Date:	Wednesday 3 July 1968
Time:	16:28
Type:	Airspeed AS.57 Ambassador 2
Owner/operator:	BKS Air Transport
Registration:	G-AMAD
MSN:	5211
Year of manufacture:	1951
Total airframe hrs:	22290 hours
Engine model:	Bristol Centaurus 661
Fatalities:	Fatalities: 6 / Occupants: 8
Aircraft damage:	Destroyed, written off
Category:	Accident
Location:	London-Heathrow Airport (LHR) -   United Kingdom
Phase:	Approach
Nature:	Cargo
Departure airport:	Deauville-Saint Gatien Airport (DOL/LFRG)
Destination airport:	London-Heathrow Airport (LHR/EGLL)
Investigating agency:	AIB
Confidence Rating:	Accident investigation report completed and information captured

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: 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.

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

photo (c) Dave Thaxter; London-Heathrow Airport (LHR/EGLL); 03 July 1968

photo (c) Airview

photo (c) RuthAS; unknown; 1965; (CC:by)

photo (c) Jerry Hughes; London-Heathrow Airport (LHR/EGLL); 21 July 1962; (CC:by)

photo (c) Bob Hobbs / NA3T; Southend; 11 June 1968

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