London - Prestwick

The accident occurred at 2208 hours during an unscheduled flight from London to Prestwick where the aircraft mas to pick up passengers for BOAC under a charter arrangement and fly them to London. The aircraft took off at 2042 hours GMT from London Airport, cruised on the Airways at 18 500 ft and then commenced the descent to Prestwick with an initial clearance to 8 500 ft. Within a few minutes the clearance was amended to cross the Prestwick radio beacon at 4 000 ft. The descent appeared to the pilots to be normal until the aircraft struck the ground close to the site of the beacon very shortly after the captain had reported passing 11 000 ft in the holding pattern. The aircraft slid along the ground for 400 yards, and fire broke out in the starboard wing, Of the five crew aboard the aircraft, three were seriously injured. The airplane was totally destroyed by fire.

Flight / Schedule

London - Prestwick

Registration

G-AORC

MSN

254

Year of Manufacture

1957

Date

April 28, 1958 at 10:08 PM

Type

CRASH

Flight Type

Positioning

Flight Phase

Landing (descent or approach)

Crash Site

Airport (less than 10 km from airport)

Crash Location

Craigie Ayrshire

Region

Europe • United Kingdom

Coordinates

55.4612°, -4.6090°

Crash Cause

Human factor

Narrative Report

On April 28, 1958 at 10:08 PM, London - Prestwick experienced a crash involving Vickers Viscount, operated by British European Airways - BEA, with the event recorded near Craigie Ayrshire.

The flight was categorized as positioning 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, 0 fatalities were recorded, 5 survivors were identified or estimated. This corresponds to an estimated fatality rate of 0.0%.

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

The listed crash cause is human factor. The accident occurred at 2208 hours during an unscheduled flight from London to Prestwick where the aircraft mas to pick up passengers for BOAC under a charter arrangement and fly them to London. The aircraft took off at 2042 hours GMT from London Airport, cruised on the Airways at 18 500 ft and then commenced the descent to Prestwick with an initial clearance to 8 500 ft. Within a few minutes the clearance was amended to cross the Prestwick radio beacon at 4 000 ft. The descent appeared to the pilots to be normal until the aircraft struck the ground close to the site of the beacon very shortly after the captain had reported passing 11 000 ft in the holding pattern. The aircraft slid along the ground for 400 yards, and fire broke out in the starboard wing, Of the five crew aboard the aircraft, three were seriously injured. The airplane was totally destroyed by fire.

Aircraft reference details include registration G-AORC, MSN 254, year of manufacture 1957.

Geospatial coordinates for this crash are approximately 55.4612°, -4.6090°.

Fatalities

Total

0

Crew

0

Passengers

0

Other

0

Crash Summary

The accident occurred at 2208 hours during an unscheduled flight from London to Prestwick where the aircraft mas to pick up passengers for BOAC under a charter arrangement and fly them to London. The aircraft took off at 2042 hours GMT from London Airport, cruised on the Airways at 18 500 ft and then commenced the descent to Prestwick with an initial clearance to 8 500 ft. Within a few minutes the clearance was amended to cross the Prestwick radio beacon at 4 000 ft. The descent appeared to the pilots to be normal until the aircraft struck the ground close to the site of the beacon very shortly after the captain had reported passing 11 000 ft in the holding pattern. The aircraft slid along the ground for 400 yards, and fire broke out in the starboard wing, Of the five crew aboard the aircraft, three were seriously injured. The airplane was totally destroyed by fire.

Cause: Human factor

Occupants & Outcome

Crew On Board

5

Passengers On Board

0

Estimated Survivors

5

Fatality Rate

0.0%

Known people on board: 5

Operational Details

Schedule / Flight

London - Prestwick

Flight Type

Positioning

Flight Phase

Landing (descent or approach)

Crash Site

Airport (less than 10 km from airport)

Region / Country

Europe • United Kingdom

Aircraft Details

Registration

G-AORC

MSN

254

Year of Manufacture

1957