The following Hastings were all write-offs (Cat 5) between 1946-1977
02/10/1948 TG519 Undershot Dishforth
airfield, undercarriage torn off.
06/04/1949 TG534 Caught fire on engine start up at Schleswigland.
16/07/1949
TG611 Crashed on take-off at Berlin Tegel, incorrect tail trim, 5 died.
26/09/1949 TG499 Underslung belly pannier
torn off and hit tail, crashed in Wiltshire, 3 died.
31/07/1950 TG583 Crashed on final approach at Dishforth.
20/12/1950
TG574 Propeller flew off hitting fuselage, couldn't make Benghazi, Libya, 5 died. (See story below)
19/03/1951
WD478 NO ACCIDENT RECORD CARD EXISTS. 3 Died.
12/04/1951 TG552 Crashed on landing at Negombo. No record exists.
(See story below)
14/03/1952 TG562 NO ACCIDENT RECORD CARD EXISTS.
B J Davison sent me this in June 2007. I was on duty in Air Traffic Control at RAF Fayid, Egypt on 14/03/1952
when this aircraft crashed, on take off. The skipper that evening was F/lt. Pryzlucki and they had two jet engines
(Vampire engines, I think) being taken back to U.K. for major overhaul. Thankfully there were no casualties.
16/06/1952 TG603 NO ACCIDENT RECORD CARD EXISTS. I have sinced received information that this aircraft was 'Blown
Off the Runway' at RAF Luqa, Malta and that there were no survivors, understand that Elevator Bolts could have sheared off.
16/09/1952 WD492 Flew too low over Greenland icecap, wing hit ground, still in situ.
12/01/1953 TG602 Elevator
problems over Egypt, crashed 9 died.
Received January 22nd 2006
HI John,
My name is Robin "Ernie" Berkshire I served at RAF Fayid Egypt
On (at that time 204 Sqdn, shortly after to become 84 Sqdn) and remember this crash well, The aircraft was part
of the 'Hastings Flight' that was on detachment at Fayid for the Mau-Mau emergency. One of my non-trade tasks was as a member
of 'RAF Fayid Permanent Funeral Party' and I remember this funeral well.
In 2002 I went back to the Canal Zone with the Suez Veterans Association, and
we visited Fayid Cemetary, I found it very emotional looking at those 9 graves, I have photographs of the headstones if any
one would like a copy of one or all. I might comment that both Fayid and Moascar cemetaries are beautifully kept.
(See story below)
Further to the above re TG 602 B J Dawson sent the following through
I was in Air Traffic Control at Fayid and a colleague and I had arranged to go on an air test with this
aircraft - at the last minute we were called to the Air Traffic Tower and missed the flight. The Hastings took off
from Fayid and lost its elevator etc. near to RAF Shallufa, where it finally crashed killing the nine people on board.
22/06/1953 WJ335 Stalled on take off at Abingdon, 6 died with what was thought to be the elevator locks still
in or that had been reapplied.
Mid February 2009 update from Brian Collins, he writes:
WJ335
On 22nd June 1953 was ready for take off at
RAF Abingdon with a crew of six onboard. It has been stated that WJ335 rose to approximately 300' when it stalled and crashed
with the loss of the six crew.
The report suggests that the elevator control
locks had been in the engaged position or reapplied after release, there had been an apparent modification to prevent this
from occuring.
I received these two emails from Brian Collins this week mid February 2009
Dear Mr Cooper,
I believe that I can correct the brief report on this crash that you include
in your website. I was a newly commissioned Army Second Lieutenant at the time. I had volunteered for service in Airborne
Forces and in June 1953 was a member of a class of about 30 soldiers on the Parachute Course at RAF Abingdon.
On 22
June we were scheduled to make our first jump from an aircraft and while we were waiting in the "Sweat-box", a hut on the
edge of the airfield, the RAF Officer in charge of our course came in and told us that there would be a short delay because
"a Hastings from Lyneham was on its way to pick us up"
Sure enough, a few minutes later, he came back and told
us to line up outside the hut and watch the plane arrive. I clearly remember seeing the Hastings come in low from the West,
and it seemed to land heavily tail wheel first. It then cart-wheeled forward over onto its back and burst into flames.
