1953 Skyways Avro York disappearance
 Sister aircraft G-AHFG in 1952 | |
| Incident | |
|---|---|
| Date | 2 February 1953 |
| Summary | Unexplained disappearance |
| Site | North Atlantic |
| Aircraft | |
| Aircraft type | Avro York |
| Operator | Skyways |
| Registration | G-AHFA |
| Flight origin | Stansted Airport, Stansted, United Kingdom |
| Destination | Jamaica |
| Occupants | 39 |
| Passengers | 33 |
| Crew | 6 |
| Fatalities | 39 |
| Survivors | 0 |
On 2 February 1953, an Avro York four-engined piston airliner registered G-AHFA of Skyways disappeared over the North Atlantic on a flight from the United Kingdom to Jamaica.[1] The aircraft had 39 occupants including 13 children.[2]
It is the (presumed) third deadliest aircraft disappearance, behind Malaysia Airlines Flight 370 and Flying Tiger Line Flight 739.
Accident
[edit]The Avro York was a military trooping flight for the British Air Ministry from Stansted Airport in the United Kingdom to Jamaica with six crew and 33 passengers, including soldiers with their families.[1][3] The aircraft had stopped at Lajes Field in the Azores and departed at 23:25 on 1 February 1953 for Gander Airport in Newfoundland.[1] The aircraft transmitted Positional Operational Meteorological Reports at approximately one-hour intervals from 00:10 to 04:25 on 2 February.[1] At 04:10 the aircraft position was given as 44°32'N 41°38'W.[1] At 05:31 Gander heard an Urgency signal from the aircraft giving a position a minute before the message as 46°15'N 46°31'W.[1] The urgency signal was followed by a distress message SOS, SOS, SOS DE G-A the message stopped abruptly and no further communications from the aircraft were heard.[1]
An extensive air and sea search failed to find any trace of the aircraft or the 39 occupants.[1][2] The following day (3 February) United States Coast Guard cutter Campbell reported several large oil patches and dye markers about 120 miles south-west of the last reported position of the aircraft; the Campbell reported that the search area had snow squalls.[4]
Aircraft
[edit]The Avro York (registration: G-AHFA[5]) had been built in 1946 and had completed 6,418 hours total flying time.[6] It had a valid certificate of airworthiness issued three days before the disappearance and had been completely overhauled in November 1952.[6] The aircraft was owned by the Lancashire Aircraft Corporation and operated by Skyways.[3]
The aircraft was first registered to the Ministry of Supply and Aircraft Production on 20 March 1946.[7] It was registered to British South American Airways (BSAA) on 20 August 1946 and operated with the name "Star Dale".[7][8] It was sold to British Overseas Airways Corporation (BOAC) on 3 September 1949.[7] BOAC sold the aircraft in 1951 and it was registered to the Lancashire Aircraft Corporation on 11 December 1951.[7]
Investigation
[edit]A public inquiry was opened in London at Holborn Town Hall on 2 July 1953 to consider possible causes of the loss of the York.[6] The Solicitor General representing The Crown absolved the crew from blame; he also ruled out sabotage or contaminated fuel.[6] On the second day the Chief Investigation Officer of the Accidents Investigation Branch (AIB) gave an opinion that it may have been an uncontrollable fire in one of the aircraft's engines.[9]
The report of the inquiry was issued on 3 December 1953 and stated that the cause was unascertainable.[3] The court found the loss was not contributed by any wrongful act or default of any person or party.[3] It was concluded that the urgency signal was transmitted at a normal speed and possibly not an indication that urgent assistance was required, quickly followed by a hasty distress signal indicated that whatever the trouble it developed in a sudden and violent manner.[3]
References
[edit]- Citations
- ^ a b c d e f g h Civil Aviation Authority 1974, p. 3/53
- ^ a b "York Aircraft Missing 39 on Board". News. The Times. No. 52536. London. 3 February 1953. col F, p. 8.
- ^ a b c d e "Air Crash Cause Not Found Trouble "Sudden And Violent"". News. The Times. No. 52796. London. 4 December 1953. col E, p. 4.
- ^ "Search For Missing Airliner – Oil Patches Seen on Sea". News. The Times. No. 52536. London. 4 February 1953. col F, p. 5.
- ^ "G-INFO Database". Civil Aviation Authority.
- ^ a b c d "Lost York's Crew Absolved – Counsel's Statement at Inquiry". Law. The Times. No. 52664. London. 3 July 1953. col E, p. 3.
- ^ a b c d Civil Aviation Authority Registration Document for G-AHFA Archived 10 September 2012 at the Wayback Machine
- ^ Jackson 1973, p. 463
- ^ "Expert's Opinion on Loss of Airliner "Uncontrollable Fire in One Engine"". News. The Times. No. 52667. London. 7 July 1953. col E, p. 3.
- Bibliography
- World Accident Summary. Civil Aviation Authority (United Kingdom). 1974. ISBN 0-903083-44-2.
- Jackson, A.J. (1973). British Civil Aircraft since 1919 Volume 1. London: Putnam. ISBN 0-370-10006-9.
External links
[edit]- "Skyways York Enquiry" a 1953 Flight news item
- Aviation safety Network report of accident