Thorney Island – Manston

On January 23, 1958 at 12:00 AM, Thorney Island – Manston experienced a crash involving Vickers Varsity, operated by Royal Air Force - RAF, with the event recorded near Manston Kent.

The flight was categorized as military and the reported phase was landing (descent or approach) at a airport (less than 10 km from airport) crash site.

5 people were known to be on board, 3 fatalities were recorded, 2 survivors were identified or estimated. This corresponds to an estimated fatality rate of 60.0%.

Crew on board: 5, crew fatalities: 3, passengers on board: 0, passenger fatalities: 0, other fatalities: 0.

Following an uneventful flight from RAF Thorney Island, the crew completed a normal approach to Manston Airport. After touchdown, the airplane deviated from the centerline of the runway to the left. The pilot-in-command elected to correct the deviation but after a run of about 250 meters, the airplane hit a snow wall, ground looped for about 130° and came to rest in flames 30 meters farther with its left wing sheared off. Two cadets were uninjured while three other crew members were killed.

Aircraft reference details include registration WL633, year of manufacture 1953.

Geospatial coordinates for this crash are approximately 51.3460°, 1.3697°.