Vickers Varsity

Leicester Aircraft Preservation Society

The Varsity aircraft was a twin engined training aircraft used by the Royal Air Force until 1974 when it was sold into private ownership. It was currently owned and operated by an aircraft preservation group who maintained the aircraft to its service specification. For this reason it carried the military designation "WJ897" on the fuselage and wings although it was registered as G-BDFT. The aircraft had been granted a Permit to Fly and was restricted to display and demonstration flying and the practising for such displays. Thirteen members of the society had boarded the aircraft earlier that morning at RAF Syerston in Nottinghamshire, where the aircraft was hangared, for the short flight to East Midlands Airport (EMA). This flight was uneventful and, after landing, the aircraft was refuelled with 436 imperial gallons of aviation gasoline (Avgas 100 LL) increasing the total fuel on board to 510 imp gals. It was intended to fly to Liverpool Airport (LPL) to take part in an air display that afternoon. It was arranged that aerial photographs of the Varsity would be taken during the flight to Liverpool using a Cessna 180. This aircraft was to rendezvous with the Varsity at 3000 feet amsl in the area of Blithfield Reservoir some 20 miles to the west of East Midlands Airport. The Varsity engines were normally started using a ground electrical supply. On this occasion, the left engine was reluctant to start and after it initially fired, it faltered and stopped, emitting smoke from the exhaust. For fear of exhausting the batteries with repeated attempts to start, the right engine was started first. The left engine was then motored over before another start attempt was made, this time successfully. The passengers on the Varsity were told that the left engine had been over primed on the first attempt to start. The Varsity took off at 09:32 and the approach controller at East Midlands Airport provided bearing and range information to the Varsity pilot to help him locate the Cessna 180 and, at 09:47 hrs, both aircraft changed to a discrete radio frequency. The Varsity was then flown in formation on the right hand side of the Cessna in a series of wide orbits of the Blithfield Reservoir. During this time, the left engine of the Varsity was seen to emit occasional puffs of smoke accompanied by loud bangs. When the photographer requested that the Varsity climb slightly above the Cessna and lower its undercarriage, the Varsity pilot reported that he was having trouble with the right engine. The Cessna pilot replied that it looked to him as if the problem was in fact with the left engine, as he could see puffs of smoke as if the engine were running too rich. When the Varsity pilot replied that it might be engine icing, the Cessna pilot noted that his intake temperature was indicating in the range where there was no risk of intake icing on his engine. The undercarriage of the Varsity was lowered briefly before being retracted again with the pilot's comment that he "could not accept the drag and might have to abort the photography". Towards the end of the photographic flying, the right engine started to backfire as well. At 10:05, the Varsity pilot called East Midlands Airport on the approach frequency requesting a direct return to the airport because he had some engine problems and might have to declare an emergency. In reply the approach controller passed the Varsity a course to steer to East Midlands and asked whether the Varsity could maintain height. The pilot answered that "at the present we are able to but it's with some difficulty". The Varsity steadily losing height and, at 10:07, the pilot informed the controller that the left engine of the Varsity had stopped. Thirty seconds later the Varsity co-pilot radioed "we're going to have to put it down in the nearest field, we're down to 400 feet and losing power on both engines so we are going into the...". The undercarriage of the Varsity was lowered and, at a very low height, the left wing was then seen to drop and the aircraft rolled over, the nose dropped and it crashed inverted. Just before impact the left mainplane severed 11,000 volt electricity supply wires. As the aircraft broke-up on impact, the rear part of the fuselage together with the empennage fell into a drainage ditch some 10 feet deep. The three survivors were seated in rearward facing seats in this part of the fuselage. Two were able to escape from the fuselage but the third was hampered by a broken leg and received severe burns when a wire fence prevented him from leaving the accident area.

West Texas Air Museum

The aircraft was on a flight from the El Paso Intl Airport to the West Texas Airport. A hard landing was made causing all three landing gear to collapse, folded the left wing aft just inboard of the engine and twisted the entire right wing about 30° leading edge down. According to the pilot the aircraft was flown with 30° of flaps on downwind and 47° of flaps on base. He also reported that both airspeed indicators were stuck at 110 knots. According to photographs taken by an unidentified party, the flaps were in the up position in the pattern and during touchdown. Touchdown was made with the right main gear off the right side of the rwy. The aircraft wheel track is only 4 feet less than the width of the runway. The pilot did not have a type rating nor authorization in lieu of a type rating for the 15 minutes ferry flight. The pilot had 4,140 hours copilot time in the aircraft, during which he had never landed the aircraft.

