The 1956 London HeathrowAvro Vulcan crash was a military aviation accident that occurred at Heathrow Airport on 1 October 1956 when Avro Vulcan B.1 XA897 crashed while attempting to land in poor weather. The captain and co-pilot ejected safely but the remaining four crew were killed.
The Vulcan had been fitted with bomb bay fuel tanks to cover the great distance from Aden and the aircraft approached Heathrow in torrential rain. At the controls were Squadron Leader Howard and the co-pilot was Air Marshal Sir Harry Broadhurst. In the rear of the aircraft were three RAF crewmen and a civilian technical advisor from the Avro company. Due to the heavy rain and visibility reduced to, XA897 was on a ground controlled approach and was informed by Heathrow's air traffic controller that they were above the glide slope and needed to lose altitude. However, the crew reduced their height too much, with their air speed close to the minimum drag point for a gear down configuration. As a result, the Vulcan was short of the runway and the initial contact with the ground removed the aircraft's undercarriage. The pilot attempted to regain control but was unable to and he and the co-pilot both ejected. The low level made it impossible for Squadron Leader Stroud, Squadron Leader Eames, Squadron Leader Gamble, and Frederick Bassett to exit the aircraft and they were killed.
Cause
The court of inquiry convened to review the crash determined that XA897's approach was affected by poor visibility due to heavy rain and that the aircraft was not equipped to use the instrument landing system installed at Heathrow. The approach was undertaken using a ground controlled approach . Howard attempted to abort the landing at Runway 01 Left, believing he was at he applied power but his aircraft collided with the ground which removed his undercarriage and severely damaged the Vulcan's control surfaces. The aircraft's port wing was almost vertical and with no prospect of recovery he and Broadhurst ejected. The low level made it impossible for Stroud, Eames, Gamble, and Bassett to exit the aircraft and they were killed.
Later claims of accident cause
In his book The Hidden Truth Maurice Hamlin, a former member of the RAF on duty the day of the crash, claims that Harry Broadhurst ignored three direct orders to divert away from Heathrow due to the poor weather conditions. Pilots, he goes on to say, cannot ignore these orders but Hamlin believes that Broadhurst continued to attempt to land due to the waiting press and dignitaries. He further claims a fifty-year D-Notice was placed on the incident.
Timeline
02:50 GMT - XA897 leaves Aden
09:58 GMT - XA897 informed weather at London Heathrow as 2/8ths cloud at ; 7/8ths cloud at ; main cloud base ; visibility ; heavy rain and little wind.
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10:04 GMT - the Vulcan was at, five miles from touch down on Runway 10 Left, and began its descent under GCA with a QNH of 1017 millibars both set on the Captain’s and co-pilot’s altimeters.
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10:05 - at from touch down XA897 made initial contact with the ground, removing both main undercarriage units.
