I lived in Stanwell Village at the time and should have been playing cricket but had a summer cold. Miserable day. Phone rings, my father from work BEA Maintrol . He never rang from work as it was always a busy job he just said Oh just seeing how you all are . When he got home he said they had a flash message from LHR Tower that a plane had reposted crashed just south of Heathrow. In fact we were way off track but who knows what might happen with a plane in trouble. My sister was in Staines High Street and heard and felt an almighty thud, she was probably on 150-200 meters from it. Stanwell was a BEA/BOAc / LHR company town , Opposite neighbours Airport Fire Service and sister at Ashford Hospital next door but one Staines Police Sergeant.
Everyone knew someone connected with it . Later in week I saw the accident site itself , very moving because the plane was more or less intact with the tail section broken off.
Not a day I wiil l forget