ASN Aircraft accident Avro 688 Tudor 1 G-AHNP western Atlantic Ocean
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Status:Accident investigation report completed and information captured
Date:Friday 30 January 1948
Type:Silhouette image of generic tudr model; specific model in this crash may look slightly different
Avro 688 Tudor 1
Operator:British South American Airways - BSAA
Registration: G-AHNP
MSN: 1349
First flight: 1947-11-04 (3 months)
Crew:Fatalities: 6 / Occupants: 6
Passengers:Fatalities: 25 / Occupants: 25
Total:Fatalities: 31 / Occupants: 31
Aircraft damage: Missing
Aircraft fate: Presumed damaged beyond repair
Location:western Atlantic Ocean (   Atlantic Ocean)
Phase: En route (ENR)
Nature:International Scheduled Passenger
Departure airport:Santa Maria-Vila do Porto Airport, Azores (SMA/LPAZ), Portugal
Destination airport:Bermuda Air Terminal (BDA/TXKF), Bermuda
Narrative:
Avro Tudor "Star Tiger" departed London on January 27 for a flight to Bermuda. A failure of the cabin heating system and compass problems were remedied during the overnight stop at Lisbon, Portugal. The flight continued to Santa Maria, Azores the next day where the crew decided to stay overnight , because of predicted adverse weather conditions on the leg to Bermuda. A company Lancastrian (G-AGWL) was staying overnight as well. During the stay, compass trouble was again remedied. The Lancastrian departed Santa Maria at 14:22 for the flight to Bermuda, followed by the "Star Tiger" at 15:35. G-AHNP took off with a full load of petrol, causing a 936 pounds overload on takeoff. Planned flying altitude was 2000 feet. Last radio contact was at 03:00 and nothing more was heard from the flight. At 04:11 Lancastrian G-AGWL landed safely at Kindley Field, Bermuda one hour past the estimated time of arrival due to stronger then predicted headwinds (which had caused the plane to be carried 68 miles off course).

Probable Cause:

PROBABLE CAUSE: "In the complete absence of any reliable evidence as to either the nature or the cause of the disaster to 'Star Tiger' the Court has not been able to do more than suggest possibilities, none of which reaches the level even of probability. Into all activities which involve the co-operation of man and machine two elements enter of very diverse character. There is the incalculable element of the human equation dependent upon imperfectly known factors; and there is the mechanical element subject to quite different laws. A breakdown may occur in either separately or in both on conjunction. Or some external cause may overwhelm both man and machine. What happened in this case will never be known and the fate of 'Star Tiger' must forever remain an unsolved mystery."

Accident investigation:

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Investigating agency: AIB (U.K.)
Status: Investigation completed
Duration: 215 days (7 months)
Accident number: Final report
Download report: Final report

Classification:

Sources:
» The Bermuda Triangle Mystery- Solved / L.D. Kusche


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Map
This map shows the airport of departure and the intended destination of the flight. The line between the airports does not display the exact flight path.
Distance from Santa Maria-Vila do Porto Airport, Azores to Bermuda Air Terminal as the crow flies is 3599 km (2249 miles).
Accident location: Global; accuracy within tens or hundreds of kilometers.

This information is not presented as the Flight Safety Foundation or the Aviation Safety Network’s opinion as to the cause of the accident. It is preliminary and is based on the facts as they are known at this time.
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Avro Tudor

  • 38 built
  • 2nd loss
  • 2nd fatal accident
  • The worst accident (at the time)
  • 2nd worst accident (currently)
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 Atlantic Ocean
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