The
RAF Officer, with amazing coolness said something like "Sorry about that, chaps, but we will have another plane here for you
soonest". He was quite right, a second Hastings arrived very quickly and we emplaned, took off and all jumped safely at RAF
Watchfield.
You will see therefore why I know that the reason that you give for this accident, namely "crashed
on take off" is incorrect. The plane crashed while coming into land.
Please let me know if I can help further.
Brian
Collins
.....a further email in response
to my reply
John,
Thank you for
your response.
It certainly was a day to remember, especially as I had never flown in a plane before (our two
previous jumps had been from a balloon). I can also add that we were told that three of the fatal casualties were a spare
crew that was hitching a ride from Lyneham to Abingdon. The narrative in the link that you gave me is a puzzle. It certainly
does not tally with what I saw on that June morning. Please use my account if you wish.
Regards.
Brian
Collins
22/07/1953 TG613 Three engines failed, forced to ditch in the Mediterranean, both wings ripped off.
23/07/1953
TG564 Undershot Kai Tak airfield, caught fire, one died on the ground.
09/10/1953 TG559 Hit ground in fog at night
at Abingdon.
02/03/1955 WD484 Crashed on take off from Boscombe Down, elevator locks in, 4 died [some reports say
2 crew died].
09/09/1955 NZ5804 RNZAF written off on approach to RAAF Darwin Australia, all 25 on board survived.
13/09/1955
TG584 Overshot runway at Dishforth, crashed 5 died. (See story below added 4th June 2005)
09/04/1956 WD483 Undercarriage collapsed on landing at Aden. Received from Chris Campbell on 22nd January 2006
Hi
Just mooching through your Hastings site and found the item about WD 483 on 9th April 1956.
This happened just before I arrived in Aden where I joined Aden Protectorate Communications & Support Squadron on
22 June 1956. We were using Valettas and used many up-country airstrips from Khormaksar - of which ATAQ was one. If memory
serves, WD 483 was trying to land & deploy some sort of light armoured car at Ataq but, for whatever reason, did not make
a good landing and the undercart collapsed. No one on board was injured severely &, in fact, the flight crew were all
OK but S/L Coote and F/L Casey were both injured. Casey belonged to APCSS and continued flying for some time after that. However,
no further attempts were made to use Hastings on up-country Aden strips. When I first landed at Ataq in a Valetta on 26 June
1956, the Hastings was still there - obviously damaged - but was gradually cannibalised over the ensuing months. Unfortunately,
I was not into cameras in those early days and never saw any photos of poor old WD 483.
Cheers
Chris Campbell
21/10/1957 TG615 Undershot Colerne airfield.
29/05/1959 TG522 Engine cut on takeoff
at Khartoum, crashed, 5 died.
03/07/1959 TG580 Undercarriaged collapsed on landing at Gan. (See story below)
01/03/1960
TG579 Crashed in sea on approach to Gan. (See story on home page)
23/01/1961 WJ342 Engine cut on take off at Eastleigh,
Kenya.
29/05/1961 WD497 Engine cut on supply drop at Seletar, 13 died. ( A
Vanessa Pearce has signed the guestbook on 24/08/2002 re this accident, can you help her? A second person is also looking
for information where he and one other person were eye witnesses.
Update 12th May 2004 I have had an email from someone from 55 Company who should
have been on this flight as an Air Despatcher, his role was changed to go to the drop zone at Seletar, if anyone wants to
make contact with him please let me know
27/12/1961 TG624 The only Meteoroligical Hastings to be written off. On take off at Aldergrove.
07/03/1962 TG508 Crashed on landing and caught fire at Thorney Island.
Updated 27th December 2004
My father, George Bish, was instructor Engineer on TG508 on this aircraft when it crashed and a student Flight Engineer
was in the chair for the landing. My father has also asked me to inform you that the reason this and TG610 crashed at Thorney
(Island) was due to the terrible crosswinds and the size of tail plane of the Hastings. The runway was parallel to the hangars
and the wind used to blow fiercely from the west between the Hangars and across the main runway. Two of the hangars were angled
in the form of a funnel that channelled the wind and therefore caused a crosswind to the runway.
The crews of both these aircraft tried in vain to correct a lift to the wing in direct line of the funnel but unfortunately
were not successful. TG508 just missed the control tower whilst TG610 hit the Radio Servicing Flight Workshop at the end of
the runway causing severe injuries to the personnel inside.