Royal Air Force - RAF

The crew was completing a local training flight at RAF Little Rissington on behalf of the Central Flying School. After touchdown, the airplane was unable to stop within the remaining distance, overran and came to rest. All three crew members escaped uninjured while the aircraft was damaged beyond repair.

Royal Air Force - RAF

While completing training manoeuvres in the vicinity of RAF Oakington, the twin engine airplane collided with a private Cessna 150 registered G-ATKF. The pilot of the Cessna was able to perform an emergency landing as well as the crew of the Varsity who landed at RAF Oakington. Nevertheless, the aircraft was later considered as damaged beyond repair.

Royal Air Force - RAF

For unknown reason, the airplane landed hard, causing the undercarriage to be torn off. The airplane then slid for several yards and came to rest. There were no casualties.

Royal Air Force - RAF

The crew departed RAF Lindholme on a training mission. While in cruising altitude, the airplane collided with a private Cessna 337 registered G-ATJO. The Cessna went out of control and crashed in a field, killing its pilot, sole on board. Following the collision, three cadets on board the Varsity bailed out and the captain attempted an emergency landing in a field. Six crew members were found alive while one of the cadet who bailed was killed as his parachute was not properly fastened. The aircraft was written off.

Royal Air Force - RAF

The crew was completing a local training at RAF Manby, Lincolnshire. On final approach with an engine voluntarily inoperative, the crew decided to make a go around when the airplane stalled and crashed in a field located 2,2 km east of Louth, short of the airbase. All three crew members were evacuated safely while the aircraft was damaged beyond repair.

Royal Air Force - RAF

The crew was completing a local training flight at RAF Topcliffe. Following several manoeuvres performed uneventfully, the crew was approaching the airbase with an engine voluntarily off to simulate an engine failure. On short final by night, the airplane stalled and crashed in a field short of runway threshold. Both pilots were killed.

Smiths Aviation

The crew was engaged in a local training flight. Shortly after takeoff from runway 22 at Gloucester-Staverton Airport, while climbing to a height of 600-700 feet, the airplane stalled and crashed on the roof of a house located on Tuffley Avenue. Both pilots were killed while three people leaving in the house were uninjured. The aircraft was destroyed.

Royal Air Force - RAF

The Viking was performing a flight from RAF Wyton with five crew members and a high ranking officer on board. On approach to RAF Oakington, at an altitude of 1,500 feet, the airplane collided with a RAF De Havilland DH.100 Vampire T.11 registered XD549 that just took off from RAF Oakington for a local training mission with two pilots on board. After the collision, both aircraft went out of control and crashed in a field located 4 miles southwest of the airbase. All eight occupants in both aircraft were killed. It is believed that both crew were responsible as they failed to pay sufficient attention to potential traffic.

Royal Air Force - RAF

The crew was involved in a test flight for an asymmetric safety speed assessment out from RAF Boscombe Down. At an altitude of 10,000 feet, the crew lost control of the airplane after applying full power on one engine in takeoff configuration. The aircraft stalled, dove into the ground and crashed in an open field. Both crew members were killed.

Royal Air Force - RAF

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.

Royal Air Force - RAF

The crew completed the landing in strong crosswinds. After touchdown, the airplane went out of control and veered off runway. It lost its undercarriage and came to rest, broken in two. There were no casualties.

Royal Air Force - RAF

The crew was performing a training flight out from RAF Thorney Island. While cruising at an altitude of 13,000 feet, the aircraft went out of control, entered a spin and dove into the ground. At an altitude of 1,500 feet, the airplane disintegrated in the air and eventually crashed in a field located in Falstone. All five crew members were killed.

Royal Air Force - RAF

During the last segment, the crew did not realize his altitude was too low. The aircraft hit the ground few yards short of runway. On impact, the undercarriage were torn off and the airplane slid for several yards before coming to rest. Both pilots were uninjured while the aircraft was irreparable.

Royal Air Force - RAF

The crew was completing a local training mission out from RAF Thorney Island. In flight, the crew decided to shut down an engine to simulate an engine failure. Shortly later, the second engine stopped. Unable to maintain a safe altitude, the crew decided to attempt an emergency landing. The aircraft crash landed in a field and came to rest. All three crew members were unhurt while the aircraft was damaged beyond repair.

