ASN Wikibase Occurrence # 236477
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| Date: | Friday 5 August 1955 |
| Time: | night |
| Type: |  de Havilland DH.112 Sea Venom NF.20 |
| Owner/operator: | 890 NAS FAA RN |
| Registration: | WM558 |
| MSN: | 12641 |
| Fatalities: | Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 2 |
| Aircraft damage: | Destroyed |
| Location: | 800 yards off HMS Albion, English Channel, off Cornish coast -
 United Kingdom
|
| Phase: | Take off |
| Nature: | Military |
| Departure airport: | HMS Albion, English Channel, off coast of Corwall |
| HMS Heron, RNAS Yeovilton, Ilchester, Somerset | |
| Confidence Rating: |  Information is only available from news, social media or unofficial sources |
de Havilland DH.112 Sea Venom NF.20 WM558: Delivered 9/3/55. Royal Navy Fleet Air Arm service was with 890 Squadron, RN FAA only.
Written off (damaged beyond repair) 5/8/55: Crashed shortly after take off from the aircraft carrier HMS Albion while the carrier was in the English Channel off the coast of Cornwall. At the time that Sea Venom WM558 was taking off from HMS Albion, there was a build up of sea water on the deck of the carrier, especially along the carrier's catapult track.
As the Sea Venom was launched by the ship's catapult, the sea water was forced up ahead of the aircraft. This sea water was then forced into the engine intakes, causing an engine flame out. The engine lost power, and the Sea Venom crashed into the sea 800 yards ahead of the carrier, with HMS Albion passing over the aircraft. The two crew were rescued, by the HMS Albion SAR "plane guard" helicopter, sustaining minor injuries.
Crew of Sea Venom WM558:
Lieutenant Commander Alan Gordon Johnston RN (pilot)
Lieutenant Jack Carter RN (Observer)
The same two crew members were also involved in the crash of another Sea Venom (WM556) on 19/5/55 in very similar circumstances. (Aircraft ditched after take off from a carrier, carrier ran over and sank aircraft, crew escaped and had to be rescued from their dinghy by the SAR "plane guard" helicopter)
Sources:
1. Wings Over Somerset: Aircraft Crashes since the End of World War II By Peter Forrester
2. Venom, De Havilland Venom and Sea Venom: The Complete History By David Watkins
3. http://www.ukserials.com/results.php?serial=WM
.
Revision history:
| Date/time | Contributor | Updates |
|---|---|---|
| 27-May-2020 17:13 | Dr. John Smith | Added |
| 28-May-2020 15:48 | Dr. John Smith | Updated [Location, Source, Narrative] |
| 28-May-2020 19:16 | Dr. John Smith | Updated [Departure airport, Narrative] |
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