Hasting Squadrons my father was attached to are as follows:
511 – RAF Lyneham 1956/57
48 – RAF Changi 1957/60
242OCU – RAF Dishforth 1960/62
242OCU – RAF Thorney Island 1962/64
Mike Bish
........and coincidentally this came through from Glyn Ramsden within 24 hours of George's missive above:
I was an engine fitter and worked on Hastings from October 1957 - April 1960 at Nicosia in TASF. On return to UK I worked
on Hastings with 242 OCU at Dishforth and then Thorney Island. In September 1964 I was posted to Wittering on Victors.
So I spent all my RAF time working on Handley Page aircraft. I was at Thorney when both TG508 and TG610 crashed. I believe
the cause of 508 crashing was trying to land in an out of limits crosswind.
610 made a very poor landing and hit the ground radio hut, killing one radio groundcrew. If I remember correctly the
aircrew stated an engine cut on landing but on examination we could not find anything wrong with it.
One other Hastings crashed whilst I was at Thorney TG52? in 1964. This was a very poor landing with the aircraft swerving
from side to side of the runway until one undercarriage leg was torn off. The aircrew said a tyre burst but when we recovered
the aircraft both wheels were inflated although the wheel on the leg torn off was as bald as a coot. This aircraft was repaired
although it was not finished when I left. HP changed the main spar in one of the hangars at Thorney. The first if not only
time this was done away from Radlett.
Glyn Ramsden
Updated 12th May 2004, Ron Gibson has sent this through to me:
Based at RAF Dishforth 1954/5 she "belly flopped" at then RAF Middleton St George,
now Teeside Airport.(recalled are the appalling weather conditions of fhat period of winter).
508, was regarded as a jinx kite since the sum of her digits made the un-enviable total of Thirteen.
Part of the team who re-established her airworthiness and
flew with her back to Dishforth to prove good faith and confidence, I would be interested in news of her "finals" since
I have rumour she was later written off after another prang.
07/12/1962 TG610 Crashed on landing at Thorney
Island.
06/07/1965 TG577 Elevator failed shortly after take off from Abingdon, 41 died. (There is an entry on my guestbook
from Matthew Flory dd 04/08/2002 if anyone can help with this) Also see story below.
04/05/1966
TG575 Undercarriage collapsed on landing at El Adem. See story by John Brignell below added 16th July
2004
09/06/1967 WD491 Crashed at West Raynham, Norfolk. No accident record card exists. Added 21st September 2004 see story below by eye witness Dave Curnock
One further Hastings was written
off, a Royal New Zealand Air Force serial number NZ5804 crashed at RAAF Darwin in 1955.
There were several other
Hastings accidents and incidents, these were repaired in due course. It is worth noting that TG522 crashed twice on 04/04/1949
at Tegel airport during the Berlin airlift and again tragically, at Khartoum on 29/05/1959 where # 1 & 2 engines cut on
take-off. Strange too that some Form A1180 Accident Record Cards are missing. July 2008 I have obtained
the Accident Report in negative format, I also have been contacted by one of the survivors on board, you can view the story
and report here http://www.activeboard.com/forum.spark?forumID=46291&p=3&topicID=18697165&commentPage=0
There are three crashed Hastings which have not been salvaged, one on the Greenland Ice Cap, one in the sea just off
Gan in the Maldives and one 140 miles in the sea off Castel Benito (Idris) in Libya, minus its wings!
Of a total
of 152 Hastings built (inc RNZAF) the C-1 type with a TG prefix 23 of the 102 built were written off (22.55%)whilst the mark
C-2 with a prefix of WD or WJ lost 10 of the 46 built (21.74%)and of the RNZAF NZ5801-5804 lost one of its four aircraft NZ5804
(25%).
I estimate that in 20 years of flying (most aircraft were withdrawn from service in the late 1960's leaving
just a few specimen aircraft) that the Hastings workhorse had achieved over 265,000,000 miles flown the equivalent of flying
around the world about 10,000 times. This in itself is a remarkable achievement, it is regretted that 116 died in 34 accidents
but it is a testament to the durability of the aircraft, its design team at Handley Page, the craftsmen who constructed it
and to all the crew who flew 'the beast'.
