Crash of a Handley Page H.P.67 Hastings C.1 off Gan AFB

Date & Time: Mar 1, 1960
Operator:
Registration:
TG579
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Colombo - Gan AFB
MSN:
70
YOM:
1949
Region:
Crew on board:
6
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
14
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
Weather conditions at Gan AFB were poor with thunderstorm activity, heavy rain falls and low visibility. The captain decided to abandon the approach and made a go around before following a holding circuit for about 20 minutes, waiting for weather improvement. During a second approach, the crew failed to realize his altitude was insufficient (420 feet below the glide) when the airplane struck the water surface about three km short of runway threshold. All 20 occupants were evacuated while the aircraft was lost.
Probable cause:
Wrong approach configuration on part of the crew who descended below the glide in marginal weather conditions without visual contact with runway. Crew fatigue and impairment of vision by rain were considered as contributing factors.

Crash of a Handley Page H.P.67 Hastings at Gan AFB

Date & Time: Jul 3, 1959
Operator:
Registration:
TG580
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Katunayake – Gan
MSN:
71
YOM:
1949
Region:
Crew on board:
0
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
On touchdown, the airplane hit the ground. On impact, the undercarriage were sheared off and the airplane slid on its belly for few dozen yards before coming to rest. There were no casualties but the aircraft was damaged beyond repair. It was reported that a cross wind was gusting to 23 knots at the time of the accident, which may contribute to the accident.

Crash of a Handley Page H.P.67 Hastings C.1 in Khartoum: 5 killed

Date & Time: May 29, 1959
Operator:
Registration:
TG522
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Khartoum – Cairo – London
MSN:
26
YOM:
1948
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
5
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
25
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
5
Circumstances:
The aircraft was on its way from Khartoum to London with an intermediate stop at Cairo, carrying a crew of five and 25 passengers on behalf of the 36th Squadron. After takeoff from Khartoum Airport, while climbing, the pilot informed ground that the engine number two failed and received the permission to return for a safe landing. The captain made a turn to the left to join the approach path when the airplane rolled left and right and eventually banked left. In such conditions, the captain decided to shut down the engine number one he thought that was malfunctioning. While trying to maintain a stable attitude, he lost control of the airplane that stalled and crashed. On impact, the undercarriage and all four engines were sheared off and the aircraft skidded for several yards before coming to rest. While all 25 passengers were injured, all five crew members were killed.
Probable cause:
Investigations were unable to determine the exact cause of the failure of the engine number two. Technical analysis on engine number one did not reveal any issues so the decision of the pilot to shut it down was unfounded.

Crash of a Handley Page H.P.67 Hastings C.1 at RAF Colerne

Date & Time: Oct 21, 1957
Operator:
Registration:
TG615
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Colerne - Colerne
MSN:
93
YOM:
1949
Region:
Crew on board:
5
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
The crew was completing a local training sortie at RAF Colerne and the approach was attempted with one engine voluntarily inoperative to test asymmetric thrust. On final, the aircraft rolled left and right, lost height and hit trees. The pilot-in-command started a go-around maneuver when the airplane stalled and crashed in flames in a prairie located about 1,3 mile short of runway threshold. All five crew members were rescued while the aircraft was totally destroyed by a post crash fire.

Crash of a Handley Page H.P.67 C.2 Hastings in Ataq

Date & Time: Apr 9, 1956
Operator:
Registration:
WD483
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Aden – Ataq
MSN:
111
YOM:
1951
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
5
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
On touchdown at Ataq Airport, the left main gear collapsed, followed shortly later by the right main gear. The airplane skidded on the runway for dozen yards before coming to rest in flames. All five occupants were evacuated, two of them were seriously injured.

Crash of a Handley Page H.P.67 Hastings C.1 at RAF Dishforth: 5 killed

Date & Time: Sep 13, 1955
Operator:
Registration:
TG584
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Dishforth - Dishforth
MSN:
75
YOM:
1949
Region:
Crew on board:
5
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
5
Captain / Total flying hours:
5000
Copilot / Total flying hours:
5000
Circumstances:
The crew was completing a local training sortie at RAF Dishforth. On final approach, the pilot-in-command decided to abandon the landing and started a go around procedure. With one engine voluntarily inoperative and the remaining three engines running slow, the aircraft stalled and crashed short of runway threshold. The aircraft was destroyed and all five crew members were killed. Experienced, both pilots totalized more than 5,000 flying hours.

Crash of a Handley Page H.P.95 Hastings C.3 in Darwin

Date & Time: Sep 9, 1955
Operator:
Registration:
NZ5804
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Darwin – Singapore
MSN:
150
YOM:
1953
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
5
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
20
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
Shortly after takeoff from Darwin Airport, while climbing, the four engine aircraft suffered a bird strike. As an engine lost power, the aircraft stalled and crashed past the runway end. All 25 occupants were injured and the aircraft was damaged beyond repair.
Probable cause:
Engine failure caused by a bird strike after takeoff.

Crash of a Handley Page H.P.67 Hastings C.2 at RAF Abingdon

Date & Time: Jul 26, 1955
Operator:
Registration:
WJ341
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Abingdon - Abingdon
MSN:
142
YOM:
1952
Region:
Crew on board:
3
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
The crew was completing a local training sortie at RAF Abingdon on behalf of the 24th Squadron. On approach, the captain ask his crew to be ready as he wanted to perform a short landing and they must shut down the engine in due time. In a certain confusion, the flight engineer understood the words 'shut down the engine' only and immediately shut down all four engines. The aircraft stalled and hit the ground short of runway, lost a wing and came to rest. While all three crew members were unhurt, the aircraft was written off.
Probable cause:
Crew error in shutting down all engine prematurely on final approach.

Crash of a Handley Page H.P.67 Hastings C.2 at RAF Boscombe Down: 2 killed

Date & Time: Mar 2, 1955
Operator:
Registration:
WD484
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Boscombe Down - Boscombe Down
MSN:
112
YOM:
1951
Region:
Crew on board:
4
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
2
Circumstances:
The crew was engaged in a local training flight at RAF Boscombe Down. Shortly after takeoff, the airplane nosed up and climbed steeply to a height of 300 feet then banked right, stalled and crashed. Two crew members were killed while two others were seriously injured. The aircraft was destroyed.
Probable cause:
Poor flight preparation on part of the crew who did not follow the pre-departure checklist and departed with the elevators still in a lock position.

Crash of a Handley Page H.P.67 Hastings C.1 in RAF Abingdon

Date & Time: Oct 9, 1953
Operator:
Registration:
TG559
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Abingdon - Abingdon
MSN:
50
YOM:
1949
Region:
Crew on board:
4
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
The crew was performing a local training sortie at RAF Abingdon. The final approach was completed in low visibility due to the night and foggy conditions when the aircraft hit the ground, lost its left wing and came to rest in a field located few hundred yards short of runway threshold. All four crew members were injured and the aircraft was damaged beyond repair.