ASN Aircraft accident Airspeed AS.57 Ambassador 2 G-AMAD London-Heathrow Airport (LHR)
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Status:Accident investigation report completed and information captured
Date:Wednesday 3 July 1968
Time:16:28 UTC
Type:Silhouette image of generic amba model; specific model in this crash may look slightly different
Airspeed AS.57 Ambassador 2
Operator:BKS Air Transport
Registration: G-AMAD
MSN: 5211
First flight: 1951
Total airframe hrs:22290
Engines: 2 Bristol Centaurus 661
Crew:Fatalities: 3 / Occupants: 3
Passengers:Fatalities: 3 / Occupants: 5
Total:Fatalities: 6 / Occupants: 8
Aircraft damage: Destroyed
Aircraft fate: Written off (damaged beyond repair)
Location:London-Heathrow Airport (LHR) (   United Kingdom)
Crash site elevation: 25 m (82 feet) amsl
Phase: Approach (APR)
Nature:Cargo
Departure airport:Deauville-Saint Gatien Airport (DOL/LFRG), France
Destination airport:London-Heathrow Airport (LHR/EGLL), United Kingdom
Flightnumber:C.6845
Narrative:
An Airspeed Ambassador, registered G-AMAD, was flying a cargo of 8 horses from Deauville to London. When approaching the runway 28R threshold at London Airport, the left wing suddenly dropped. The wingtip, followed by the left main gear wheels touched the grass to the left of the runway. The crew tried to increase power to go around, but the aircraft flew on with an increasing bank angle. The plane struck two parked BEA HS-121 Trident aircraft, burst into flames, rolled on its back and came to rest against the ground floor of the terminal building.
Trident G-ARPT (msn 2121) was damaged beyond repair; G-ARPI had its fin and tailplane destroyed but was repaired.

Probable Cause:

PROBABLE CAUSE: Failure of the port flap operating rod due to fatigue, permitting the port flaps to retract. This resulted in a rolling moment to port which could not be controlled.

Accident investigation:

cover
Investigating agency: AIB (U.K.)
Status: Investigation completed
Duration: 241 days (8 months)
Accident number: CAP322
Download report: Final report

Classification:
Issue with flap(s)
Loss of control

Sources:
» Aircraft Illustrated Vol.1, nr. 4 (Oct. 1968), p.127


Follow-up / safety actions
Following the accident, all Ambassador planes were fitted with steel reinforcements on their flap rods.

Photos

photo of Airspeed-AS-57-Ambassador-2-G-AMAD
accident date: 03-07-1968
type: Airspeed AS.57 Ambassador 2
registration: G-AMAD
photo of Airspeed-AS-57-Ambassador-2-G-AMAD
accident date: 03-07-1968
type: Airspeed AS.57 Ambassador 2
registration: G-AMAD
photo of Airspeed-AS-57-Ambassador-2-G-AMAD
accident date: 03-07-1968
type: Airspeed AS.57 Ambassador 2
registration: G-AMAD
photo of Airspeed-AS-57-Ambassador-2-G-AMAD
accident date: 03-07-1968
type: Airspeed AS.57 Ambassador 2
registration: G-AMAD
photo of Airspeed-AS-57-Ambassador-2-G-AMAD
accident date: 03-07-1968
type: Airspeed AS.57 Ambassador 2
registration: G-AMAD
 

Video, social media

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 Deauville-Saint Gatien Airport to London-Heathrow Airport as the crow flies is 237 km (148 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.
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