THE CRASH OF TG574 IN LIBYA
by Flight Lieutenant Keith Murphy DFC and Bar (Written up by John Cooper)
In June 1950 I commenced my duties as an exchange officer with 511 Squadron from The Royal Canadian Air Force and attached
to RAF Lyneham, Wiltshire, England. My duties was that of a Navigator.
511 Squadron was a long range transport squadron flying from the UK to Singapore and my first such long trip was to Singapore
and return to Lyneham in June 1950 followed by a second trip on the same route without incident. However my third such
trip was in Handley Page Hastings TG574 a Mk C1 aircraft where we had a slipping schedule to Singapore and return, leaving in
November 1950 (slipping/slip crews was a method of delivering troops and freight to a distant destination by having a fresh
crew taken on board at each stop to take the aircraft ahead whilst the troops/freight remained on board the aircraft) our
outward journey was viaCastel Benito (Libya), Fayid (Egypt), Habbaniya (Iraq), Karachi (Pakistan), Negombo (Ceylon) and finally
arriving at RAF Changi in Singapore.
Whilst in Karachi I met an RAF Officer who was painting a set of china for the wife of the Prime Minister of Pakistan
and when I admired his work he said he would have a similar plate to give to my wife on my return to Karachi from Singapore.
Upon our return we picked up a fresh crew at each stop and dropped off the previous crew and whilst at Karachi, as promised,
a plate with a painting of a sailing ship was awaiting my collection, this was then carefully packed into my suitcase.
On two legs of this trip I flew as crew navigator and as a passenger on the others, from Habbaniya to El Adem (Libya)
I was a passenger. We did the usually refuel turnaround service and was airborne at 2000 hrs heading to Castel Benito, whilst
flying over the Mediterranean Sea at about 8000ft a propeller flew off from Number 2 engine (Port inner), this was thought
to have detached from the blade root, shortly after the propeller flew off the engine detached from its bearers and fell
away into the sea, presumably having oversped.
The pilot on this leg was Flight Lieutenant Tunnadine together with his co-pilot Flight Lieutenant Bennett, Tunnadine
sent Bennett to the crew quarters to rest shortly after take off from El Adem and a member of the slip crew Squadron Leader
James took over Bennetts position as co-pilot. Unfortunately for F/L Bennett the prop blade flew directly into the crews quarters
where he received severe injuries. This also caused untold damage to the port side of the aircraft as the elevator, elevator
trim and rudder controls were all severed when the prop impacted. A MayDay message was immediately picked up by Benina, an
airstrip close to Benghazi and the aircraft was headed in that direction, control of the aircraft by Tunnadine and James was
almost impossible, fuel had to be jettisoned and more amazingly the 34 passengers and some baggage had to be moved around
the fuselage to balance the aircraft.
A Senior Medical Officer, Squadron Leader Brown was on board as a passenger and came forward to comfort the severely
injured Bennett and despite repeatedly being told to return to his seat, Brown stayed with and comforted Bennett. (Both survived
this incident)
By the light of a bright moon Tunnadine decided to attempt a landing, flares lit up the runway, amazingly 574 looked
as if it was going to make the landing at Benina however just before the threshold of the tarmac there was a hump of rocks
and sand unseen by the crew. 574 hit this hump and the aircraft flipped over on to its back, crushing the cockpit and killing
7 of the crew (I have since read 5 crew JC). It is almost unbelievable that all the passengers survived and fell on their
heads when they released their seat belts but thankfully no passenger received any serious injury, this can probably be put
down to the aircraft having rearward facing seats. A Flight Engineer escaped and was found sitting on the ground some distance
from the aircraft and not knowing how he got there or got out of the wreck.
Four days later another aircraft arrived to take us back to the UK but this developed problems and had to return to base
for rectification, from Keith's log-book it states '24/12/1950 Flying Officer Perrin (pilot) flying TG526 (Hastings) flew
the survivors from Benina to Castel-Benito but had to return to CB due to technical problems but on the 25/12/1950 Flight
Lieutenant Wood flew the survivors to Lyneham, my suitcase was intact and upon unpacking this the plate given to me in Karachi
was intact without a chip or a scratch on it'!
