ASN Wikibase Occurrence # 157128
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| Date: | Thursday 5 July 1973 |
| Time: | |
| Type: | Beagle Bassett CC.1 |
| Owner/operator: | 26 Sqn RAF |
| Registration: | XS783 |
| MSN: | R.19/B.042 |
| Fatalities: | Fatalities: 1 / Occupants: 3 |
| Aircraft damage: | Destroyed |
| Location: | 4 miles from RAF Valley, Anglesey, Wales -
 United Kingdom
|
| Phase: | Initial climb |
| Nature: | Military |
| Departure airport: | RAF Valley (HLY/EGOV) |
| RAF Wyton (EGUY) | |
| Confidence Rating: |  Information is only available from news, social media or unofficial sources |
Written off 6/7/1973: Crashed into an old disused stone animal enclosure as the pilot was attempting to fly to RAF Mona, Anglesey. Shortly after take off from RAF VALLEY both engines failed due to the fuel tanks having been incorrectly filled with jet fuel ("AVTUR" fuel) instead of petrol ("AVGAS" fuel). The navigator (Flt Lt Peter Lane) was killed. The passenger, Group Captain Brian Huxley, was seriously injured, but recovered, and finished his career as Air Vice Marshal Brian Huxley CB CBE
Per eyewitness report: "...I was a Squadron Commander at 4 FTS at that time, and heard the crash alarm go off. Group Captain Brian Huxley was the pilot, he was Officer Commanding RAF Valley and was being flown to, as I remember, 23 Group HQ at Wyton. Brian was assisting the other crew member to escape the wreckage when the Medical Officer arrived on the scene, and declared himself unhurt. It was only the insistence of the M.O. that Group Captain Huxley should go to Bangor hospital that saved his life. He suffered a ruptured spleen which was only found on admittance."
Per further eyewitness reports:
"The cause of the accident is well documented. The then Station Commander was seriously injured and the Navigator, who was also a well known glider pilot in the RAFGSA world was sadly killed. On the surface therefore, an "open and shut case" to hang the S.A.C involved in the refuelling.
The S.A.C however, wisely declined the services of his appointed officer, who would have been unlikely to risk his own career in the defence of an S.A.C anyway, and engaged one of m'learned friends. The result was that m'learned friend subsequently proved that what is now referred to as systemic failure contributed to the accident but nevertheless the SAC was dismissed the service after being found guilty at the subsequent Courts Martial.
The failures began at Station Flight, and progressed to the bowser pool which was located at the end of Gaydon Hangar at the time for the convenience of access to the Gnat Line.
I can't remember the exact findings but communication, the clarity of fuel markings on the bowsers / range of bowsers were closely scrutinised and shown to have been the causal factors, resulting in the S.A.C's error.
I understand that, as a result of the accident, changes were made as to the clarity of fuel markings on bowsers thereafter.
I knew the chap who signed for the refuel; he had 'taken over' the already in-progress refuel so that others could go to lunch.
In a cruel twist of fate, the presence of the Stn Cdr on board ensured a priority take-off from Valley for the Basset, at what was a very busy airfield in that era. There was just enough Avgas in the fuel feed system to get airborne - a more protracted hold at the runway threshold before take-off may have revealed the problem"
I was Runway Controller that day. It was overcast with moderate visibility and being at the end of a training course, there was zero other traffic. The destination was Northolt and I believed that Group Captain Huxley was the rear seat passenger - the pilot being the Metropolitan Comms Squadron pilot who had brought it in, but does not rate a mention here. While there was no request for a 'priority' take-off, clearance was granted as there was no other traffic. It was obvious there was a problem at power-up but attempts to prevent the take off were unsuccessful. As mentioned above, had a power check been carried out it is possible this crash could have been avoided.
Sources:
1. Halley, James (2001). Royal Air Force Aircraft XA100 to XZ999. Air-Britain. ISBN 0-85130-311-0.
2. http://www.ukserials.com/losses-1973.htm
3. http://rafforum.activeboard.com/t52119053/5th-july-1973-xs783-a-basset-cc1-of-26-squadron-near-raf-val/
4. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Beagle_B.206#Accidents_and_incidents
5. https://www.pprune.org/military-aviation/551010-another-uk-military-type-retires.html
Revision history:
| Date/time | Contributor | Updates |
|---|---|---|
| 25-Jun-2013 21:55 | Dr. John Smith | Added |
| 26-Jun-2013 09:37 | Dr. John Smith | Updated [Aircraft type, Operator, Source, Narrative] |
| 26-Jun-2013 10:00 | Dr. John Smith | Updated [Date, Location, Phase, Narrative] |
| 30-Jul-2015 19:32 | Dr. John Smith | Updated [Source, Narrative] |
| 30-Jul-2015 19:39 | Dr. John Smith | Updated [Source, Narrative] |
| 20-Oct-2016 19:16 | TUCANO | Updated [Total occupants] |
| 19-Feb-2017 08:20 | Bob Wood | Updated [Narrative] |
| 07-Sep-2017 20:50 | TUCANO | Updated [Narrative] |
| 14-Nov-2018 15:55 | Nepa | Updated [Operator, Operator] |
| 05-Jul-2023 17:27 | PeterHuxley | Updated [[Operator, Operator]] |
| 11-Jul-2023 21:16 | Nepa | Updated [[[Operator, Operator]]] |
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