Accident description
Last updated: 19 June 2013
| Status: | |
| Date: | 11 JAN 1955 |
| Time: | ca 21:00 |
| Type: | Avro Shackleton MR.2 |
| Operator: | Royal Air Force - RAF |
| Registration: | WL743 |
| C/n / msn: | |
| First flight: | 1953 |
| Engines: | 4 Rolls-Royce Griffon 57 |
| Crew: | Fatalities: 9 / Occupants: 9 |
| Passengers: | Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 0 |
| Total: | Fatalities: 9 / Occupants: 9 |
| Collision casualties: | Fatalities: 9 |
| Airplane damage: | Written off |
| Airplane fate: | Written off (damaged beyond repair) |
| Location: | S off Fastnet Rock, Ireland (Atlantic Ocean)
 |
| Phase: | En route (ENR) |
| Nature: | Military |
| Departure airport: | St Eval RAF Station, United Kingdom |
| St Eval RAF Station, United Kingdom |
Two Avro Shackleton planes (WG531 and WL743) of RAF No. 42 Squadron departed RAF St Eval on a routine exercise off the Fastnet Rock, off Ireland.
The two aircraft left St Eval at 10:14 and 10:20 respectively to carry out a 15 hour patrol and search exercise. Although they left with just six minutes separation, radio messages were received indicating that the two captains had adjusted their separation and that up to 20:00 that night were flying at the prescribed 85 miles distance from one another.
From 20:58 all contact was lost. Both aircraft were missing and never found despite a three-day search. It is assumed that both aircraft collided.
More than 11 years later when the starboard outer engine of WL743 was trawled up off the southwest Irish coast, about 75 miles north of the assumed collision point.
Events:
Sources:
» Broken Wings : Post-War Royal Air Force Accidents / James J. Halley
» The Avro Shackleton / as compiled by Chris Ashworth
» VPI Book of Remembrance
» Avro Shackleton / by John Chartres
Photos
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 St Eval RAF Station to St Eval RAF Station as the crow flies is NAN km (NAN miles).
Distance from St Eval RAF Station to St Eval RAF Station as the crow flies is NAN km (NAN miles).
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.
