Boston - Shannon - Luton

On February 16, 1980 at 02:16 PM, Boston - Shannon - Luton experienced a crash involving Bristol Britannia, operated by Redcoat Air Cargo, with the event recorded near Billerica Massachusetts.

The flight was categorized as cargo and the reported phase was takeoff (climb) at a plain, valley crash site.

8 people were known to be on board, 7 fatalities were recorded, 1 survivors were identified or estimated. This corresponds to an estimated fatality rate of 87.5%.

Crew on board: 5, crew fatalities: 4, passengers on board: 3, passenger fatalities: 3, other fatalities: 0.

The listed crash cause is weather. The four engine airplane departed Boston-Logan Airport runway 33L at 1408LT on a cargo flight to Luton via Shannon, carrying eight occupants and a load of computers. Initial climb was completed in poor weather conditions with a visibility reduced to 800 meters due to snow showers, fog and also severe icing conditions. At an altitude of 1,700 feet, the airplane started an uncontrolled descent then contacted trees and crashed in a wooded area located in Billerica, about 17 miles northwest of Boston-Logan Airport. A crew member was seriously injured while seven other occupants were killed.

Aircraft reference details include registration G-BRAC, MSN 13448, year of manufacture 1959.

Geospatial coordinates for this crash are approximately 42.5584°, -71.2689°.