G-ALHG Stockport 4th June 1967
 

Learned contributors,
There will be a service held at the scene, Hopes Carr, Stockport 0930 Sunday 4th June to mark (to the day) the 50 th anniversary.
A new broadcast quality documentary with input from survivors, relatives and rescuers will be shown at The Plaza Cinema, Stockport town centre on 10th June.
Be lucky
David

Will the documentary be broadcast on TV any time?

SSD,
I'm not sure it's been recorded and edited to broadcast standards but up to yet no channel has taken it. It may be available as a digital download or DVD soon if I find out I'll let you know.

PM me for details of new book too
To avoid the advert police.
Be lucky
David

There was an excellent TV programme many years go showing the still burning plane , and bystanders reports of what they saw ,also the report of the Accident Investigation Branch the cause [fuel transfer cocks not fully in their Open/Closed position]of the crash .Would this be an updated version of that film? If so the TV company could have the copyright if that lead is any good to you. The A.I.B. report was excellent, now lost in the Kew Archives,

The Public Enquiry report (CAP302) is downloadable in several parts from here:

https://www.whatdotheyknow.com/reque...ir_responses_2 (search for F0011898).

As far as I am aware it is a totally new documentary, but will include some footage previously seen.
Be lucky
David

Lets hope it avoids lines like bystanders seeing pax banging on the windows as it flew by...

The really sad thing about the Stockport air disaster is that the problem that could arise with DC4 / Argonaught fuel system were known about, and had led to earlier incidents of engine failure.

For some reason this knowledge does not appear to have been disseminated to operators of the types when they were late in their service lives, including British Midland.

I think the crews knew about it. My late uncle flew on the fleet as a "flying spanner" at the same time as the loss of 'HG, and he always maintained that the issue was common knowledge.

RIP Stockport And also to Air Ferry my prays are with you

On reading the latest book on the tragedy ('Six Miles From Home') it appears it was far from common knowledge in BM. It had been noticed on several Argonaughts that up to 200 gallons of fuel somehow moved from No.4 tank to No.3 when parked overnight. This was put down to maintenance staff mishandling the fuel controls.

Hand written notes in the cockpit left by the previous crew to the effect that No.4 fuel gauge was under-reading while No.3 was over-reading or U/S on the Argonaught were common. After one Man - Palma fight in Hotel Golf the P2 suspected a fuel imbalance desp[ite the reported 'faulty' gauges (which were working just fine) but didn't work out why. On final the No.4 fuel pressure fell so he cross fed from No3. On landing, only 14 gallons were found in No.4 tank, yet the total fuel upload was correct for the Man - Palma burn.

There were odd things going on with Argonaught fuel systems but no-one in BM investigated the cause, which was inadvertant cross feed if the cross feed cocks were not FULLY off (the detent had long ago failed).

The Stockport tragedy was, it would seem, entirely avoidable and under today's more rigorous reporting of aircraft problems, would have been.

Well, he flew on them, and was also a senior inspector in the hangar, so I tended to take his word on their characteristics.