I don't believe the autopilot bit for a minute - no autopilot has ever been invented that cannot be overridden by manual input, nor in those times did the autopilots have 3-axis command, ie: rudder as well - we call it "in series" now, and it's only in that mode for autoland and auto-go-around. Another man, who at the time was tiling the roof of a nearby house, broke his arm after falling having been shocked by the aircraft's low flight path. We were diverted to the crash site and the first Ambulance on the scene. I will always remember the moment I got home from school to be met with the news. At the time I was standby crew. Despite valiant efforts by her crew to rescue the emergency, the aircraft impacted a field before exploding in woodland now officially named Britannia Woods. Then there's applying assymetric thrust as a last measure...very effective in propeller aircraft due to increased slipstream over the low wing.The parallels to the 737 accidents in the 90's in Colorado Springs and Pittsburgh are very thought provoking, both suspected to be caused by rudder malfunction.Or, did the crew get distracted and stall the aircraft? He took the place of a colleague who was unwell. All fifteen on board, four crew and 11 technicians, died in the crash. Fearful of what we would find, we walked sadly among the wide spread debris as the rescuers salvaged the remains of the crew with whom we had both worked just weeks before. My memory of the flap system is that a 112V DC motor rotated torque tubes that through gearing rotated screw jacks that either extended or retracted the flaps. I've discussed this with ex-Britannia crew, notably Michael Simpson (he has made a separate posting below). Unknown injuries at this time. It's a great shame, because it would be very interesting to source the original field notes, etc etc., including those compiled by BAC, and subject them to a new independent analysis based on today's state of knowledge - e.g., by the air accident investigation school at Cranfield. He was just 27 years old. Nothing could be seen due to the total destruction of 'CA. [ 25/01/2021 ] Unmanned fighter to be built in Northern Ireland Military [ 24/01/2021 ] Ryanair’s ‘Jab & Go’ campaign is outlawed by ASA News [ 23/01/2021 ] Heathrow under fire after super-spreader crowds in Terminal 2 News [ 23/01/2021 ] Boeing commits to ‘ready to … Ron Daws. Even a high-speed crash tends to leave unambiguous evidence of flap position (e.g., witness marks left on flap actuators etc). The position of an unretracted flap assuming there had been a flap problem would have been useful in attempting to discover a cause. At all other times, autopilots let the rudder lie fallow (there is limited yaw-damper input to the rudder in flight). Then there's applying assymetric thrust as a last measure...very effective in propeller aircraft due to increased slipstream over the low wing.The parallels to the 737 accidents in the 90's in Colorado Springs and Pittsburgh are very thought provoking, both suspected to be caused by rudder malfunction.Or, did the crew get distracted and stall the aircraft? Ian Fergusson, BBC BristolMany thanks to all who have contributed so many interesting and thought-provoking comments thus-far.In specific response to Frank's interesting posting below, regarding potential causal factors behind the accident:The official accident report categorically states that G-ANCA's flaps were retracted at the time of impact. A plane carrying 25 people came off the runway after landing, forcing the suspension of flights in and out of Bristol Airport. I note the submission from Frank Ogden regarding the flap track detail. We were diverted to the crash site and the first Ambulance on the scene. Fifty years ago to-day,as a seven year old, I was living with my mother and father and two sisters, at 49 Overndale Road,Downend which at that tme was the end house nearest the woods where the Britannia crashed.I can remember being collected from school at lunchtime by my mother,and returning home to see the utter devastation,but to a seven year old it seemed more like an adventure.I have just watch the archive footage, and saw pictures of my mother,holding my sister, being interviewed.She did appear live on the evening news, being interviewed beside one of the undercarriage.This has brought back many memories of that day. My memory of the flap system is that a 112V DC motor rotated torque tubes that through gearing rotated screw jacks that either extended or retracted the flaps. All fifteeen of G-ANCA's crew died instantly, but miraculously nobody on the ground was seriously hurt. At the time I was standby crew. Despite the aircraft coming down in a residential area, nobody on the ground was killed. I requested copies of all pertinent accident report documents relating to the investigation from the AAIB.... but today, they responded to say