I later met the Great Man Sir Frederick Handley Page at a cocktail party and also received a letter from a movie company
asking my permission to allow an actor to play my part in a film regarding this accident, I never did get to find out if this
film was ever made, if anyone does know please contact me here.
TG552 12th March 1951, some four months after Keith Murphy's first accident described above on the Hastings
Bangs and Prangs page, he was involved in a second accident fortunately without loss of life this time. This second accident
happened at Negombo where the co-pilot was flying the aircraft (Keith was Navigator on this trip), the co-pilot was not authorised
to fly passengers and there were passengers on board, his landing was a disaster and the aircraft crashed. One of the wings
broke off and in the excitement of vacating the aircraft the engines were left running and the propellers were a threat to
decapitate anyone heading in that direction! This is one story that no one seems to know about as the Form A1180 (Aircraft
Accident Report) is one that went missing, one wonders why! A photo exists of this accident and I believe it is on the
sleeve of Colin Cummings book "To Fly No More", I will confirm this in the near future as I have read this book. (Some additional information and photos will be posted here shortly 07/01/2003)
Thank you Keith for your very interesting articles, without these the SECRETS would remain forever and a day.
The Crash and Write-off of Hastings TG580 at RAF Gan 3rd July 1959
How about this for a remarkable coincidence two Hastings aircraft, both from 48 Squadron Changi, consecutively numbered
TG579 & TG580 both flying from RAF Katunayake to RAF Gan both crash with 8 months of each other, both crash in weather
related conditions, both have their undercarriage legs torn off on impact and both end up in the sea 1700 miles from
their home base and both having no serious casualties!
The TG579 story is told on the HOME PAGE what follows is the story of TG580 as told by Eric Sumsion, a passenger on this
aircraft and others that were on Gan on the 3rd July 1959.
Flight Lieutenant Bernard (Bernie) Saunders was being sent from the UK to RAF Gan to command the Marine Craft Unit
already established on Gan, to counter an uprising started by the Maldivians in the Northernmost islands (I was detached from
Katunayake to Gan at this time but saw and heard nothing). Also on board was Eric Sumsion who had arrived by RAF Comet from
Lyneham at Kat a few days before embarking on TG580 for Gan, Eric's job was working on the Radio Transmitter Section
as No. 8 Radio Fitting Party, most of the work on the Transmitters at Gan was about complete and Eric was mainly to be based
at Hittaddu two islands away from Gan where the the rest of the transmitters were to be positioned.
Eric recalls "How would the Hastings landing at Gan differ from the Comets landing at Kat after all the flight to Gan
was uneventful, we saw out of the windows the white stripe of the runway running down the centre of the island, the pilot
made his approach in the normal manner when there was one very large bang when we touched down, through the window I saw a
wheel of the undercarriage go bounding along at 45 degrees to the runway. I think I was sitting facing the tail with the
window to my right , next the aircraft was rocking so that alternate wing tips touched the runway. When this happened sparks
could be seen coming from the underslung wing tip tanks and luggage was falling from the racks above our heads. The runway
had looked so small from the air but it seemed an age before we came to a halt, we had done a complete u-turn (groundloop)
as we came off the runway settling into a mixture of soil and coral and instead of looking out to the seaward side I was now
looking towards the lagoon side of Gan!"
"As we came to a halt, nobody that I recall moved or spoke, the silence was broken by one of the crew coming down towards
the tail, who pulled an emergency handle on an exit door and shouting 'get out', we were ushered some distance from the aircraft
where we could watch what was going on including the arrival of the fire engine. The firetruck stopped some distance behind
the tail and fire hoses were run out and foam was sprayed around the aircraft, but the truck was too far away and had
to be moved closer to spray foam on the aircraft engines and fuel tank areas."
"Whilst we we were watching this going on somewhere to my right one of the passengers decided to have a smoke to
calm his nerves, I have heard some shouting and bawling in my time but this poor passenger type was treated to the longest
tirade I have ever heard as to why it wasn't a good move to smoke around a crashed aircraft, he being an LAC and the shouter
a Warrant Officer".
