As World War II came to a close the British government realised that it was going to have to drastically change its air manufacturing industry to avoid becoming dependent on American aircraft companies. To address this issue the Brabazon Committee was formed in 1943 to investigate the future needs of the British Empire's civilian airliner market.
As a direct result of the specifications spelled out by the Brabazon Committee the Vickers Viscount was created: this was a medium-range turboprop airliner first flown in 1948 by Vickers-Armstrongs, making it the first such aircraft to enter service in the world. It would go on to be one of the most successful of the first-generation postwar transports, with 445 being built.
Of that relatively large number of 445 aircraft there have been over 150 accidents and incidents, including 144 hull losses. An accident or incident can involve anything from slight damage to total write-off and crash with all people on board killed.
The first incident was on 27 August 1952 when G-AHRF, operated by the UK Ministry of Supply crashed at the Khartoum International Airport. Eventually, with many newer aircraft designs available, the Viscount was phased out of operations by industrial nations but one remains airworthy (as of April 2010) in the developing world, and another remains flyable in the United States.
In April 2003, 9Q-CGL of Trans Intair was damaged on landing at a gravel strip in the Congo. The pilots attempted to take off with damaged engines but as the aircraft was gaining altitude a second engine failed and the aircraft crashed into some trees becoming a total write-off.
1950s
On 27 August 1952, G-AHRF, operated by the Ministry of Supply was damaged beyond economic repair at Khartoum International Airport when the starboard undercarriage collapsed on landing. On 31 October 1954, VH-TVA of Trans Australia Airlines was written off at Mangalore Airport, Victoria when it crashed shortly after take-off when simulating an engine failure on take-off, killing three of the eight crew. On 20 January 1956, G-AMOM of British European Airways crashed on take-off from Blackbushe Airport when the training pilot mishandled the controls for the starboard engines when simulating an engine failure on take-off. On 20 February 1956, N7404 (c/n 90) of Capital Airlines was damaged beyond economic repair at Chicago Midway International Airport when it landed short of the runway due to a malfunction of the propeller control switches. Despite this, the aircraft was remanufactured as c/n 301 and entered service with Trans-Canada Air Lines in May 1957. On 9 July 1956, CF-TGR (c/n 55), of Trans-Canada Airlines lost a propeller in flight on a flight from Chicago to Toronto and Montreal. The propeller entered the passenger cabin, killing a passenger. The aircraft made a successful emergency landing at Windsor, Ontario. On 1 October 1956, SU-AIC of Misrair was written off at Almaza Airport, Cairo, during an air raid by Royal Air Force Canberras of 12(B) Squadron as part of Operation Musketeer. On 12 December 1956, F-BGNK of Air France crashed at Dannemois, Île de France while on a training flight, killing all five crew on board.
On 14 March 1957, G-ALWE of British European Airways crashed at Wythenshawe, Greater Manchester on approach to Ringway Airport, Manchester when a bolt holding a part of the flap mechanism on the starboard wing failed. All 20 people on board were killed, as were two more on the ground. On 20 October 1957, G-AOYF, being operated by Vickers was damaged beyond economic repair at Johannesburg International Airport when the starboard undercarriage collapsed following a heavy landing. On 23 October 1957, G-AOJA of British European Airways was damaged beyond economic repair when it crashed on approach to Nutts Corner Airport, Belfast, killing all seven on board.
On 17 November 1957, G-AOHP of British European Airways crashed at Ballerup after the failure of three engines on approach to Copenhagen Airport. The cause was a malfunction of the anti-icing system on the aircraft. On 6 April 1958, N7437, operating Capital Airlines Flight 67, stalled and crashed on approach to Tri-City Airport, Michigan. All 47 on board were killed. The cause was attributed to ice accretion on the horizontal stabiliser. On 9 April 1958, a Viscount of Cubana de Aviación was hijacked en route from José Martí International Airport, Havana to Santa Clara Airport. The aircraft landed at Mérida-Rejón Airport, Mexico where the hijack ended. On 28 April 1958, G-AORC of British European Airways crashed at Craigie, Ayrshire on approach to Prestwick Airport when the pilot misread the altimeter by 10,000 feet. On 20 May 1958, N7410 of Capital Airlines was involved in a mid-air collision with a Lockheed T-33 of the Air National Guard. All eleven on board were killed when it crashed at Brunswick, Maryland, as was one of the two crew members of the T-33. On 9 August 1958, VP-YNE of Central African Airways crashed south east of Benina International Airport, Libya, killing 36 of the 54 people on board. On 22 October 1958, G-ANHC, operating British European Airways Flight 142 was involved in a mid-air collision with a North American F-86E Sabre of the Italian Air Force. The F-86E pilot ejected but all 31 on board the Viscount were killed when it crashed at Nettuno. On 1 November 1958, CU-T603 of Cubana de Aviación crashed into Nipe Bay on a flight from Miami International Airport to Varadero Airport. Seventeen of the 20 people on board were killed. The aircraft had been hijacked and the crash was due to fuel exhaustion. On 10 November 1958, CF-TGL of Trans-Canada Air Lines was destroyed by fire after it was struck by Lockheed L-749 Super Constellation N6503C of Seaboard & Western Airlines which had crashed on take-off from Idlewild Airport, New York. On 12 