Royal Air Force - RAF

Parked at RAF Thorney Island, West Sussex, the aircraft was stolen by Manik Agnani, a 22 years old mechanic from the RAF who did not held any pilot licence. Hew flew over the London area for more than three hours and then changed his route and flew to the south, over The Channel and then to France. Shortly past midnight, he lost control of the airplane that dove into the ground and crashed in flames onto a house located in Vicq, about 9 km northeast of Valenciennes. The pilot was killed and four people in the house as well, two old people and two young girls aged 9 and 10.

Royal Air Force - RAF

An engine caught fire in flight when the second engine lost power shortly later. The crew decided to attempt an emergency landing. The aircraft crash landed in a field located in Colyton and was damaged beyond repair. There were no casualties.

Royal Air Force - RAF

While completing a training sortie, the crew encountered a double engine failure and attempted an emergency landing. The aircraft belly landed in a field located near Fenton and came to rest in a river. While both crew members were uninjured, the aircraft was damaged beyond repair.

Royal Air Force - RAF

On final approach, the airplane stalled and hit the ground short of runway threshold. On impact, both wings were sheared off and the aircraft came to rest in flames. All four crew members were injured while the aircraft was destroyed.

Royal Air Force - RAF

The crew was completing a local training at RAF Thorney Island. During the descent, the instructor voluntarily shot down an engine when on final, the remaining engine lost power. The aircraft lost speed, stalled and crashed short of runway. All four crew members were injured and the aircraft was damaged beyond repair.

Royal Air Force - RAF

The crew was completing a night training sortie at RAF Swinderby. On final approach, due to low visibility, the pilot-in-command failed to locate the runway properly and decided to make a go around. The aircraft was seen to fly over the runway at low height when at the end, it struck trees and crashed in a wooded area. The captain was killed and the copilot was seriously injured.

Royal Air Force - RAF

The crew left RAF Swinderby for a local training mission. Enroute, weather conditions worsened and the crew was instructed to divert to RAF Syerston. Few minutes later, the pilot encountered technical problems with the left engine that was shot down and its propeller feathered. On final approach to RAF Syerston, the pilot was forced to make a go around for unknown reason. During its second attempt to land, the aircraft was seen to fly over the airbase at low height with its landing gear down. Suddenly, it bank left and crashed in a field located two miles from the airbase. The aircraft was destroyed and all four crew members were killed. Crew (201st Advanced Flying School): Sgt G. E. Cheesley, pilot, Sgt P. C. Leach, pilot, P/O M. W. Clarke, navigator, Sgt L. J. Herbert, signaller.

Royal Air Force - RAF

The crew was performing a local training sortie at RAF Hullavington. During a Blind Approach Beam System (BABS) approach by night and marginal weather conditions, the pilot-in-command encountered difficulties to locate the runway and decided to make a go around. While climbing, the airplane stalled and crashed three miles from the runway threshold. The aircraft was destroyed and all four crew members were killed.

Royal Air Force - RAF

While taxiing for takeoff, the nose wheel steering system failed. The pilot informed ATC and continued to taxi using other braking systems and attempted a double bend when the brakes failed. The aircraft veered off the taxiway and collided with parked fuel tanks. There were no casualties while the aircraft was written off.

Royal Air Force - RAF

The crew was engaged in a night training sortie, consisting of landings and approaches maneuvers. While descending to the airport, the twin engine airplane went out of control and crashed in a wooded area located three miles southwest of the airfield. Both crew members were killed.

Royal Air Force - RAF

The approach to RAF Swinderby was completed in misty conditions. The airplane was too high and passed over the outer marker at an altitude of 750 feet instead of the assigned 600 feet. The pilot increased the rate of descent but could not timely arrest the descent. He advanced the power levers in an attempt to make a go around when the airplane impacted the ground short of the runway threshold. There were no casualties.

Royal Air Force - RAF

On final approach, during the last segment, the copilot-in-command made a wrong maneuver, causing the airplane to descend rapidly. The aircraft hit violently the runway surface, causing the left main gear to collapse and the left wing to partially brake off. The airplane went out of control and came to rest. Both pilots were uninjured.

Royal Air Force - RAF

On final approach to RAF Swinderby, at a height of 200 feet, the pilot-in-command decided to attempt a go around and increased engine power. The airplane reached the altitude of 400 feet when the right engine failed. Out of control, it dove into the ground and crashed in a field short of runway. Three crew members were killed while the fourth occupant was seriously injured.