"The aircraft stayed where it was for some months being stripped and then dumped into the sea". Eric was unsure
of the date that this accident happened but by sheer coincidence he received my e.mail referring to this accident on July
3rd 2002 exactly 43 years to the day of the prang. There were no serious injuries, Saunders carried on with his duties and
quelled the uprising. TG 580 was attempting to land in a crosswind in excess of 23 knots (There were no diversion airfields
for hundreds of miles and no other available 'into wind' runway), a Hastings could not land in such conditions and in wind
speeds less than this literally had to be 'bounced onto the runway' with sometimes very hard rudder control to counter the
crosswind. By clicking on to the photo links at the foot of this page will take you to photographs of this crashed aircraft.
Updated 18/08/2002
Harry Stanley was stationed on Gan at # 8 Radio Fitting Party and witnessed the crash of TG580 'One side of the undercarriage
collapsed on landing and it spun round to face the opposite direction and the propellers were distorted after coming into
contact with the concrete. Corporal Dando was on that plane (aerial rigger) but I can't remember anyone else...........as
I remember there weren't any injuries and Dando didn't even know it had spun round'.
Ken Gibbs was a Flight Engineer on an Avro Lincoln bomber aircraft flying around the Canal Zone, Egypt on the morning
that Hastings TG602 crashed on 12/01/1953. 'We had passed TG602 several times as we were flying West of Shallufa to take photographs
of an aircraft that had crashed, debris was spread over a wide area but unfortunately our photographer had failed
to remove the cover on the camera lens.'
'Witnesses on the ground stated that they had seen the aircraft doing a tight turn and then parts of the aircraft
started to fall off and it crashed into the ground at an angle of approx. 45 degrees. On the previous day we had visited
the NAAFI Club at Ismailia with some older regular aircrew friends, we met the Hastings crew who were known to the older Lincoln
crew members, the crew with a second crew and some passengers were on the Hastings that crashed'.
Sadly nine died in this accident, thought to be caused by elevator failure.
The crash of Hastings TG577 at Little Baldon, Oxfordshire
Information kindly supplied by David Rayner on October 20th 2003 (June 2005 David Rayner has recently started his own website
page on TG577 so if anyone can help click here http://www.aaahs.org.uk/crash1965.html )
RAF Handley Page Hastings C1 TG577 crashed at Little Baldon, Oxfordshire at 1600hrs GMT Tuesday 6th July 1965. All 41 passengers
and crew on board died. The aircraft was based at RAF Colerne Wiltshire.
An RAF Board of Inquiry was opened at RAF Abingdon to establish the cause of the crash into a barley field of 100 acres
at Little Baldon.
Many eye witnesses saw the aircraft in difficulties, which was full of parachutists heading
for a drop over Weston-on-the-Green, the pilot radioed that he was in some sort of troubleand
apparently avoided missing the nearby village of Berinsfield. The first ambulance arrived from Didcot but the plane was an
inferno.There were no survivors, an all night guard was placed around the scene of the crash with
many sightseers jamming the local roads.
One lady eyewitness thought the Hastings was performing stunts whilst a male farm worker who
had arrived on the scene thought he saw that some soldiers had deployed their parachutes.Apparently
Hastings TG577 had landed upside down in the field.
Salvage experts were concentrating on checking the elevator tail bolts connected to the tail plane, the BoI had later determined
that the cause of the accident was due to metal fatigue of two of the elevator bolts, this put stress on two more bolts that
failed. The Hastings climbed steeply out of control, stalled and crashed into the field. It was trying to return to Abingdon
and I understand that a Beverley aircraft was already at the end of the runway preparing to take off, but TG577 couldnt make
it back to Abingdon.
This in effect grounded all Hastings aircraft and only a few Hastings carried on in service being replaced by the C130
Hercules. The elevator bolt fatigue was an ongoing problem with this type of aircraft and several Hastings crashed due to
this design fault since it first flew in 1946.
An Inquest was held at The Guildhall in Abingdon with a verdict of accidental death, all victims died from multiple injuries,
the aircraft was reported as recently being serviced.
At this point in time this was the worst peacetime accident involving any passenger aircraft of the Royal Air Force.
Received from David Barrott on July 3rd 2004:
Reference the crash of TG577. As I recollect, (being in close contact with several RAF and Parachute Regiment personnel
at the time) .
