ASN Wikibase Occurrence # 145281
This information is added by users of ASN. Neither ASN nor the Flight Safety Foundation are responsible for the completeness or correctness of this information.
If you feel this information is incomplete or incorrect, you can submit corrected information.
| Date: | Wednesday 20 April 1955 |
| Time: | 12:00 |
| Type: |  Hunting Percival Pembroke C1 |
| Owner/operator: | Royal Air Force (RAF) |
| Registration: | WV712 |
| MSN: | P66/0016 |
| Fatalities: | Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 5 |
| Aircraft damage: | Destroyed |
| Location: | Aden Harbour, Aden -
 Yemen
|
| Phase: | En route |
| Nature: | Military |
| Departure airport: | Hargeisa, British Somaliland |
| RAF Khormaksar, Aden | |
| Confidence Rating: |  Information is only available from news, social media or unofficial sources |
Written off (damaged neyond repair) 20/04./1955 wh
Priming cocks were switched off and the starboard engine cut followed by the port engine some minutes later and ditched outside Aden Harbour en route to RAF Khormaksar, Aden. The aircraft was carrying the VIP passenger Oliver Claude Allyson (47), Bishop of the Sudan. Crew and passengers vacated the aircraft by the passenger door which was ripped off on contact with the sea. They were picked up by an Arab fisherman.
Addendum to the above 15th May 2013:
"The full story is as follows.The day before the Pembroke crash an Anson with a crew F/Sgt Taff Evans and Sgt. Wally Sansom had a tyre burst and crash on the runway at Hargeisa with the Bishop of Sudan on board. The following day 20 April 1955 the Pembroke crewed by Flt Lt. Bill Pash and myself, Sgt Hambly flew to Hargeisa to collect the Bishop and the crew of the Anson. On the way back to Khormaksar at a good altitude the starboard engine started to cut and hunt and we feathered it. As a precaution the passengers and crew put on life jackets (Mae Wests). We informed Khormaksar of the problem and some time later the port engine started to cut out. This was feathered. It was a puzzle as the fuel contents gauge showed ample fuel in right wing tanks and left wing tanks. Although Aden was in sight in the distance, ditching was inevitable and we called a Mayday to that effect. When closer to the moment of ditching Bill Pash who was in the left hand seat restarted both engines. Although they were surging badly and giving an asymmetric yawing problem they gave enough power for Bill Pash to be able to get the nose up in the best ditching position. The noise on hitting the water was enormous. Luckily, on impact, the rear door ripped off and we were able to exit the aircraft. The dinghies did not inflate either by inertia switch or pulling the activation cords in the roof of the fuselage or when the aircraft sank by soluble switches. We estimated that there was no more than forty to fifty seconds to exit the aircraft before it was full of water and soon sank. We were then floating in shark infested waters with Taff Evans bleeding badly as he gashed himself exiting the jagged door. The air sea rescue launch broke down leaving harbour and the harbour masters launch missed us by some distance. Fortunately several eight squadron Vampires spotted us and kept up low runs over us and the concussion would have kept the sharks away. Eventually three small fishing dugouts spotted us and picked us up. I helped the Bishop into one and the got in and sat between his legs. I said "Thank God for that" followed by "sorry Bishop". He said "My son, God was looking after us today". We gave the fishermen all the money we had in our pockets when the Harbour Masters eventually found us and took us to shore. I understand the fishermen were later given a reward. The aircraft was eventually located and salvaged by naval vessels. Subsequent examination showed that the large fuel tank on the starboard side was isolated and the small tank on the port side isolated following servicing. That is why the port engine ran for considerably longer. Had both large tanks been isolated I would probably not be here to give this narrative. Also had the door not ripped off we would have been trapped as both escape hatches were jammed by the fuselage warping. I am now 78 years old.
I hope this will be of interest.
David Hambly"
Sources:
Hello Dave that was a very accurate report of what happened. I hope the ensuing years have treated you kindly. With all good wishes. Wally Sanson .....now 83 !!
Images:
Aden 1955.
Revision history:
| Date/time | Contributor | Updates |
|---|---|---|
| 25-Apr-2012 06:00 | Dr. John Smith | Added |
| 18-Jul-2012 12:42 | walter | Updated [Operator, Total occupants, Phase, Departure airport, Source, Narrative] |
| 08-Oct-2012 02:51 | TB | Updated [Cn, Operator, Departure airport, Source, Narrative] |
| 15-Apr-2013 11:58 | David | Updated [Narrative] |
| 19-Apr-2013 02:26 | Dr. John Smith | Updated [Operator, Source, Narrative] |
| 19-Apr-2013 02:31 | Dr. John Smith | Updated [Cn, Source, Narrative] |
| 06-May-2013 18:38 | Nepa | Updated [Operator] |
| 22-Jun-2013 17:42 | TB | Updated [Cn, Operator, Source, Narrative] |
| 23-Jul-2014 19:34 | Wally Sanson | Updated [Time, Source] |
| 02-Jan-2016 12:23 | David Allen | Updated [Narrative] |
Corrections or additions? ... Edit this accident description
The Aviation Safety Network is an exclusive service provided by:
Quick Links:
| ASN Home | Send Correction / Feedback |
| FSF Home | Disclaimer | Copyright |
| Contact Us | Privacy Policy |
| Press / Media |
CONNECT WITH US:
©2024 Flight Safety Foundation