Accident description
Last updated: 25 May 2013
| Status: | |
| Date: | 15 JAN 1981 |
| Time: | ca 10:30 |
| Type: | Breguet SP-13A Atlantic |
| Operator: | Marine Luchtvaart Dienst (MLD) |
| Registration: | 255 |
| C/n / msn: | 62 |
| First flight: | |
| Engines: | 2 Rolls-Royce Tyne RTy.20 Mk 21 |
| Crew: | Fatalities: 3 / Occupants: 12 |
| Passengers: | Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 0 |
| Total: | Fatalities: 3 / Occupants: 12 |
| Airplane damage: | Written off |
| Airplane fate: | Written off (damaged beyond repair) |
| Location: | 185 km (115.6 mls) W off Inner Hebrides (Atlantic Ocean)
 |
| Phase: | En route (ENR) |
| Nature: | Military |
| Departure airport: | Valkenburg NAS (LID/EHVB), Netherlands |
| ? |
The Dutch Marine Atlantic reconaissance 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 113 miles west of the Inner Hebrides about half an hour later. The Atlantic had suffered control problems after the failure of a control rod in the horizontal stabilizer.
Nine survivors were rescued by RAF Sea King helicopter about two hours after the crash.
Sources:
» Leeuwarder Courant 15-1-1981
» Piloot en Vliegtuig, Januari 2005
» Flight International, 24 January 1981
Photos
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.
