Sutton Wick air crash
1957 military transport crash in Berkshire, England / From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
The Sutton Wick air crash occurred on 5 March 1957 when a Blackburn Beverley C Mk 1 heavy transport aircraft, serial number XH117, of 53 Squadron Royal Air Force crashed at Sutton Wick, Drayton, Berkshire,[notes 1] England, following a shut-down of one engine and partial loss of power on another.[1] Shortly after take-off, No. 1 engine was shut down as a precautionary measure then whilst on final approach back to RAF Abingdon, No. 2 engine failed to respond to throttle inputs. The aeroplane struck cables and trees 18 minutes after lifting off.
Accident | |
---|---|
Date | 5 March 1957 |
Summary | Maintenance error leading to fuel starvation |
Site | Sutton Wick, Drayton, Berkshire,[notes 1] England 51°38′57″N 1°18′26″W |
Aircraft | |
Aircraft type | Blackburn Beverley |
Operator | Royal Air Force |
Registration | XH117 |
Flight origin | RAF Abingdon, Abingdon, Berkshire,[notes 1], England |
Destination | RAF Akrotiri, Akrotiri, Cyprus |
Occupants | 22 |
Passengers | 17 |
Crew | 5 |
Fatalities | 18[notes 2] |
Survivors | 4[notes 2] |
Ground casualties | |
Ground fatalities | 2 |
Of 17 passengers and five crew aboard, all but four were killed in the accident.[notes 2] Two people on the ground were also killed.
An investigation found that a non-return valve in the fuel system had been installed the wrong way round causing two of the engines to be starved of fuel.[1] The technician found responsible for incorrectly fitting the valve was charged under the Air Force Act.[2] Following the accident, the non-return valve was re-designed so it could not be installed incorrectly.[3]
Two RAF officers who took part in the rescue after the crash were highly praised for "refusing to give up while there was hope of finding survivors among the wreckage."[4]