Shortly after takeoff the pilot requested a priority landing at RAF Abingdon as he was experiencing
some stiffness in the elevator controls. He was asked if he was declaring an emergency and requesting emergency clearance
but declined. Shortly after the aircraft assumed a nose down attitude. The pilot corrected this, but the elevators went
hard up and locked there. The aircraft went to near vertical before stalling and dropping to land inverted. The altitude at
the commencement of the manoeuvre was approximately 5000'. The First vehicles on site were the ambulance and fire tender
from UKAEA Culham Laboratory, who's drivers were subsequently reprimanded for leaving their base without permission although
their CO was in Reading at the time. They had reached the crash site cross-country by breaching the fence of the Culham
Naval Stores depot and a bill for replacement of the fence was received within a month.
Added on 4th November 2004 by Ch/Tech Ray Bunce ex RAF Benson via Doug Adams
One specific that I have been provided with some additional comments for are your article
about the Hastings TG577 tragedy in July 1965. Most of the comments serve to complement
or supplement the fuller details already printed.
My cousin
is Ray Bunce who, as Chief Technician R.A. Bunce, was NCO in charge of the
RAF Benson Duty Crew on that fateful evening, and took the call to attend the scene.
The crew travelled to the crash site, a barley field it is reported, travelling in the standard
3 ton Bedfords provided. The crew arrived after about an hour, presumably after the
chaps from Culham mentioned in your main article. The severity of the crash was
already known or generally anticipated as they travelled expecting only to assist in the
recovery of bodies.
On arrival at the scene the only recognisable
piece of aircraft was the (upside down) tail unit.
Already at the scene, presumably called from his local base or home, was the Inspector
from the CAA who straightforwardly advised that he had no doubt of the cause, fatigue in the
elevator attachment bolts and was looking for these bolts to satisfy himself this was the
case. On finding the two broken parts of one of these bolts, he reassembled it for the crew to
look at, to show how difficult this fatigue was to detect visually. (My own comment but, given all that had been said and
documented about these bolts
failing in other situations, why
had an effective correction not been made before more crashes and
fatalities?)
Hastings TG575 crashed at RAF El Adem. Libya on 4th May 1966 as told by John Brignell:
Can't be sure exactly when this occured, but sure it was AFTER the mod, programme to re-inforce the outriggers
(On the elevators after the TG577 disaster J Cooper) for the elevator hinges. A/c was on approach over the escarpment as I
got off the bus from Tobruk to start my shift at TASF. By the time I had dropped my bag off in the office and gone out to
see it in, the fire trucks where on their way out to put out the flames!!!!
As the a/c had landed the R/H gear had fractured and folded up, thus spinning the a/c onto it's belly across
the bondu and retracting the L/H gear, engines, being what they are, caught fire on the R/H side and looks like no.2 bearers
let go and the engine took on 'a different slant'. . R/H gear eventually broke off, as you would expect.
Fire was put out very quickly as pax departed at the run. Only injury, as I recall, was a broken ankle. Eventually
the a/c was towed up to 'Lazy-Lane' and left there for a while. Handley Page requested various items from the R/H wheelwell.
I was tasked with 'trac-jacking it up again and removing said parts. Then lowering a/c and removing trac-jacks, only to be
told several days later, H.P. wanted some other bits as well. Jacked it up again, did the business and lowered it again.
Don't know when you might need the tac-jacs in a hurry.
The Flt/Comm. said 'What you need are some railway sleepers - I'll get you some' Hello ! Libya - El-Adem -
miles from any railway. A few days later up rolls a Queen-Mary, loaded with ----- You guessed it perishing railway sleepers.
Umpteen of 'em. 575 jacked up again, sleepers applied, de-jacked and Bobs' your uncle.
It was still like that when I went home in Oct/Nov 1966
Don't know what happened to the a/c in the end, probably broken up and thrown away. Perhaps some later El-Adem'ites
can finish the story ?
Also recall that I left a broken Beverley behind as well, nose wheel bearing seized and it took far too long
to fix it. Gozome Comet was more important.
Went back on a Britannia many months later and I think both a/c had gone by then.
May 2008 Further to John's report above I have received information that it was TG575 that hit the sea and
bent the inboard props back [see home page for photo and story]
Added 21st September 2004
By Dave Curnock Sergeant Engine Fitter 24 Squadron RAF Colerne
My limited recollection of the above incident follows.
I was, at the time, a Sergeant (Engines) on 24 Sqdn.
