Incident de Havilland Sea Venom FAW.21 WW147, 10 Feb 1960

ASN Wikibase Occurrence # 162582

Last updated: 11 January 2021

This information is added by users of ASN. Neither ASN nor the Flight Safety Foundation are responsible for the completeness or correctness of this information. If you feel this information is incomplete or incorrect, you can submit corrected information.

Date:	10-FEB-1960
Time:
Type:	de Havilland Sea Venom FAW.21
Owner/operator:	894 Sqn FAA RN
Registration:	WW147
C/n / msn:	12792
Fatalities:	Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 2
Other fatalities:	0
Aircraft damage:	Written off (damaged beyond repair)
Location:	HMS Albion, Mediterranean Sea off Gibraltar - Gibraltar
Phase:	Take off
Nature:	Military
Departure airport:	HMS Albion, Western Mediterranean
Destination airport:	HMS Albion, Western Mediterranean

Narrative:
On 10/02/1960, WW147 ("A-489") a DeHavilland Sea Venom FAW.21 of 894 Squadron FAA RN was written off when it ditched into the Mediterranean immediately ahead of HMS Albion following engine failure after a catapult launch. Cause was probably fuel pump failure and flame out. Both crew - Lt G Stanley and Lt J S Sturgeon - ejected.

Lt. Sturgeon (pilot) ejected safely at 50 feet and 120 knots. Lt. G. Stanley (observer) suffered slight injury after he ejected underwater at 0 knots. Second-ever ejection underwater with use of Martin-Baker Mk. 4 ejector seat.

WW147 was the third aircraft to crash on or near HMS Albion in two days, following the crash of Skyraider AEW.1 WV189 and Whirlwind HAS.7 XL850 the day before (February 9th)

Sources:

1. http://www.ukserials.com/losses-1960.htm
2. http://www.axfordsabode.org.uk/pdf-docs/albion26.pdf
3. http://894rnsquadron.homestead.com/page5.html
4. http://web.archive.org/web/20170421194401/http://www.ejection-history.org.uk:80/PROJECT/YEAR_Pages/1960.htm#feb

Revision history:

Date/time	Contributor	Updates
02-Dec-2013 18:26	Dr. John Smith	Added
17-Feb-2014 15:09	Nepa	Updated [Operator]

Corrections or additions? ... Edit this accident description