Date:	Saturday 12 June 1971
Time:	17:15 UTC
Type:	Piper PA-24-250 Comanche
Owner/operator:	Trustees of the Alpha Echo Group
Registration:	G-ATAE
MSN:	24-1322
Fatalities:	Fatalities: 4 / Occupants: 4
Aircraft damage:	Destroyed
Category:	Accident
Location:	Bordesley Park, near Redditch, Warwickshire -   United Kingdom
Phase:	En route
Nature:	Test
Departure airport:	Birmingham Airport (BHX/EGBB)
Destination airport:	Birmingham Airport (BHX/EGBB)
Investigating agency:	AIB
Confidence Rating:	Accident investigation report completed and information captured

Narrative:
On 12 June 1971, G-ATAE took off from Birmingham Airport for an air test prior to renewal of its Certificate of Airworthiness. 16 minutes after take off the aircraft went into a nose dive from an altitude of approximately 3,000 feet. The pilots got the aircraft out of the dive but seconds later the aircraft broke up in mid air, killing all 4 people on board (pilot, co-pilot, and two passengers). The wreckage trail stretched for three-quarters of a mile. According to the AAIB report:

"About 16 minutes after take off from Birmingham Airport, the aircraft was seen near Redditch flying level below cloud. Shortly afterwards, the engine noise was heard to reduce, and the aircraft was seen to dive; as it pulled out of the dive, there was a considerable increase in engine noise, and the right wing separated from the aircraft, which then broke up in flight. The four occupants were killed, and the aircraft was destroyed, but there was no fire.

The AAIB investigation established that the primary failure in the break up sequence was the right wing in up-load. There was no evidence of defective material, or faulty assembly or maintenance, and there is no doubt that the wing failed because it was aerodynamically loaded beyond its design ultimate strength.

The overloading was certainly brought about by an application of excessive up-stabilator control, but it has not been possible to establish any reason for the action"

The AAIB report names two of the four fatalities as Bryan Thomas Amesbury (pilot, aged 35) and Thomas William France (aged 30, co-pilot) The two passenger fatalities were not named. Registration G-ATAE cancelled by the CAA as aircraft "destroyed" 12/6/1971

1. AAIB Final Report: https://assets.digital.cabinet-office.gov.uk/media/5422f85840f0b61342000647/14-1973_G-ATAE.pdf
2. Supplement to AAIB Report: http://www.aaib.gov.uk/cms_resources.cfm?file=/14-1973%20G-ATAE%20Append.pdf
3. https://cwsprduksumbraco.blob.core.windows.net/g-info/HistoricalLedger/G-ATAE.pdf
4. https://www.flightglobal.com/pdfarchive/view/1974/1974
5. National Archives (PRO Kew) File AVIA 101/733 to AVIA 101/739 inclusive (11 files): https://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/details/r/C10904587 to https://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/details/r/C10904593
6. G-ATAE at Biggin Hill 11/5/1968: https://abpic.co.uk/pictures/view/1037293/
7. G-ATAE at Elstree (EGTR) in 1965: https://abpic.co.uk/pictures/view/1563563

Date/time	Contributor	Updates
03-Sep-2012 07:43	ryan	Added
10-Jun-2013 03:03	Dr. John Smith	Updated [Date, Cn, Operator, Other fatalities, Nature, Departure airport, Destination airport, Source, Narrative]
03-Aug-2015 19:05	Dr. John Smith	Updated [Time, Aircraft type, Departure airport, Destination airport, Source, Narrative]
03-Aug-2015 19:12	Dr. John Smith	Updated [Source, Narrative]
03-Oct-2020 19:35	Dr. John Smith	Updated [Time, Source, Narrative, Accident report]