they only have a copy of the published report. Cannot believe that it is now 50years on. A Bristol 175 Britannia 253 cargo plane, registered G-BRAC, was destroyed in an accident at Billerica, MA, United States of America. Michael SimpsonI was employed at BAC when the crash occurred as Chief Flight Engineer and flew over the site immediately after the accident. The eyewitness accounts read like a classic stall-roll-off followed by aggressive recovery and secondary stall. Find out about historic people, places and events, BBC Bristol website, Regional Newsroom, Whiteladies Road, Bristol, BS8 2LR The airplane operated on a flight from London-Luton Airport (LTN) to Ljubljana-Brnik Airport (LJU). The Bristol Bay Times - Serving Dillingham, Naknek, King Salmon and Southwest villages - A publication of Anchorage Daily News, Alaska's rural news leader. Jan Keating (then Janet Coombs)I was a child attending Oldbury Court Primary School when the crashed happened. Seeing your report brought that moment back vividly. There seems to have been some similarity between the two incidents. As an ex R.A.F.Flight Engineer I would suggest that this accident may have been caused by one half of the flap torque tubes drive mechanism becoming overloaded and shearing. PLANE DOWN-SANTA ANA- OCFA and Costa Mesa Fire units are onscene of an aircraft down in the 3900 block of Bristol Street in the City of Santa Ana. Additionally the screw jack drive system would not permit the flap to move on its track and would lock the flap at its assymetric position. last updated: 03/04/2008 at 08:52created: 06/11/2007. My brother and sister were all at the school. Investigation into fatal plane crash reveals mechanical problem. I've discussed this with ex-Britannia crew, notably Michael Simpson (he has made a separate posting below). Wreckage tumbled through the trees and seriously damaged a row of ten homes in Overndale Road. The cause of the crash was reported as failure of the port flap system followed by un-commanded retraction of the port flap with a resultant roll to the left.It seems from the observed attitude of CA that perhaps there is some similarity regarding the cause.The suggestion of an umcommanded turn caused by the auto pilot could have been possible if the auto pilot was engaged since there was some history of auto pilot malfunction caused by a solder particle short circuiting wiring within that system. I note the submission from Frank Ogden regarding the flap track detail. The aircraft was banked steeply to the left and continued its descent and crashed into some aircraft in front of the Queens Building. I alsorecall that the pilot, Hugh Statham was one of the most gentlemanly and admirable men I ever flew with in myflying career of 38 years, which why I came from Canada to attend this ceremony. We heard the plane overhead, sounding very low just before the crash and there were rumours that it had touched the school roof. [1] [4], A memorial plaque at the crash site, now called Britannia Wood, was unveiled on 3 November 2007 by Beryl Statham, the pilot's widow. [5], A Bristol Britannia similar to the accident aircraft, "Britannia Room: DOWNEND FOLK HOUSE ASSOCIATION", British Pathé - Air News - The Britannia Air Crash - 15 Dead, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Downend_air_crash&oldid=1004738193, Aviation accidents and incidents in England, Accidents and incidents involving the Bristol Britannia, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License, This page was last edited on 4 February 2021, at 03:13. Points West has marked the 50th anniversary with three reports, available to watch again here.We've also released our original film archive of the crash site, taken on the 6 and 7 November 1957 and never broadcast since the time of the disaster. Various shots of the Aer Lingus Viscount plane which crash landed in fog at Lulsgate Airport, Bristol. I was employed at BAC when the crash occurred as Chief Flight Engineer and flew over the site immediately after the accident. Were it not for the pilot's bravery and skill we would probably have been killed that day. Reg EversonI know two men who were turned away from this flight at the very last minute, literally as the boarding ladder was being retrieved. Peter WrightHi,My father in law was one of the policeman at Downend in 1957. A Bristol 175 Britannia 102 passenger plane, registered G-ANBB, was destroyed in an accident 3 km SE of Ljubljana-Brnik Airport (LJU), Slovenia. Barry Aldridge. Considerable problems were experienced during manufacture involving thousands of Feel gauge checks on the roller to track clearances before the flaps could be made to operate without undue friction.This problem was solved by assemble with a dummy oversize track,but was this aircraft assembled with this new oversise dummy track??

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