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| Date: | Sunday 25 October 1959 |
| Time: | |
| Type: |  Avro Vulcan B.1 |
| Owner/operator: | 617 (Dambusters) Sqn RAF |
| Registration: | XH498 |
| MSN: | |
| Fatalities: | Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 5 |
| Other fatalities: | 0 |
| Aircraft damage: | Substantial |
| Location: | Wellington Airport, Wellington 1 -
 New Zealand
|
| Phase: | Landing |
| Nature: | Demo/Airshow/Display |
| Departure airport: | Ohakea-Royal AFB (OHA/NZOH) |
| Ohakea-Royal AFB (OHA/NZOH) | |
| Confidence Rating: |  Information is only available from news, social media or unofficial sources |
The Vulcan was taking part in a airshow being held to mark the official opening of Wellington International Airport, formerly known as Rongotai Airport.
After demonstrating a ' touch-and-go ' on Runway 34 the Vulcan came around again to make a full stop landing.
Turbulence and wind shear caused the jet bomber to land short of the runway threshold, clipping the embankment at the Moa Point or southern end with its port undercarriage leg which was severely damaged and unable to support the aircraft. The port wing tip nearly scraped the runway surface before the pilot was able to lift off again.
Wellington airport has always been known for its difficult wind conditions. The pilots' skill prevented a possible disaster as spectators were present on the western apron, not far from the runway.
The Vulcan returned to RNZAF Ohakea where a safe emergency landing was carried out on just the nose and starboard landing gear, with little further damage to the aircraft.
A repair team was sent from the UK to return the Vulcan to airworthiness and it left NZ on the 4th of January 1960, and remained in service until 19th October 1967.
(To Cat5(G/I) 19/10/1967, allocated as ground instructional airframe 7993M at RAF Finningley. Finally struck off charge as Cat.5 (Scrap) and sold for scrapping 9/2/1970).
Sources:
http://web.archive.org/web/20160315222924/http://www.avrovulcan.org.uk/other_photographers/498_ohakea_1.htm
http://www.thunder-and-lightnings.co.uk/vulcan/gallery.php
https://www.pprune.org/aviation-history-nostalgia/377472-vulcan-b-1-xh498-wellington-nz.html
Images:
Photo captured soon after the safe landing of XH498 at RNZAF Ohakea air Base.
Media:
Revision history:
| Date/time | Contributor | Updates |
|---|---|---|
| 30-Apr-2009 01:21 | angels one five | Added |
| 22-May-2009 02:32 | XLerate | Updated |
| 22-Aug-2011 13:21 | Uli Elch | Updated [Operator, Location, Narrative, ] |
| 30-Oct-2011 01:22 | angels one five | Updated [Operator, Narrative, ] |
| 03-Jan-2012 05:48 | Uli Elch | Updated [Aircraft type, Registration, Operator, Departure airport, Destination airport, Narrative, ] |
| 18-Jan-2012 09:22 | Nepa | Updated [Aircraft type, Operator, ] |
| 12-Mar-2012 17:56 | Dr. John Smith | Updated [Operator, Total fatalities, Total occupants, Other fatalities, Source, Embed code, Narrative, ] |
| 12-Apr-2012 00:40 | Dr. John Smith | Updated [Embed code, ] |
| 17-Aug-2012 03:27 | Nepa | Updated [Operator, Embed code, ] |
| 17-Apr-2013 07:44 | angels one five | Updated [Aircraft type, Operator, Narrative, ] |
| 26-Jun-2013 18:42 | Nepa | Updated [Aircraft type, Operator, ] |
| 19-Mar-2014 06:35 | angels one five | Updated [Aircraft type, Operator, Location, Narrative, ] |
| 01-Jun-2015 16:42 | Angel dick one | Updated [Operator, ] |
| 15-Dec-2016 10:21 | angels one five | Updated [Operator, ] |
| 09-Oct-2018 18:08 | Nepa | Updated [Operator, Operator, ] |
| 20-Feb-2019 20:38 | NeilMcNally | Updated [Date, Time, Departure airport, Destination airport, Photo, ] |
| 21-Feb-2019 06:20 | Buckeroo44 | Updated [Date, Time, ] |
| 02-Nov-2019 12:08 | harro | Updated [Embed code, ] |
| 22-Jan-2022 06:55 | Ron Averes | Updated [Aircraft type, ] |
| 31-Jan-2022 03:28 | Ron Averes | Updated [Location, ] |
| 13-Feb-2022 01:37 | Ron Averes | Updated [Location, ] |
| 10-Jan-2025 17:55 | ASN | Updated [Aircraft type, ] |
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