ASN Wikibase Occurrence # 205738
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: | Monday 12 July 1954 |
| Time: | 17:27 UTC |
| Type: | Percival P.10 Vega Gull |
| Owner/operator: | Group Captain Mansell Maybury Grece* |
| Registration: | G-AFBC |
| MSN: | K.75 |
| Fatalities: | Fatalities: 3 / Occupants: 3 |
| Aircraft damage: | Destroyed |
| Location: | Southampton Airport, Eastleigh, Hampshire -
 United Kingdom
|
| Phase: | Take off |
| Nature: | Private |
| Departure airport: | Southampton Airport, Eastleigh, Hampshire |
| RAF Middle Wallop, Hampshire | |
| Confidence Rating: |  Information is only available from news, social media or unofficial sources |
First registered [C of R 8046] on 9.8.37 as G-AFBC to Alan Rees Colman, Norwich (aircraft based at Norwich Airport, Norwich, Norfolk). C of A 6061 issued in August 1937.
Civil registration G-AFBC cancelled 1.3.40 when impressed into military service as X9340. However initially it was operated by the Station Flight at Farnborough carrying its civil registration mark. There it suffered a landing accident on 12.3.40, after which it was employed by the School of Photography. On 16.10.40 it was flown to Southern Aircraft at Gatwick for Major Inspection, before being ferried to No. 5 Maintenance Unit at Kemble as X9340 on 7.2.41. On 17.4.41, it was released and returned to Farnborough with No. 70 Group Communication Flight. There it stayed until 13.9.43, when it departed to No. 22 Group Communication Flight at Ternhill in Shropshire. It served there, inconspicuously, for over three years until it was sent back to No. 5 Maintenance Unit at Kemble on 4.12.46. It was one of the many ex-civilian aeroplanes that featured in Kemble's legendary post-war disposal sales.
Registration restored [C of R 8046/2] on 3.6.47 to Alexander James Muir, Scone, Perthshire. Registration cancelled 15.7.47. Registration restored [C of R 8046/3] 3.8.48 to Anglo Continental Aero Services Ltd., London EC.4. Registration cancelled 16.9.48. Registration restored [C of R 8046/4] on 13.10.48 to Lady Joan Sherborne, Cheltenham, Gloucestershire
Written off (damaged beyond repair) 12.7.54 when crashed at 17:27 hours GMT, 1/4 mile from Southampton Airport, Eastleigh, Hampshire: engine failed on take off, all 3 on board (pilot and two passengers) killed. According to the following extract from the official AAIB accident report:
"The aircraft had landed at Eastleigh Airport to clear customs after a flight from La Baule, France which took 2 hours and 23 minutes. During this flight the engine ran erratically with the throttle set to cruising. At full throttle it ran normally. The pilot attributed the trouble to an ignition defect so on arrival at Eastleigh asked B.O.A.C. mechanics to check the magnetos. Both contact breakers were cleaned and adjusted but before the starboard one was refitted the mechanic (J. Annear) advised the pilot to have it renewed as the points were badly worn. The pilot said this was unnecessary as he was only making a short flight.
The pilot ground tested the engine and appeared to be satisfied but said the engine would not switch off. The mechanic (J. Annear) said he would adjust the make and break cover spring but was not allowed by the pilot to do so; the pilot saying he would stop the engine by turning off the petrol - he was seen to do this. The aircraft then left for Middle Wallop at 17:25 hours.
It made a normal take off and the engine appeared to be running satisfactorily. When a height of about 80 feet had been reached, with the aircraft still within the aerodrome boundary, the engine started misfiring. It continued to climb but soon afterwards, when over the aerodrome boundary, at an estimated height of between 120 feet to 150 feet, a gentle turn to the left was started which brought the aircraft on to a parallel course with the Eastleigh-Southampton Road which borders the aerodrome. The engine continued to misfire and shortly afterwards appeared to cut out.
At the time the aircraft was in a level attitude and had lost about 50 feet in height. Almost immediately after the engine cut out the nose and left wing dropped abruptly and the aircraft dived to the ground. On impact the port wing disintegrated and the starboard wing turned over. On impact the engine broke off and the front portion of the fuselage was telescoped."
In addition, the following newspaper report ("Yorkshire Post and Leeds Intelligencer", Tuesday 13 July 1954) names the three on board that were killed:
"THREE DIE IN PRIVATE 'PLANE CRASH
Dive into ground near airfield.
Three people returning home from a Continental holiday were killed when a private Percival aircraft crashed in a cornfield in Eastleigh, near Southampton Airport, last night. They were the owner, Group Captain Mansell Maybury Grece, of RAF Station, Middle Wallop, Hampshire, and Mrs. Grece and her uncle, Mr. H. D. Hannan (59), of Victoria Road, Kensington.
The plane had landed at the airport earlier with engine trouble but took off again after repairs. The aircraft, bound for Middle Wallop airfield, had arrived from France.
'Nose into ground.'
Forty-year-old Group Captain Grece was on leave before getting a new posting. It was as part of this leave he and his wife and her uncle were holidaying on the Continent. Until the end of June he had been Commanding Officer of RAF Station, Middle Wallop.
Mr. Basil Parker of Eastleigh, said: "The plane came down like a stone. It had just missed the telephone wires on an awkward east-to-west landing approach when it suddenly dropped and its nose went into the ground."
The plane belonged to Lady Sherborne until three weeks ago, when it was sold to Group Captain Grece for use in a newly-formed flying club. Group Captain Grece was commissioned in the RAF in 1939 and a year later awarded the DFC. Mrs. Grece was the only daughter of Mr. Clement J. Harman, one of Her Majesty's Lieutenants for the City of London."
*The above newspaper report states that the aircraft was sold on or about 20.6.54 to Group Captain Grece, but the aircraft's record was not updated at the time of the crash (or since). It merely states "Change of Ownership of Aircraft" on 20.6.54, but fails to name the new owner. The registration has thus never been officially cancelled, other than "sold 20.6.54", with no reference to the above accident.
Sources:
1. Yorkshire Post and Leeds Intelligencer - Tuesday 13 July 1954
2. http://afleetingpeace.org/index.php/15-aeroplanes/80-register-gb-g-af
3. https://cwsprduksumbraco.blob.core.windows.net/g-info/HistoricalLedger/G-AFBC.pdf
4. http://www.airhistory.org.uk/gy/reg_G-A10.html
5. http://www.airliners.net/photo/Percival-P-10-Vega/1675981/L
6. http://www.hampshireairfields.co.uk/hancrash.html
7. http://sussexhistoryforum.co.uk/index.php?topic=10438.0
8. National Archives (PRO Kew) File BT 219/74: https://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/details/r/C414846
9. National Archives (PRO Kew) File BT 219/75: https://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/details/r/C414847
.
Revision history:
| Date/time | Contributor | Updates |
|---|---|---|
| 06-Feb-2018 17:25 | Dr. John Smith | Added |
| 16-Dec-2019 23:37 | Dr. John Smith | Updated [Source] |
| 22-Feb-2020 19:00 | Dr. John Smith | Updated [Source, Narrative] |
| 15-Apr-2020 20:43 | Dr. John Smith | Updated [Operator, Source, 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