Essex

The aircraft landed at Southend (SEN) from Antwerp (ANR) at 07:50 hrs on a day excursion. Following a 9 hour rest period, the crew reported for duty at 18:30 to prepare for the return flight. Start up and taxiing out were normal, and a limited power check was completed before takeoff. The Captain, had given a full pre-takeoff briefing before the aircraft left Antwerp that morning, and on this occasion only called for a 'standard briefing', but emphasized that the full abort procedures would be as given during his previous instruction. The First Officer was handling the aircraft from the right hand seat, and gave a shortened takeoff briefing which included the actions required for engine failure before and after V1. Both pilots were wearing headsets, (not fitted with boom microphones) but were not using these for flight deck intercommunication purposes; the Flight Engineer was not wearing a headset. The Captain, who controlled the only source of nose-wheel steering, lined up the aircraft at the beginning of runway 24. Brakes were released and, after stabilizing all four engines at 30 inches of manifold pressure, the First Officer advanced all the right hand throttle levers to takeoff power. The Flight Engineer followed this movement with his left hand on the left-hand group of throttle levers and, when takeoff power was achieved, held the throttle friction lever with his right hand. The captain 's left hand was on the nose steering wheel. At about 75-80 knots, shortly before V1, the captain instructed the Flight Engineer to adjust the power on engines 1 and 2 which were overboosting slightly. The Flight Engineer made this adjustment coincident with the captain calling V1 at about 88 knots, and very shortly afterwards the captain saw the red 'gear unsafe' warning light illuminate. Unknown to the captain or the First Officer the Flight Engineer had made an UP selection of the landing gear selector lever. He stated subsequently that he thought the captain had instructed him to do so shortly after calling V1. The pilots maintain that no such order was given and that nothing additional to the normal procedural calls was said by either of them. The aircraft subsided on to its nose and its propellers struck the runway; throttles were closed and the captain attempted to maintain directional control by use of rudder. The aircraft came to rest 3 metres from the end of the runway with its nose on the ground and with the main landing gear still extended. As soon as the aircraft came to rest the Flight Engineer, having closed the mixture controls to idle cut off and pulled the 'ganged switches' bar, left the aircraft through the right front exit door. On seeing exhaust fires in Nos. 2 and 3 engines he returned to the flight deck and carried out the appropriate engine fire drills. However Nor 3 engine continued to burn, and he extinguished this fire with a portable CO2 appliance. During this period, evacuation drills were initiated, and the passengers left the aircraft in an expeditious and reasonably orderly manner, mostly through the front exit, but some by chute from the rear exit, and a few from an overwing emergency exit.

On final approach to Stapleford Airfield in poor weather conditions, the pilot failed to realize his altitude was insufficient when the airplane struck trees located 2,400 meters short of runway threshold. The aircraft stalled and crashed in a field, injuring both occupants.

The aircraft was engaged in a charter flight from Southend to Amsterdam, carrying 32 supporters of the Ajax football team back to The Netherlands. Following a fall in manifold pressure and the discovery of an oil leak in the starboard engine soon after a night takeoff, the pilot decided to return to Southend Airport for an emergency landing. In order to avoid an overshoot, he positioned the flaps to a 15° angle for the landing which resulted in a higher than normal airspeed at touchdown. The aircraft touched down about half-way down the runway in use, overran the paved area and collided with an earth bank. Of the 32 passengers and four crew on board, two passengers were injured. The aircraft was damaged beyond repair.

The crew completed the landing procedure on a wet runway 06 at a too high speed. After touchdown, the captain started the braking procedure but thought he was encountering aquaplaning situation when control was lost. The airplane veered to the right and went down an embankment before coming to rest, broken in several pieces. All 83 occupants were evacuated safely while the aircraft was destroyed.

The crew was engaged in a local training flight at Stansted Airport. Shortly after takeoff, while in initial climb, the crew lost control of the airplane that stalled and crashed in flames in an open field. The aircraft was destroyed and all three crew members were injured. The crew was simulating an engine failure at takeoff when control was lost.

The crew was involved in a local test flight out from Southend Airport in the goal to renew the Airworthiness certificate. Shortly after takeoff, while in initial climb, a technical failure occurred on the engine number four. The crew was forced to shut down the engine and to feather its propeller when control was lost. The airplane lost height and crashed in an open field located near the airport, broke in two and came to rest. While all three crew members were injured, two people on the ground were killed.

Following an uneventful flight from Barcelona, the crew completed the approach and the landing on a wet runway. After touchdown, the pilot applied brakes according to the procedures but the aircraft was unable to stop within the remaining distance, overran, struck an embankment and came to rest with its nose on a railway track. All 76 occupants were evacuated safely while the aircraft was considered as damaged beyond repair.

On approach to Southend Airport while on a charter flight, the crew completed the approach check-list and noted that the green light connected to the right main gear was not ON. The crew elected to use the emergency gear extension system that failed so a landing was attempted on the grassy area parallel to the runway. On touchdown, the undercarriage collapsed and the airplane slid for several yards before coming to rest. All 39 occupants were evacuated safely while the aircraft was considered as damaged beyond repair.

The crew was completing a cargo flight from Malta-Luqa to Stansted. On approach, the visibility was limited due to poor weather conditions and the captain decided to make a go around. Few minutes later, a second attempt to land was also abandoned. During a third approach, the pilot-in-command descended below the glide, apparently to establish a visual contact with the ground, when the airplane struck trees and crashed in flames 0.75 mile short of runway threshold. The airplane was destroyed and all four crew members were killed.

The flight was to be via Malta to Habbaniya, Iraq, and was being made on charter by the Air Ministry to carry RAF personnel and their families. On board were 5 crew members, 45 passengers and four babies. The take-off run was begun at approximately 0930 hours Greenwich Mean Time. After travelling some 300 yards along the temporary runway, the aircraft developed a swing to starboard with a consequential skidding movement of the tires so severe that within a further distance of less than 100 yards it left the runway on the starboard side still under the influence of the swing, skidding and travelling at about 45 knots. On reaching a 'French' drain some 25 feet from the runway the undercarriage collapsed, the starboard wheel fell clear and the aircraft settled on its belly and on the port wheel. The aircraft finally came to rest pointing back almost in the direction from which it had begun its run. One aircraftsman and a 4-year old girl were killed and 4 other passengers were seriously injured.