Date:	Thursday 15 January 1981
Time:	10:30
Type:	Breguet SP-13A Atlantic
Owner/operator:	Marine Luchtvaart Dienst - MLD
Registration:	255
MSN:	62
Engine model:	Rolls-Royce Tyne RTy.20 Mk 21
Fatalities:	Fatalities: 3 / Occupants: 12
Aircraft damage:	Destroyed, written off
Category:	Accident
Location:	185 km W off Inner Hebrides -   Atlantic Ocean
Phase:	En route
Nature:	Military
Departure airport:	Valkenburg Naval Air Station (LID/EHVB)
Destination airport:

Narrative:
The Dutch Marine Atlantic reconnaissance plane was shadowing the Soviet Navy carrier Kiev in foul weather, with 30ft waves and blizzard conditions. The Atlantic's crew transmitted a Mayday at 09:58. They were not able to maintain height. It was forced to ditch in the Atlantic Ocean, 113 miles west of the Inner Hebrides about half an hour later. The airplane had suffered control problems after the failure of a control rod in the horizontal stabilizer.
Nine survivors were rescued by a Royal Navy Sea King from 819 NAS at Prestwick helicopter about two hours after the crash.

Leeuwarder Courant 15-1-1981
Piloot en Vliegtuig, Januari 2005
Flight International, 24 January 1981

photo (c) Rob Schleiffert; Valkenburg Naval Air Station (LID/EHVB); 1980; (CC:by-sa)

photo (c) David Jones; Glasgow-Prestwick Airport (PIK/EGPK); 07 October 1978; (CC:by-sa)

Date/time	Contributor	Updates