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Crash of a Handley Page H.P.81 Hermes IV/A in Blackbushe: 7 killed

Date & Time: Nov 5, 1956 at 2352 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
G-ALDJ
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Tripoli – Blackbushe
MSN:
81/11
YOM:
1950
Region:
Crew on board:
6
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
74
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
7
Circumstances:
The aircraft was flying under charter to the Air Ministry and had flown from Idris Airport, Tripoli with a crew of 6 and 74 passengers, nearly all members of servicemen's families. Shortly before midnight, on landing at Blackbushe in poor visibility, the aircraft undershot the runway, hit a beech tree 3,617 feet short of the threshold, swung sharply to port, came down among pine trees about 3,000 feet from the beech tree and caught fire. Three crew members were killed by the impact and four children lost their lives due to fire.
Probable cause:
The most probable cause of the accident is that in difficult conditions and while suffering from a degree of fatigue above the normal, the captain, relying on his vision of the airport lights to assess his height, judged his height to be higher than it actually was.
Final Report:

Crash of a Handley Page H.P.81 Hermes IV/A at Faisal AFB

Date & Time: Aug 5, 1956
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
G-ALDK
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
London – Karachi
MSN:
81/12
YOM:
1950
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
7
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
65
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
The approach to Karachi International Airport was attempted in poor weather conditions and a limited visibility due to heavy rain falls. On final, the left windshield wiper failed and the crew did not realized he was approaching Faisal AFB runway 08 instead of Karachi-Intl Airpor runway 07, when the airplane struck the ground and crashed short of runway threshold at Faisal Airbase (Drigh Road). All 72 occupants were evacuated safely while the airplane was damaged beyond repair.
Probable cause:
An undershooting of the runway 07 selected for landing attributable to the failure of the aircraft's left windshield wiper. The secondary cause was a mistake in confusing runway 08 at PAF airfield Drigh Road, with runway 07 at Karachi Airport (the latter being the correct runway for use) when landing in meteorological conditions below those recommended as minima by the Pakistan Department of Civil Aviation.