1953 Skyways Avro York disappearance

1953 Skyways Avro York disappearance
Sister aircraft G-AHFG in 1952
Incident
Date 2 February 1953
Summary Unexplained disappearance
Site North Atlantic
Aircraft
Aircraft type Avro York
Operator Skyways Limited
Registration G-AHFA
Flight origin Stansted Airport, United Kingdom
Destination Jamaica
Passengers 33
Crew 6
Fatalities 39
Survivors 0

On 2 February 1953, an Avro York four-engined piston airliner registered G-AHFA of Skyways Limited disappeared over the North Atlantic on a flight from the United Kingdom to Jamaica.[1] The aircraft had 39 occupants including 13 children.[2]

Accident

The Avro York was a military trooping flight for the British Air Ministry from Stansted Airport in the United Kingdom to Jamaica with six crew and 33 passengers, including soldiers with their families.[1][3] The aircraft had stopped at Lajes Field in the Azores and departed at 23:25 on 1 February 1953 for Gander Airport in Newfoundland.[1] The aircraft transmitted Positional Operational Meteorological Reports at approximately one-hour intervals from 00:10 to 04:25 on 2 February.[1] At 04:10 the aircraft position was given as 44°32'N 41°38'W.[1] At 05:31 Gander heard an Urgency signal from the aircraft giving a position a minute before the message as 46°15'N 46°31'W.[1] The urgency signal was followed by a distress message SOS, SOS, SOS DE G-A the message stopped abruptly and no further communications from the aircraft were heard.[1]

An extensive air and sea search failed to find any trace of the aircraft or the 39 occupants.[1][2] The following day (3 February) United States Coast Guard cutter Campbell reported several large oil patches and dye markers about 120 miles south-west of the last reported position of the aircraft; the Campbell reported that the search area had snow squalls.[4]

Aircraft

The Avro York G-AHFA had been built in 1946 and had completed 6,418 hours total flying time.[5] It had a valid certificate of airworthiness issued three days before the disappearance and had been completely overhauled in November 1952.[5] The aircraft was owned by the Lancashire Aircraft Corporation and operated by Skyways Limited.[3]

The aircraft was first registered to the Ministry of Supply and Aircraft Production on 20 March 1946.[6] It was registered to British South American Airways (BSAA) on 20 August 1946 and operated with the name "Star Dale".[6][7] It was sold to British Overseas Airways Corporation (BOAC) on 3 September 1949.[6] BOAC sold the aircraft in 1951 and it was registered to the Lancashire Aircraft Corporation on 11 December 1951.[6]

Investigation

A public inquiry was opened in London at Holborn Town Hall on 2 July 1953 to consider possible causes of the loss of the York.[5] The Solicitor General representing The Crown absolved the crew from blame; he also ruled out sabotage or contaminated fuel.[5] On the second day the Chief Investigation Officer of the Accidents Investigation Branch (AIB) gave an opinion that it may have been an uncontrollable fire in one of the aircraft's engines.[8]

The report of the inquiry was issued on 3 December 1953 and stated that the cause was unascertainable.[3] The court found the loss was not contributed by any wrongful act or default of any person or party.[3] It was concluded that the urgency signal was transmitted at a normal speed and possibly not an indication that urgent assistance was required, quickly followed by a hasty distress signal indicated that whatever the trouble it developed in a sudden and violent manner.[3]

References

Citations
  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 Civil Aviation Authority 1974, p. 3/53
  2. 1 2 "York Aircraft Missing 39 on Board". News. The Times (52536). London. 3 February 1953. col F, p. 8.
  3. 1 2 3 4 5 "Air Crash Cause Not Found Trouble "Sudden And Violent"". News. The Times (52796). London. 4 December 1953. col E, p. 4.
  4. ↑ "Search For Missing Airliner – Oil Patches Seen on Sea". News. The Times (52536). London. 4 February 1953. col F, p. 5.
  5. 1 2 3 4 "Lost York's Crew Absolved – Counsel's Statement at Inquiry". Law. The Times (52664). London. 3 July 1953. col E, p. 3.
  6. 1 2 3 4 Civil Aviation Authority Registration Document for G-AHFA Archived 10 September 2012 at the Wayback Machine.
  7. ↑ Jackson 1973, p. 463
  8. ↑ "Expert's Opinion on Loss of Airliner "Uncontrollable Fire in One Engine"". News. The Times (52667). London. 7 July 1953. col E, p. 3.
Bibliography

  • World Accident Summary. Civil Aviation Authority (United Kingdom). 1974. ISBN 0-903083-44-2.
  • Jackson, A.J. (1973). British Civil Aircraft since 1919 Volume 1. London: Putnam. ISBN 0-370-10006-9.
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