Aircraft WD491 was returning empty of pax or freight from Germany during an exercise
in which we had been using West Raynham as our detachment base. This was to be the last trip prior to our return to Colerne,
so we were quite glad to see it arriving downwind to land. My attention was diverted elsewhere during the final stages of
the approach but everything seemed normal at that point. On touchdown, which was unseen by me due to the presence of a large
grassy bund between our detachment HQ (TENT!) and the runway, there was a loud bang followed by a scraping noise. The bang
had attracted my attention just in time to see the tailfin of the Hastings appear above the top of the bund. Being quite surprised
by this, I joined the rush to see the resulting damage. The aircraft was standing on its nose, on the grass between the runway
and the bund.
The crew had exited the aircraft via the starboard flightdeck escape hatch - except for
the AQM (Loadmaster these days) who had left via the port para door using the escape rope. There was no fire and the only
injuries were to (I think) the co-pilot, whose fingers were rapped against the panel when the control column was slammed forward
as the nose hit the deck, and the flight engineer (Dave Hughes ?) who claimed somebody had stood on his hand as they made
their exit out of his escape hatch!!. He had remained at his post to complete the 'After Crash Checklist' - Power off,
Fuel off, clear off .
It transpired that the starboard mainwheel casting / rim had failed - the subsequent
rapid deflation of the tyre causing the severe swing off the runway, and then jammed in the wheel arch causing the 'nose down'
on the grass. Several prop blades were slightly bent as they hit the ground - the underside of the nose was flattened and,
I believe, the cross-shaft between the control columns was distorted.
The ground crew eventually made it back to Colerne after a road trip to Mildenhall, from
where we were collected by another Hastings. I made a return to West Raynham some days later, after 491 had been returned
to its more usual 'tail down' attitude, with a small party to remove V&A inventory items from the aircraft. There was
quite a smell on board - a mixture of Racasan and the contents of the Elsans from the rear bogs which had been decanted throughout
the freight bay. The aircraft was deemed 'beyond economical repair'.
Please feel free to use any of the above.
Dave Curnock - Ex 24 Sqdn 1965-67
The crash of Hastings TG584 at RAF Dishforth 13th/9/1955
Gordon 'Josh' Whiting forwarded this information in June 2005:
The crash I remember
at about this time killed all the crew, I can't remember the number. There was a parade for funerals a few days later.
It was said that
a farmer or some one got to the crash to see if he could rescue anyone but on getting in saw many boxes marked ammunition
or something such like and started to throw these out thinking there would be an explosion. That was until one
burst open showing it full of rocks and soil. By then the fire had got too strong to rescue any one.
The boxes were usully
lashed down near the back as ballast. There was an instruction after that they had to be painted so the same mistake
wasn't made again!
Updated 10th April 2008
Hastings WD484 C2 crashed on take-off at Boscombe Down on 02/03/1955 the elevator locks were 'in' the aircraft stalled
and crashed. The crew of 4 died [some reports suggest 2 died]
Rex Browning writes:
Just to say I was working on Hunters re their 4 pack experimental 30mm Aden guns at the start end of main runway as
the Hastings in question taxied around us, a couple of the crew waved to us and took off, I watched it all the way to its
stall, fell to starboard crashed close to bomb dump and caught fire. Never never forget.
Sent in by Cecil Irvine on 8th February 2006 re WJ335 which crashed on take-off at Abingdon on 26th May 1953
I was stationed at Abingdon when this crash occured. I was a lowly engine Fitter and was on the parking ramp that morning.
I watched as WJ335 began it's take-off run. About halfway along the runway it began to lift off. It's attitude at that
point halfway between straight and level and the parked attitude.(nose up) Almost immediately the nose-up attitude increased
until the aircraft was vertical hanging on the props. It then nosed down and hit the runway, the landing gear collapsed and
it slid along the airfield on fire. I offered my eye-witness account to the subsequent enquiry but I never found out the result.
My own theory at the time was that the pilot had taken off with the elevator control locks engaged. When the elevators
were locked they were parallel to the ground and not in neutral. On reflection I remembered that the internal control lock
lever engaged with the inboard throttles so full throttle couldnt be obtained.
Further reading of your articles brought to light that there was an elevator problem with the Hastings.
I hope this sheds some light on the crash which as you say was a stall prang.
