ASN Aircraft accident Bristol 175 Britannia 312 G-AOVD Sopley Park
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Status:Accident investigation report completed and information captured
Date:Wednesday 24 December 1958
Time:11:58
Type:Silhouette image of generic brtn model; specific model in this crash may look slightly different
Bristol 175 Britannia 312
Operator:British Overseas Airways Corporation - BOAC
Registration: G-AOVD
MSN: 13235
First flight: 1957
Crew:Fatalities: 2 / Occupants: 5
Passengers:Fatalities: 7 / Occupants: 7
Total:Fatalities: 9 / Occupants: 12
Aircraft damage: Damaged beyond repair
Location:Sopley Park (   United Kingdom)
Phase: En route (ENR)
Nature:Test
Departure airport:London Airport (LHR/EGLL), United Kingdom
Destination airport:London Airport (LHR/EGLL), United Kingdom
Narrative:
The Bristol Britannia took off from London at 10:10 for a test flight regarding the renewal of its Certificate of Airworthiness. After performing the necessary test, the crew requested a descent from 12000 feet to 3000 feet. Some 3 minutes after starting the descent, the aircraft struck the ground which was obscured by fog.

Probable Cause:

PROBABLE CAUSE: "The accident was the result of the aircraft being flown into ground obscured by fog. This was caused by a failure on the part of both the captain and the first officer to establish the altitude of the aircraft before and during the final descent. The responsability for the accident must rest with the captain. The height presentation afforded by the type of three-pointer altimeter fitted to the subject aircraft was such that a higher degree of attention was required to interpret it accurately than is desirable in so vital an instrument. This, when taken into conjunction with the nature of the flight on which the aircraft was engaged was a contributory factor."

Classification:

Controlled Flight Into Terrain (CFIT) - Ground

Sources:
» ICAO Accident Digest Circular 62-AN/57 (44-47)


Photos

photo of Bristol-175-Britannia-312-G-AOVD
accident date: 24-12-1958
type: Bristol 175 Britannia 312
registration: G-AOVD
 

Map

This information is not presented as the Flight Safety Foundation or the Aviation Safety Network’s opinion as to the cause of the accident. It is preliminary and is based on the facts as they are known at this time.
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