estimated. This corresponds to an estimated fatality rate of 100.0%.

Crew on board: 7, crew fatalities: 7, passengers on board: 0, passenger fatalities: 0, other fatalities: 0.

The listed crash cause is weather. While cruising at an altitude of 1,500 feet in low visibility due to the night and rain falls, the aircraft collided with a RAF Vickers 607 Valetta C.1 registered VX562. En route from Luqa to Northolt, the Valetta was carrying 16 passengers and a crew of three. Following the collision, both aircraft crashed into the Mediterranean sea about 46 km southwest of Agrigento. All 26 occupants in both aircraft were killed. The Lancaster crew was following HMS Gambia and other Royal Navy ships on an antisubmarine exercise.

Aircraft reference details include registration TX270.

Geospatial coordinates for this crash are approximately 37.3123°, 13.5747°.

Fatalities

Total

7

Crew

7

Passengers

0

Other

0

Crash Summary

While cruising at an altitude of 1,500 feet in low visibility due to the night and rain falls, the aircraft collided with a RAF Vickers 607 Valetta C.1 registered VX562. En route from Luqa to Northolt, the Valetta was carrying 16 passengers and a crew of three. Following the collision, both aircraft crashed into the Mediterranean sea about 46 km southwest of Agrigento. All 26 occupants in both aircraft were killed. The Lancaster crew was following HMS Gambia and other Royal Navy ships on an antisubmarine exercise.

Cause: Weather

Occupants & Outcome

Crew On Board

7

Passengers On Board

0

Estimated Survivors

0

Fatality Rate

100.0%

Known people on board: 7

Operational Details

Flight Type

Training

Flight Phase

Flight

Crash Site

Lake, Sea, Ocean, River

Region / Country

Europe • Italy

Aircraft Details

Registration

TX270

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