Statuts: | Accident investigation report completed and information captured |
Date: | jeudi 8 avril 1954 |
Heure: | 19:10 |
Type/Sous-type: | de Havilland DH-106 Comet 1 |
Opérant pour: | South African Airways - SAA |
Loué à : | British Overseas Airways Corporation - BOAC |
Immatriculation: | G-ALYY |
Numéro de série: | 06011 |
Année de Fabrication: | 1952-09-10 (1 year 7 months) |
Heures de vol: | 2704 |
Moteurs: | 4 de Havilland Ghost 50 |
Equipage: | victimes: 7 / à bord: 7 |
Passagers: | victimes: 14 / à bord: 14 |
Total: | victimes: 21 / à bord: 21 |
Dégats de l'appareil: | Détruit |
Conséquences: | Written off (damaged beyond repair) |
Lieu de l'accident: | ca 17 km W off San Lucido ( Italie)
|
Phase de vol: | En vol (ENR) |
Nature: | Transport de Passagers Intern. |
Aéroport de départ: | Roma-Ciampino Airport (CIA/LIRA), Italie |
Aéroport de destination: | Cairo-Farouk Airport (CAI/HECA), Egypte |
Numéro de vol: | 201 |
Détails:DH-106 Comet G-ALYY was leased to South African Airways by BOAC. It was flown by SAA crew members between Johannesburg and London with several intermediate stops. The aircraft was grounded in January 1954 following the in-flight structural breakup of sistership G-ALYP. Special checks were carried out and a number of modifications were made affecting the airframe, the controls and the fire detection and protection at the engines. On the 15th February, 1954, the fuselage was subjected to a proving test to 11 lb/sq. in. The aircraft was returned available for service on the 24th February, 1954.
Passengers services with Comet aircraft were permitted to resume on the 23rd March, 1954.
G-ALYY arrived at Rome-Ciampino (CIA) on the 7th April from London and was due to depart the same evening. However, on completion of refuelling it was discovered that the centre tank contents gauge showed no reading although the tank was full. The fault was eventually traced to a co-axial cable for which a replacement had to be flown from England and the departure of the aircraft was consequently delayed for about 24 hours.
SAA Flight 201 finally departed Rome at 18:32. G-ALYY climbed through three moderately thick layers of cloud. After taking off the aircraft from time to time gave its position by radio telephone to Rome Air Control at Ciampino and on the last such occasion at about 18:57 reported that it was abeam Naples and climbing to 35,000 ft. This position and those given earlier indicated that the flight was proceeding according to the B.O.A.C. flight plan. At 19:05 Cairo received a signal from the aircraft reporting its departure from Rome and giving its estimated time of arrival at Cairo. Thereafter no message was received from G-ALYY.
Based on the findings of the accident to G-ALYP, it was concluded that G-ALYY must also have suffered structural failure of the pressure cabin, due to fatigue.
Probable Cause:
PROBABLE CAUSE: "Owing to the absence of wreckage, we are unable to form a definite opinion on the cause of the accident near Naples, but we draw attention to the fact that the explanation offered for the accident at Elba appears to be applicable to that at Naples."
Accident investigation:
|
Investigating agency: | MinTrans UK |
Status: | Investigation completed |
Duration: | 299 days (10 months) | Accident number: | CAP127 | Download report: | Final report
|
|
Sources:
» ICAO Accident Digest, Circular 47-AN/42 (16-45)
» Report of the Public Inquiry into the causes and circumstances of the accident which occurred on the 8th of April, 1954, to the Comet aircraft G-ALYY
Photos
G-ALYY
accident date:
08-04-1954type: de Havilland DH-106 Comet 1
registration: G-ALYY
Plan
Ce plan montre l'aéroport de départ ainsi que la supposée destination du vol. La ligne fixe reliant les deux aéroports n'est pas le plan de vol exact.
La distance entre Roma-Ciampino Airport et Cairo-Farouk Airport est de 2111 km (1319 miles).
Accident location: Approximate; accuracy within a few kilometers.
Les informations ci-dessus ne représentent pas l'opinion de la 'Flight Safety Foundation' ou de 'Aviation Safety Network' sur les causes de l'accident. Ces informations prélimimaires sont basées sur les faits tel qu'ils sont connus à ce jour.