Accident
Last updated: 25 May 2013
| Statuts: | Préliminaire |
| Date: | 15 JAN 1955 |
| Type/Sous-type: | Vickers 701 Viscount |
| Compagnie: | British European Airways - BEA |
| Immatriculation: | G-AMOK |
| Numéro de série: | 24 |
| Année de Fabrication: | 1953 |
| Moteurs: | 4 Rolls Royce 505 Dart |
| Equipage: | victimes: 0 / à bord: 5 |
| Passagers: | victimes: 0 / à bord: 25 |
| Total: | victimes: 0 / à bord: 30 |
| Dégats de l'appareil: | Substantiels |
| Conséquences: | Repaired |
| Lieu de l'accident: | London-Heathrow Airport (LHR) (Royaume Uni) |
| Phase de vol: | Au décollage (TOF) |
| Nature: | Transport de Passagers Intern. |
| Aéroport de départ: | London-Heathrow Airport (LHR/EGLL), Royaume Uni |
| Nice-le Var Airport (NCE/LFMN), France |
The flight was cleared for take-off from runway 15R at London-Heathrow, for a departure on a flight to Athens-Hellinikon (LGAT) via Nice-Le Var (LFMN). However, in poor visibility (400 yards) the pilot selected runway 3, which was a disused runway. The runway did not have markings to show it was disused.
On its attempted take-off, the Viscount struck a barrier of steel girders which tore off the two port engines and part of the landing gear. Some of the aircraft's fuel tanks were punctured, but the aircraft did not catch fire. Of the 30 souls on board, the captain and one passenger received minor injuries.
A subsequent inquiry blamed the aircraft's commander and First Officer of not checking whether they had selected the right runway. Both pilots were temporally suspended and stripped of their seniority, but subsequently allowed to resume flights with the company. The inquest also resulted in recommentations on the runway/taxiway markings and ground controlling at London Aiport.
Note: "Runway 3" was a designation for one of the original pattern runways of Heathrow Airport. It had a 15/33 allignment, and crossed the airport at the spot where the present-day Terminal 3 is. The runway was closed in 1949 - six years prior to the accident - to allow for the construction of the airport's Central Terminal. Under the same designation system, runway 15L/33R, the runway in use, was called "Runway 6".
Sources:
» Viscount C/N 24
» Flight International 21 Jan. 1955
» Flight International 23 Sep. 1955
Photos
Plan
Ce plan montre l'aéroport de départ ainsi que la supposé destination du vol. La ligne fixe reliant les deux aéroports n'est pas le plan de vol exact.
La distance entre London-Heathrow Airport et Nice-le Var Airport est de 1034 km (646 miles).
La distance entre London-Heathrow Airport et Nice-le Var Airport est de 1034 km (646 miles).
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 tels qui sont connus à ce jour.
