Status: | Accident investigation report completed and information captured |
Date: | Thursday 13 April 1950 |
Type: | Vickers 610 Viking 1B |
Operator: | British European Airways - BEA |
Registration: | G-AIVL |
MSN: | 225 |
First flight: | 1947-06-21 (2 years 10 months) |
Crew: | Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 4 |
Passengers: | Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 28 |
Total: | Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 32 |
Aircraft damage: | Substantial |
Aircraft fate: | Repaired |
Location: | 48 km (30 mls) S of Hastings ( United Kingdom)
|
Phase: | En route (ENR) |
Nature: | International Scheduled Passenger |
Departure airport: | London-Northolt Airport (NHT/EGWU), United Kingdom |
Destination airport: | Paris (unknown airport), France |
Narrative:En route over the Channel, a explosion occurred in the rear of the plane, seriously injuring the flight attendant. The explosion caused an 8 feet high and 4 feet wide hole in the fuselage. Without rudder and most elevator control the captain, presuming a lightning strike, returned to Northolt where he made a safe landing. A French passenger was suspected of making a suicide attempt. The airplane, named "Vigilant" was repaired and entered service again on October 4, 1950.
Probable Cause:
PROBABLE CAUSE: "The damage to the aircraft was a result of an explosion of an infernal machine in the toilet compartment. The probable location of this destructive agent was in the used paper towel receptacle."
Sources:
» ICAO Circular 18-AN/15 (51-52)
Photos
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.