Zone

Crash of a Vickers 648 Varsity I in El Paso

Date & Time: Dec 11, 1983 at 1415 LT
Type of aircraft:
Registration:
N65338
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
El Paso - El Paso
YOM:
1953
Crew on board:
2
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Captain / Total flying hours:
1425
Captain / Total hours on type:
5.00
Aircraft flight hours:
7371
Circumstances:
The aircraft was on a flight from the El Paso Intl Airport to the West Texas Airport. A hard landing was made causing all three landing gear to collapse, folded the left wing aft just inboard of the engine and twisted the entire right wing about 30° leading edge down. According to the pilot the aircraft was flown with 30° of flaps on downwind and 47° of flaps on base. He also reported that both airspeed indicators were stuck at 110 knots. According to photographs taken by an unidentified party, the flaps were in the up position in the pattern and during touchdown. Touchdown was made with the right main gear off the right side of the rwy. The aircraft wheel track is only 4 feet less than the width of the runway. The pilot did not have a type rating nor authorization in lieu of a type rating for the 15 minutes ferry flight. The pilot had 4,140 hours copilot time in the aircraft, during which he had never landed the aircraft.
Probable cause:
Occurrence #1: hard landing
Phase of operation: landing - flare/touchdown
Findings
1. (c) judgment - poor - pilot in command
2. (c) overconfidence in personal ability - pilot in command
3. (f) flight/nav instruments,airspeed indicator - inoperative
4. (c) level off - misjudged - pilot in command
5. (c) inadequate initial training - pilot in command
6. (c) lack of total experience in type of aircraft - pilot in command
7. (c) unsuitable terrain or takeoff/landing/taxi area - selected - pilot in command
8. (c) proper alignment - not attained - pilot in command
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Occurrence #2: complete gear collapsed
Phase of operation: landing - flare/touchdown
Findings
9. Landing gear,main gear - overload
10. Landing gear,nose gear - overload
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Occurrence #3: airframe/component/system failure/malfunction
Phase of operation: landing - flare/touchdown
Findings
11. Wing - overload
Final Report: