Aerovan crash, Manchester, 1957
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Aerovan crash, Manchester, 1957
Meridian Air Maps operated Miles Aerovan 4 G-AISF on aerial survey work from October 1955 until it crashed on take-off from Manchester (Ringway) on 29 April 1957.
Does anyone have any details of what exactly happened?
Does anyone have any details of what exactly happened?
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Reference to the aircraft here:-
Jean Lennox Bird - Key Publishing Ltd Aviation Forums
Fuel pump failure leading to crash on take-off.
Jean Lennox Bird - Key Publishing Ltd Aviation Forums
Fuel pump failure leading to crash on take-off.
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Aerovan crash
Hi, i witnessed the crash at Ringway, i was 11 years old at the time and had gone to watch the planes with my father, we were stood near the Fairey engineering end of the airport.
The aircraft had taken off but suddenly my father who was ex R A F shouted thats not right throttle up go back up, the aircraft lost height and hit the runway hard bouncing back up in the air the undercarrage did not brake and the aircraft continued bouncing along the runway my father was still shouting go back up go back up, the aircraft did not seem to slow down, workers at Fairey were then running out of the hangers.
The aircraft hit the metal perimeter fence which flipped it over it then slid on its back accross the B road and into a field, there was no fire, several people from Fairey were soon on the scene and a blue van pulled into the field, this had a ladder which was used to help down some survivors that had climbed out on to the back of the aircraft.
I can remember this as if it was yesterday, sadly i have only just found out that the female pilot and another person were killed in the crash
The aircraft had taken off but suddenly my father who was ex R A F shouted thats not right throttle up go back up, the aircraft lost height and hit the runway hard bouncing back up in the air the undercarrage did not brake and the aircraft continued bouncing along the runway my father was still shouting go back up go back up, the aircraft did not seem to slow down, workers at Fairey were then running out of the hangers.
The aircraft hit the metal perimeter fence which flipped it over it then slid on its back accross the B road and into a field, there was no fire, several people from Fairey were soon on the scene and a blue van pulled into the field, this had a ladder which was used to help down some survivors that had climbed out on to the back of the aircraft.
I can remember this as if it was yesterday, sadly i have only just found out that the female pilot and another person were killed in the crash
Paxing All Over The World
Interesting, my father was working at Ringway then, for AVROs and would have known all about it. I was 8 months old and now it's a few years too late to ask him!
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Which runway was it? What road did it cross? If you were at Faireys perhaps the Wilmslow / Altrincham 'A' road. Or was it the 'B' road to Styal, along the south side, now gone?
I'd always assumed this would have been a typical EFATO-in-a -piston-twin accident, leading to loss of control and a roll into the ground. Baley's description doesn't support that and if there were survivors that's unlikely anyway.
Is there an accident report available?
I'd always assumed this would have been a typical EFATO-in-a -piston-twin accident, leading to loss of control and a roll into the ground. Baley's description doesn't support that and if there were survivors that's unlikely anyway.
Is there an accident report available?
Last edited by Shaggy Sheep Driver; 12th Nov 2012 at 21:11.
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Miles Aerovan crash
Hi, as i was 11 years old at the time, the plane only turned over on its back and did not roll or break up and it was the road that went from Hale to Wilmslow this was the road that had the traffic control barrier.
The aircraft had twin fins and twin engines and it was 1957, we were stood further along the fence near Fairey this was not far from the Army Tank training ground.
At least Three people climbed out of the aircraft and stood on the back of it, i would imagine there was substantial damage to the cockpit and front of the aircraft as the perimeter fence was a stout metal one.
It could have been another accident that is not reported but it seems like the Aerovan, there was even a light aircraft sticking out of the ground behind our scout hut for a few days this does not show up on any reports? this was at the other end of the runway off Ringway road.
I also saw the Viscount crash this was 1957 i was stood in the school playground{ Shadow Moss},
I lived a stones throw from the runway, i even went inside the DC3 that had crashed at Heyhead i was 5 at the time when kids were safe to play out, a farmer chased us off.
A few years later i watched the fire service torch a Swordfish and an Avro Anson for fire practice, if you find out any more on what i think was the Aerovan please let me know.
The aircraft had twin fins and twin engines and it was 1957, we were stood further along the fence near Fairey this was not far from the Army Tank training ground.
At least Three people climbed out of the aircraft and stood on the back of it, i would imagine there was substantial damage to the cockpit and front of the aircraft as the perimeter fence was a stout metal one.
It could have been another accident that is not reported but it seems like the Aerovan, there was even a light aircraft sticking out of the ground behind our scout hut for a few days this does not show up on any reports? this was at the other end of the runway off Ringway road.
I also saw the Viscount crash this was 1957 i was stood in the school playground{ Shadow Moss},
I lived a stones throw from the runway, i even went inside the DC3 that had crashed at Heyhead i was 5 at the time when kids were safe to play out, a farmer chased us off.
A few years later i watched the fire service torch a Swordfish and an Avro Anson for fire practice, if you find out any more on what i think was the Aerovan please let me know.
Jean Bird in WRAF(VR) uniform with wings
Google Image Result for http://www.rafmuseum.org.uk/images/aviation_timeline/british-military-aviation/1952/thumbs/x003-0288-001.jpg
Google Image Result for http://www.rafmuseum.org.uk/images/aviation_timeline/british-military-aviation/1952/thumbs/x003-0288-001.jpg
Last edited by longer ron; 13th Nov 2012 at 19:06.
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It would have been the Aerovan. It had a big stubby short fuselage, a thin high tail boom, and a tripple tail. Here's a picture of Sierra Foxtrot, the one in this accident.
Miles M.57 Aerovan IV, G-AISF, Meridian Air Maps
It's plain to see there'd be little protection for the pilot in the event of collision with anything substantial!
I remember the DC3 crash (a newpaper flight, carb ice, crashed on t/o) and the Viscount at Shadow Moss Rd (flap bolt failure, crashed into houses on short final), and the went on my bicycle to view the aftermath of the British Midland Argonaught crash in Stockport (fuel selector lever mechanism worn allowing fuel starvation).
I well remember the old Wilmslow Road as well, and the traffic control barriers at the end of 06. One morning while passing on the bus to school there was a Caravelle that had gone off the end of 24 on landing and was stuck in the soft ground between the 06 threshold and the road.
Interestingly if you follow the old road from the Romper pub it ends at a crash gate just before the Runway Visitor Park. The road actually continues inside the airfield fence, and in 2003 I was invited to fly our Chipmunk into Manchester as part of the 100 years of flight celebrations at the viewing park. I landed long and taxied off 24R (as it still was back then) onto a 'light aircraft taxyway' which was actually that old Wilmslow - Altrincham road!
It seemed odd to be taxying an aeroplane down the same bit of road (complete with faded central white line) that I used to cycle down as a schoolboy!
Miles M.57 Aerovan IV, G-AISF, Meridian Air Maps
It's plain to see there'd be little protection for the pilot in the event of collision with anything substantial!
I remember the DC3 crash (a newpaper flight, carb ice, crashed on t/o) and the Viscount at Shadow Moss Rd (flap bolt failure, crashed into houses on short final), and the went on my bicycle to view the aftermath of the British Midland Argonaught crash in Stockport (fuel selector lever mechanism worn allowing fuel starvation).
I well remember the old Wilmslow Road as well, and the traffic control barriers at the end of 06. One morning while passing on the bus to school there was a Caravelle that had gone off the end of 24 on landing and was stuck in the soft ground between the 06 threshold and the road.
Interestingly if you follow the old road from the Romper pub it ends at a crash gate just before the Runway Visitor Park. The road actually continues inside the airfield fence, and in 2003 I was invited to fly our Chipmunk into Manchester as part of the 100 years of flight celebrations at the viewing park. I landed long and taxied off 24R (as it still was back then) onto a 'light aircraft taxyway' which was actually that old Wilmslow - Altrincham road!
It seemed odd to be taxying an aeroplane down the same bit of road (complete with faded central white line) that I used to cycle down as a schoolboy!
Last edited by Shaggy Sheep Driver; 13th Nov 2012 at 20:00.
And a tragic end for the first female to be awarded RAF wings,I always had a keen interest in our ATA girls and as far as I am aware only JLB and Jackie (Sorour) Moggridge were awarded the full flying badge during the WRAF VR scheme.
Very sad
Very sad
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" we were stood further along the fence near Fairey this was not far from the Army Tank training ground."
Sorry about the thread drift, and I am not being contentious here, but for somebody who spent a fair amount of his youth risking life and limb on the Wilmslow rd, at the back of Fairey's and on the old brickworks site, I have never been aware of a tank training ground....so where ( and when ) was it, exactly, please ?
Sorry about the thread drift, and I am not being contentious here, but for somebody who spent a fair amount of his youth risking life and limb on the Wilmslow rd, at the back of Fairey's and on the old brickworks site, I have never been aware of a tank training ground....so where ( and when ) was it, exactly, please ?
Last edited by Krystal n chips; 15th Nov 2012 at 05:49.
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Perhaps the poster is referring to the disused concrete disposal pans and taxy tracks that used to be opposite the Romper, on the other side of Sunbank Lane to Fairey's (long since disappeared under warehousing). I remember using that when I was learning to drive in the '60s!
There is nothing else in the area that could be interpreted as a 'Tank training ground' as far as I know.
There is nothing else in the area that could be interpreted as a 'Tank training ground' as far as I know.
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Miles Aerovan
Hi, yes it was opposite the Romper we used to watch them, my sister in law has a photo of one on the concrete, my Brother who is 11 years older than me has confirmed the aircraft was the Aerovan.
A Havarde trainer also crashed at the same spot in 1950 my brother remembers this one,i also spent most of my time near Fairey watching the now classics,a friend of mine ran onto the tarmac and picked up a spent starter cartidge from a Gannet, a mechanic tried to catch him.
Happy Days
A Havarde trainer also crashed at the same spot in 1950 my brother remembers this one,i also spent most of my time near Fairey watching the now classics,a friend of mine ran onto the tarmac and picked up a spent starter cartidge from a Gannet, a mechanic tried to catch him.
Happy Days
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Baley,
Thanks for the reply...
If there is any chance of the photo being scanned, I am sure many of us would enjoy seeing it.
I had always assumed the site was part of the old RAF Ringway complex....however, I suggest "storage" would be more apt rather than training....can't see the population of Hale Barnes taking kindly to tanks rumbling down Hale Road really...
To be honest, having an aversion to death and the A538 as a very potential source of such at the time, I spent more time at the Airport hotel field, and used the footpath to the South side in preference.
Thanks for the reply...
If there is any chance of the photo being scanned, I am sure many of us would enjoy seeing it.I had always assumed the site was part of the old RAF Ringway complex....however, I suggest "storage" would be more apt rather than training....can't see the population of Hale Barnes taking kindly to tanks rumbling down Hale Road really...
To be honest, having an aversion to death and the A538 as a very potential source of such at the time, I spent more time at the Airport hotel field, and used the footpath to the South side in preference.
Last edited by Krystal n chips; 16th Nov 2012 at 05:03.
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We used to cycle down past the Romper to the point where the A538 ran along a former taxyway before turning left past the 06 threshold where the barriers were which stopped road traffic for 06 landings.
The road was marked on the taxyway by old railway sleepers painted orange and white stripes IIRC, and just on the left hand bend the minor road down to Castle Mill (remeber the outdoor pool?) and Ashley joined the 538.
The road was marked on the taxyway by old railway sleepers painted orange and white stripes IIRC, and just on the left hand bend the minor road down to Castle Mill (remeber the outdoor pool?) and Ashley joined the 538.
Last edited by Shaggy Sheep Driver; 16th Nov 2012 at 09:00.
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Interesting follow up to this thread today. I was at the Airport Viewing park between a Nimrod tour and Concorde tour when a gentleman I won't identify introduced himself. He'd read this thread, and was a witness to the entire flight, from start up to crash. And his account fits the 'loss of control after engine failure' scenario I'd always though this tragedy was.
He saw Jean LB and the photographers with their equipment board through the rear clamshell doors, watched the take off and left turn, and heard the engine fail, followed by a classic stall-spin. The aircraft went in vertically on the boundary of the airfield near a house that used to stand on the old Styal road not too far from the brick works. The Aerovan was destroyed on impact as you'd expect of a wooden structure, with no fire. There were no recognisable bits of aeroplane left after the ground collision.
One can surmise that the Aerovan, powered by two Gipy Majors, would not have much of a single engine safety speed. One can imagine both Gipsys would be at full power at the time of the failure, so there are two possibilities:
The engine failed and the aeroplane immediately stalled and rolled into an incipient spin into the ground.
Or
The engine failed, Jean LB tried to make a return to the cross runway, and then there was a stall/spin into the ground (classic 'don't turn back').
Tragic, in any event.
He saw Jean LB and the photographers with their equipment board through the rear clamshell doors, watched the take off and left turn, and heard the engine fail, followed by a classic stall-spin. The aircraft went in vertically on the boundary of the airfield near a house that used to stand on the old Styal road not too far from the brick works. The Aerovan was destroyed on impact as you'd expect of a wooden structure, with no fire. There were no recognisable bits of aeroplane left after the ground collision.
One can surmise that the Aerovan, powered by two Gipy Majors, would not have much of a single engine safety speed. One can imagine both Gipsys would be at full power at the time of the failure, so there are two possibilities:
The engine failed and the aeroplane immediately stalled and rolled into an incipient spin into the ground.
Or
The engine failed, Jean LB tried to make a return to the cross runway, and then there was a stall/spin into the ground (classic 'don't turn back').
Tragic, in any event.
Last edited by Shaggy Sheep Driver; 2nd Mar 2013 at 18:40.
Aerovan
I well remember seeing an Aerovan (in an open blister hangar early sixties) on the original (civil) part of what is RAF/RM Chivenor.
This was alongside the railway line (long gone) and probably only visible from the train (en-route Air Cadet camp).
Could have been the ideal flying camper van if allowed on the PFA (as it was)
Chiv was a great camp with hundreds of Hunter movements all the time,and our WO got a T7 trip lucky chap.
Just had a look on Google Earth,and that old blister may have survived as part of an industrial estate.Its in the correct place alongside what is now a cycle way/coastal path.I better have a look next time up that way,may be an old Pobjoy (Scion) lurking in the brambles.
This had been the pre war field for a service to Lundy Island.
This was alongside the railway line (long gone) and probably only visible from the train (en-route Air Cadet camp).
Could have been the ideal flying camper van if allowed on the PFA (as it was)
Chiv was a great camp with hundreds of Hunter movements all the time,and our WO got a T7 trip lucky chap.
Just had a look on Google Earth,and that old blister may have survived as part of an industrial estate.Its in the correct place alongside what is now a cycle way/coastal path.I better have a look next time up that way,may be an old Pobjoy (Scion) lurking in the brambles.
This had been the pre war field for a service to Lundy Island.
Last edited by POBJOY; 2nd Mar 2013 at 23:34.