Hawker Siddeley HS 748 - Accidents and Incidents

Accidents and Incidents

• On 10 July 1965, Avro 748-101 Series 1 G-ARMV of Skyways Coach-Air was written off in a landing accident at Lympne Airport. All 51 people on board survived. This was the first accident that resulted in a write-off on an Avro 748 / HS748.
• On 4 February 1970, Aerolíneas Argentinas Flight 707, an Avro 748-105 crashed into the ground after the pilots lost control of the aircraft. The aircraft crashed at Loma Alta, Argentina and killed all 37 passengers and crew on board.
• On 9 December 1971: Indian Airlines - A Hawker Siddeley HS 748, near Chinnamanur was descending into Madurai when it flew into high terrain about 50 mi (80 km) from the airport, killing the four crew members and all 17 passengers. The accident occurred in reduced visibility during daylight hours.
• 7 September 1978 – Air Ceylon HS 748 4R-ACJ destroyed by fire while parked at Colombo-Ratmalana, resulting from detonation of bomb placed on board by terrorists. Nil fatalities.
• 31 July 1979 at Sumburgh Airport in the Shetland Islands,Scotland; Dan-Air Flight 0034, a Hawker Siddeley 748 series 1 (registration G-BEKF) operating an oil industry support flight crashed. The aircraft failed to become airborne and crashed into the sea. The accident was due to the elevator gust-lock having become re-engaged, preventing the aircraft from rotating into a flying attitude. The aircraft was destroyed and 17 persons died of drowning
• 22 August 1979 – An aircraft mechanic (a former non-commissioned officer of the Colombian Air Force) stole a military HS 748 (FAC-1101) from a military hangar at the Eldorado International Airport in Bogotá, Colombia. According to the news, this person stole the plane with the intention of crashing it against his parents' house. After some minutes in the air, the plane ran out of fuel and crashed, killing the impromptu pilot and three more people on the ground.
• On 19 August 1981, Indian Airlines Flight 557, operated by HAL 748 VT-DXF overshot the runway at Mangalore-Bajpe Airport in wet weather. The aircraft came to a halt just beyond the runway edge. While there were no fatalities the aircraft damaged beyond repair and was written off. One of the passengers on board was Veerappa Moily current Cabinet Minister for Law, Justice and Company Affairs in the Government of India.
• 11 October 1983 – Air Illinois Flight 710 carrying 10 people plunged from the night in a thunderstorm between Pinckneyville and Tamaroa, IL. The flight originated at Chicago's Meig's Field and had stopped at Springfield, IL. A transcript revealed the left generator had failed after takeoff and the first officer had mistakenly isolated the right generator. Attempts to restore the right generator were unsuccessful. “The captain elected to continue to the destination rather than return to the nearby airport. The cloud bases were at 2000 feet MSL, but ATC could not provide an IFR below 3,000 feet just before crashing. ‘“The crew indicated a total loss of electrical power. The left generator drive shaft had sheared. The reason for the right generator not to reset was not determined.
• 27 June 1987 – Philippine Airlines Flight 206 crashed onto a mountain after poor visibility hampered the pilot's attempt to land at Loakan Airport in Baguio City, Philippines. All 50 passengers and crew died in the crash.
• 28 April 1995 – Sri Lanka Air Force HS 748 serial CR835 (4R-HVB) was hit by an SA-7 missile while on approach to Palaly/KKS/Jaffna. All 45 occupants onboard killed.
• 29 April 1995 – Sri Lanka Air Force HS 748 serial CR834 (4R-HVA) was hit by an SA-7 missile while on approach to Palaly/KKS/Jaffna. All 52 occupants onboard killed.
• 5 September 1999 - Necon Air Flight 128 from Pokhara to Kathmandu, an BAe 748-501 Super 2B (9N-AEG), collided with a communication tower of Nepal Telecommunication Corporation and crashed in a wooded area 25 km west of Kathmandu, while approaching Tribhuvan International Airport. All 10 passengers and 5 crew were killed.
• 1 June 2002 – Former South African cricket captain Hansie Cronje's scheduled flight home from Bloemfontein to George had been grounded, so he hitched a ride as the only passenger on a cargo flight in an HS 748. Near George airport, the pilots lost visibility in cloud, and were unable to land, partly due to unserviceable navigational equipment. While circling, the plane crashed into the Outeniqua mountains northeast of the airport. Cronje, aged 32, and the two pilots were killed instantly. An inquest by South Africa's High Court reached the conclusion that "the death of the deceased Wessel Johannes (Hansie) Cronje was brought about by an act or omission prima facie amounting to an offence on the part of pilots." However, with Cronje's involvement in match-fixing, theories that Cronje was murdered on the orders of a cricket betting syndicate have flourished since his death.
• 12 June 2012 - A Wasaya Airways Hawker-Siddley 748 caught fire during ground operations at Sandy Lake First Nation in Northwestern Ontario. No injuries were reported. Aircraft burned to the ground. left wing and nacelle survived.