ASN Wikibase Occurrence # 157703
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| Date: | Monday 8 April 1968 |
| Time: | |
| Type: |  de Havilland DH.110 Sea Vixen FAW.2 |
| Owner/operator: | 899 Sqn FAA RN |
| Registration: | XS579 |
| MSN: | 10137 |
| Fatalities: | Fatalities: 2 / Occupants: 2 |
| Aircraft damage: | Destroyed |
| Location: | HMS Eagle, South China Sea, at 14-30N, 119-5.5E -
 Hong Kong
|
| Phase: | Manoeuvring (airshow, firefighting, ag.ops.) |
| Nature: | Military |
| Departure airport: | HMS Eagle, off Hong Kong |
| Confidence Rating: |  Information is only available from news, social media or unofficial sources |
Written off 9/4/1968: Crashed into the sea during a simulated attack on the RFA Reliant splash target whilst operating from HMS Eagle. Making a Glowworm ground attack (by lighting rocket flares) XS579 failed to pull out of a 20-degree dive, probably due to pilot disorientation, and crashed into the South China Sea at approximate co-ordinates 14'30"N, 119'55"E. Both crew killed:
Lt. Creswell Swann (navigator)
Lt. Hedley James Williams (pilot)
The carrier was in the South China Sea off Hong Kong en route to Cape Town, South Africa. (Sailed Hong Kong 6/4/1968, arrived Capetown 31/5/1968 after en extended period on the "Beira Patrol" off the coast of Mozambique)
Per eyewitness report: "One unpleasant memory was the crash of April 1968. The Sea Vixen was 132/E of 899 Sqn. I distinctly remember eyeballing the Pilot as FDO (Flight Deck Officer) wound him up for launch. Minutes later they were dead. I Believe he followed his rockets in on the 'splash target' astern. I have never ever forgotten that and what we pulled out of the oggin (sea), and the impression of how we carried on flying. I told myself that "Yes, they will be missed" but we are a carrier, it’s what we do, we carry on in spite of what happened, not stopping because of it. So to 'keep on flying' has a deep meaning to me."
Sources:
1. http://www.seavixen.org/aircrew/maintenance-testimonies/testimonies-peter-latham
2. [LINK NOT WORKING ANYMORE:http://www.millionmonkeytheater.com/seavixenpics/xs579.jpg]
3. http://www.ukserials.com/losses-1968.htm
4. http://www.naval-history.net/xDKCas1966-69.htm
5. [LINK NOT WORKING ANYMORE:http://www.old.ourfamilyhistory.org.uk/indiI4245.html]
Revision history:
| Date/time | Contributor | Updates |
|---|---|---|
| 21-Jul-2013 05:37 | Dr. John Smith | Added |
Corrections or additions? ... Edit this accident description
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