November 1958, ZK-BRD of National Airways Corporation, New Zealand, belly landed by mistake when touching down at Whenuapai Airport. The pilot was flying in the righthand seat and inadvertently pulled the undercarriage lever instead of the flaps lever upon touchdown. Moderate damage was done to the airframe, but it was repaired and put back into service.NAC – The Illustrated History of the New Zealand National Airways Corporation 1947–1978, by Richard Waugh with Peter Layne & Graeme McConnell|pg106 On 2 December 1958, G-ANRR of Hunting-Clan Air Transport crashed at Frimley, Surrey after losing its starboard wing in flight, killing all six crew on board. On an unknown date in 1958, VX217 of the Royal Air Force was damaged beyond economic repair by fire at RAF Seighford, Staffordshire. On 17 February 1959, TC-SEV of Turk Hava Yollari crashed at Jordan's Wood, Newdigate, Surrey, west of London Gatwick Airport. Fourteen of the 24 people on board were killed. Turkish Prime Minister Adnan Menderes was among the survivors. On 5 March 1959, YS-09C of TACA International Airlines crashed shortly after take-off from Managua Airport when both port engines failed. Fifteen of the 19 people on board were killed. On 25 April 1959, a Viscount of Cubana de Aviación was hijacked on a flight from Varadero to Havana. The aircraft was landed at Key West International Airport, Florida. On 12 May 1959, N7463 operating Capital Airlines Flight 75 broke up in mid-air after encountering thunderstorms. The aircraft crashed at Chase, Maryland killing all 31 people on board. On 18 May 1959, AP-AJC of Pakistan International Airlines was damaged beyond economic repair on landing at Islamabad International Airport. On 14 August 1959, AP-AJE of Pakistan International Airlines crashed at Karachi International Airport while attempting an overshoot with two engines inoperative on a training flight. Two of the three people on board were killed. On 2 October 1959, a Viscount of Cubana de Aviación was hijacked on a flight from Havana to Antonio Maceo Airport, Santiago. The aircraft landed at Miami International Airport. On 3 October 1959, CF-TGY of Trans-Canada Air Lines was written off when it landed short of the runway at Toronto-Malton Airport. On 21 December 1959, I-LIZT of Alitalia crashed short of the runway at Ciampino Airport, Rome on a training flight exercise in landing with two engines inoperative. Both people on board were killed. On 22 December 1959, a VASP Vickers Viscount 827 registration PP-SRG while on approach to land at Rio de Janeiro-Galeão was involved in a mid-air collision with the Brazilian Air Force Fokker S-11 (T-21) registration FAB0742 in the vicinity of Manguinhos Airport. All 32 people on board the Viscount were killed, as were a further ten on the ground. The T-21 pilot parachuted to safety. This accident eventually led to the closure of Manguinhos Airport.
1960s On 5 January 1960, G-AMNY of British European Airways was damaged beyond economic repair at Luqa Airport when it departed the runway after landing following a loss of hydraulic pressure. Unable to brake or steer, the aircraft struck the limestone tower, trapping the pilot. There were no fatalities, but the fuselage was substantially damaged. The cause was a malfunctioning check valve in the hydraulic system. On 7 January 1960, G-AOHU of British European Airways was damaged beyond economic repair when the nose wheel collapsed on landing at Heathrow Airport. A fire then developed and burnt out the fuselage. There were no casualties among the 59 people on board. On 18 January 1960, N7462, operating Capital Airlines Flight 20 crashed at Holdcroft, Virginia after losing power from at first two, then all four engines. All 50 people on board were killed. On 12 April 1960, all three crew and a passenger of a Viscount of Cubana de Aviación claimed political asylum after the aircraft landed at Miami International Airport. On 17 July 1960, the captain of a Viscount of Cubana de Aviación hijacked the aircraft on a flight from José Martí International Airport, Havana to Miami International Airport. The aircraft landed at Palisadoes Airport, Kingston, Jamaica where the captain claimed political asylum. On 26 September 1960, Austrian Airlines Flight 901 crashed short of the runway at Sheremetyevo International Airport, Moscow. Thirty-one of the 37 people on board were killed. On 29 September 1960, SU-AKW of United Arab Airlines broke up in mid-air and crashed north of Elba. All 23 people on board were killed. On 12 June 1961, G-APKJ of All Nippon Airways was damaged beyond economic repair when the starboard undercarriage collapsed following a heavy landing at Osaka Itami Airport. On 30 October 1961, G-AODH of British United Airways was damaged beyond economic repair while attempting to land at Frankfurt Airport in poor visibility. On 15 November 1961, N6592C of Northeast Airlines was written off when it collided with Douglas DC-6 N8228H of National Airlines after landing at Logan International Airport. The DC-6 had started to take off without receiving clearance. On 15 November 1961, VT-DIH of Indian Airlines was damaged beyond economic repair when the copilot retracted the undercarriage during landing at Ratmalana Airport, Colombo. On 30 November 1961, Ansett-ANA Flight 325 crashed into Botany Bay shortly after takeoff from Kingsford-Smith Airport, Sydney. The starboard wing failed in a thunderstorm. All 15 people on board were killed. On 16 March 1962, SU-AID of United Arab Airlines was damaged beyond economic repair when it crash-landed short of Wadi Halfa Airport due to fuel exhaustion. On 8 July 1962, N243V of Continental Airlines was damaged beyond economic repair when the propellers struck the runway shortly after take-off from Lubbock International Airport. A wheels-up landing was made in a wheat field.