antarmike Posted October 5, 2008 Share Posted October 5, 2008 (edited) The RAF's first Avro Vulcan B 1, XA897, which completed a fly-the-flag mission to New Zealand in September, approaches Heathrow in bad weather on GCA approach, crashing short of the runway. Two pilots eject, but four crew do not have ejection seats and are killed. Aircraft Captain Squadron Leader "Podge" Howard and co-pilot Air Marshal Sir Harry Broadhurst survive. Signal delays in the primitive Ground-Controlled Approach system of the time may have let the aircraft descend too low without being warned. Undercarriage damaged in contact short of runway with control lost during attempted go-around. Edited October 5, 2008 by antarmike Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
antarmike Posted October 5, 2008 Author Share Posted October 5, 2008 (edited) 1 October 1959 sees another RAF plane lost when English Electric test pilot Johnny W.C. Squier, flying prototype two-seat Lightning T.4, XL628, suffers structural failure and ejects at Mach 1.7, becoming first UK pilot to eject above the speed of sound. Radar tracks the descending fighter, but not the pilot as he landed in the Irish Sea, and despite an extensive search, Squier has to make his way ashore by himself after 28 hours in a dinghy. The suspected cause of this crash was fin collapse. The Aircraft had only made 94 flights amounting to just under 41 hours flying. Edited October 5, 2008 by antarmike Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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