UK Flight Testing Accidents 1940 – 1971
Has the following entry
13 JUNE 1951 CANBERRA B.1(P) VN850
Mr R.H.B.Peach (Test Pilot), Rolls Royce, Hucknall. Test flight.
Part of 100 hour intensive flying trials on Avon RA7 engines, the starboard engine fitted with high energy ignition. One hour and 22 minutes after take off the pilot advised that the port engine was out and be was unable to re light.
He was cleared for a direct approach to the runway. At about 250ft on finals the aircraft was seen to drop the port wing, the nose then went down, the aircraft turned 45 degrees to port and the undercarriage was retracted but the flaps stayed down.
Climbing slightly and turning slowly to port the aircraft crossed the airfield before dropping the port wing again and the aircraft dived into the St.Alban's railway sidings at Bulwell Common railway station, Nottingham:
The speed had been allowed to become too low on the approach by a pilot inexperienced on type (3.15hrs) and he was unable to use the full thrust of the starboard engine to recover the situation.
It is likely that retraction of the flaps caused the final wing drop and dive. This was the first fatal accident involving a Canberra 1 killed. Cat 5.
(refs 38, 47, 195 & 360).
These references are listed as
38 Canberra - the operational record ISBN 1 - 7183-0619-8
47 English Electric Aircraft and their predecessors ISBN 0-85177-806-2
195 R-R Heritage Trust Archives - Courtesy of David Birch
360 AIB reports various - Contained in PRO AVIA/5 Folders No20 - 38
My only comment is that for the year of 1951 this accident was the 17th out of a total of 34. How times change.
John