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Old 20th Mar 2018, 11:07
  #3068 (permalink)  
vintage ATCO
aceatco, retired
 
Join Date: Sep 2002
Location: one airshow or another
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Known affectionately by us as 'Mad Alphonse' it flew computer tapes for Barclays Bank (I think) twice a day to and from Toussous Le Noble. Called 'mad' because he flew everywhere very fast, often leaving it to the last minute before dropping the gear on short final.

I was in the tower seat at the time of the accident. A BAL B737 at hold A (now C1) said "That aeroplane has crashed!" "So he has" I said as I pressed the crash alarm. He had the gear down but the left main gear collapsed on landing (as he went abeam the B737) and the aircraft ended up on the grass south of the runway. Unfortunately during 'recovery' the right main gear was collapsed and other damage was done which I think totalled the airframe although I understand subsequently it was taken by road to Leavesden so it might have been repaired.

He took off one day, in a hurry as ever. Some while later, he called back on tower, crossing the channel, "Please check with Shell, it says Avtur on the fuel invoice!!" A phone call later we could definitely say it had been fuelled with Avgas!

The pic is from the David Gearing Collection BTW.
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