BOAC 707 crash LHR April 1968
 

Would anyone know where I can go to find out much more information about this incident, eg. was there an AAIB report (or whatever AAIB was called in those days) ?

It was G-ARWE 707-465 which had an engine fire a minute after take-off and managed to land back at LHR shortly afterwards. "Only" 5 died in the subsequent fire and 117 got out safely... Thanks in advance.

The UK AAIB have a website at www.open.gov.uk/aaib where much useful information can be found, but it would appear, from my search at least, that the G-ARWE accident, in 1968, is too old to have any accident report details listed.

I think the aircraft was in fact a B707-436, and that the AAIB were just the plain AIB in those days.

The best I can suggest is to try contacting them on [email protected]. They are always helpful with genuine enquiries.


Edited to get the links to work

[This message has been edited by Bellerophon (edited 12 March 2001).]

Hi David,

Try the following link - there will be some info in there.

http://www.planecrashinfo.com/

Neil

ps It's not really as morbid as it sounds, just an info resource

David H,
The full story is in "Air Disaster Vol 1" by Macarthur Job ISBN 1 875671 11 0.
Don't know about availability, it was published in Oz.

I have the book Air Disaster volume 1. All 3 volumes are excellent reading material. This accident is covered in detail and i'd highly recommend reading it. Available from bookshops/newsagent!

Hi David, have a look at www.airdisaster.com

They have a complete listing, by date of either most or all commercial accidents, with details where available. Its all arranged in date order. May have what you are looking for.

Regards.

If you are near a university town, you will find them in any good university library in the section of government reports section AB/AIR

...and for those denizens of Cranebank, the in-house BA poster with the very sobering picture of cockpit instruments completely obscured by soot particles, and its accompanying text along the lines of "this is what these guys had to land with...learn your smoke drill inside out" comes from this very incident.

I believe one of the junior crew on the flight is a very senior CSD now.

£6

Some info on the accident. It was a RR Conway powered 707-436 "WE". It suffered an engine fire on TO. I believe that in the subsequent return to LHR the LP fuel cock may not have been closed by either the fire handle or the switch on the Flt Eng panel. On coming to rest on landing the fire engulfed the a/c. I seem to remember a Stewardess named Jane Harrison lost her life while directing pax off the plane.There is a memorial to her somewhere. The LP cock switch was changed to have a dim light come on when the valve was closed after transit.

The hostess who died (Barbara Jane Harrison)was, i believe, posthumously awarded the George Cross.
The fire continued to burn because in the confusion & with BOAC's drills of the time the Fire Handle was never pulled.
If anyone is interested the actual investigation files for this accident & most others of the 1960s. Are now open for perusal at the Public Record Office, Kew, they make fascinating if somewhat depressing reading. I can supply file references if anyone is interested

I think Captain was John Hutchinson , ex Concorde, Farnborough commentator, now top dog in the Guild of Air Pilots. Top guy.

Captains name C.W.R. Taylor. There was also a line training Captain on board; Captain G.C. Moss

Further reading reveals that second officer was indeed J.C. Hutchinson

I remember this accident quite well since I joined BOAC as a Second Officer on the B707-436 in November 1970.
The fire drills were changed as a result of this accident - the Captain had to physically confirm that the Fire Handle had been pulled.
At our SEP training they showed us an 8 mm movie of the aircraft on the approach to RW 05 and the landing. Whilst on approach there only appears to be a small amount of smoke coming from the relevant engine position. As the aircraft decelerates the whole wing is engulfed in fire etc.
I believe the FE was on his first trip not under supervision and that there was an inference that the Captain in the jumpseat interfered with the crew drills which may have been a factor. I also seem to remember that a door on the side of the aircraft which was on fire was initially opened which caused a lot of smoke to enter the cabin.
A tragic accident - the expeditious landing back on RW 05 was skilfully done and I remember Capt Cliff Taylor appearing on the TV after the accident.
As a young inexperienced pilot who had just done the conversion this accident made me focus on what our jon is all about.
Remember also that this was a long time before CRM training, etc.

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[This message has been edited by fireflybob (edited 19 March 2001).]

I remember being on the balcony at QB as a 13-yr-old "anorak" the next day. It was very sobering to see the burned-out hulk on the runway, a little way past the intersection with what was then 28L. The stewardess that died was from my home town.