The 1957 Aquila Airways Solent crash occurred on the Isle of Wight in England on 15 November. With 45 lives lost, at the time it was the second worst aircraft accident within the United Kingdom, then at the time the worst ever air disaster to occur on English soil.[1]
The aircraft, an Aquila AirwaysShort Solent 3flying boat named the City of Sydney, registered G-AKNU, departed Southampton Water at 22:46 on a night flight to Las Palmas and Madeira via Lisbon. At 22:54 the crew radioed to report that the number 4 propeller had been feathered (No. 4 engine feathered. Coming back in a hurry.[2] ). During an attempt to return, the Solent crashed into a disused chalkpit adjacent to heavily forested downland. The crash site is on a steep eastern slope of Shalcombe Down, above the small villages of Chessell and Shalcombe. At the time of impact the plane was banked 45 degrees to the right, the same side of the aircraft that had lost all engine power according to the accident report. The aircraft caught fire on impact. However three soldiers on a night-exercise were close by when the crash happened and were on the scene within minutes; they managed to rescue some of the survivors from the burning wreckage, suffering burns as they did so.[3]
Except for the tail, the aircraft was destroyed. Of the 58 on board, 45 were killed and 13 injured.[4] Initially 43 perished, but two more later succumbed to their injuries.[5]
In the days following, the crash-site became a scene of morbid interest and crowds of people came to see it; a police presence was required to keep them at distance.[3]
Possible causes
A public inquiry by the Air Accidents Investigation Branch of the Ministry of Transport[6] concluded that the essential cause remains unknown.[2] The accident was caused by the stoppage of the No.3 engine while the No.4 engine was also stopped. What caused the initial failure of the No.4 engine is unknown. The cause of the subsequent number 3 engine stoppage was either an electrical failure in the fuel cutoff actuator circuit or the accidental operation of the cutoff switch.[1]
Legacy
The crash site in 2007. Visible to the left, as a scar on the forested slope of Shalcombe Down, is the disused chalk pit where the aircraft crashed
The soldiers who rescued crash survivors later received awards for their actions; Major W.J.F. Weller and Lieutenant J.R. Sherbourn were made Members of the Order of the British Empire, Company quartermaster sergeant J.W. Reid, was awarded the British Empire Medal.[7]
Aquila Airways, after operating for 10 years announced in July 1958 it would cease operations, nine months after the crash.[8]
A 50th anniversary memorial service was held in the village of Brook, Isle of Wight on 18 November 2007 to commemorate the lives lost.[9] In October 2008 a permanent memorial was dedicated at Brook's St Mary's Church, about 0.7 miles (1.1 km) due south of the crash site.[5][10]
^ abMemorial to island plane crash, BBC, 12 October 2008
^"Aquilla Airways, Ltd., Short Solent Flying Boat, G-AKNU, crashed between Chessel and Brook on the Isle of Wight, on November 1957" (PDF) (54). Ministry of Transport and Civil Aviation (UK) CAP 149. (PDF) from the original on 18 June 2021. {{cite journal}}: Cite journal requires |journal= (help) 11-page extract from ICAO Circular 56-AN/51 (p.227-237), hosted by baaa-acro.com (Bureau of Aircraft Accidents Archives)
^"Air Crash Rescue Awards". The Times. No. 54310. London. 17 November 1958. p. 12.
^"Aquila Airways To Cease Operations". The Times. No. 54206. London. 18 July 1958. p. 6.
"Service to mark 50 years since Isle of Wight Plane Crash" at Christian Today – includes brief eyewitness account
, (PDF) Frontline – The newspaper of Hampshire Constabulary, November 2006, p. 15.
January 11, 2023
1957, aquila, airways, solent, crash, aquila, airways, short, solent, aknuaccidentdate15, november, 1957summaryengine, stoppagesitenear, chessell, isle, wight, england50, 6681, 4435, 6681, 4435, coordinates, 6681, 4435, 6681, 4435aircraft, typeshort, solent, 3. 1957 Aquila Airways Solent crashAquila Airways Short Solent G AKNUAccidentDate15 November 1957SummaryEngine stoppageSiteNear Chessell Isle of Wight England50 40 05 N 1 26 37 W 50 6681 N 1 4435 W 50 6681 1 4435 Coordinates 50 40 05 N 1 26 37 W 50 6681 N 1 4435 W 50 6681 1 4435Aircraft typeShort Solent 3Aircraft nameCity of SidneyOperatorAquila AirwaysRegistrationG AKNUFlight originSouthampton WaterPassengers50Crew8Fatalities45Survivors13 The 1957 Aquila Airways Solent crash occurred on the Isle of Wight in England on 15 November With 45 lives lost at the time it was the second worst aircraft accident within the United Kingdom then at the time the worst ever air disaster to occur on English soil 1 Contents 1 Accident sequence 2 Possible causes 3 Legacy 4 Notes 5 References 6 External linksAccident sequence Edit Interactive fullscreen map Location of the crash site on the Isle of Wight The aircraft an Aquila Airways Short Solent 3 flying boat named the City of Sydney registered G AKNU departed Southampton Water at 22 46 on a night flight to Las Palmas and Madeira via Lisbon At 22 54 the crew radioed to report that the number 4 propeller had been feathered No 4 engine feathered Coming back in a hurry 2 During an attempt to return the Solent crashed into a disused chalk pit adjacent to heavily forested downland The crash site is on a steep eastern slope of Shalcombe Down above the small villages of Chessell and Shalcombe At the time of impact the plane was banked 45 degrees to the right the same side of the aircraft that had lost all engine power according to the accident report The aircraft caught fire on impact However three soldiers on a night exercise were close by when the crash happened and were on the scene within minutes they managed to rescue some of the survivors from the burning wreckage suffering burns as they did so 3 Except for the tail the aircraft was destroyed Of the 58 on board 45 were killed and 13 injured 4 Initially 43 perished but two more later succumbed to their injuries 5 In the days following the crash site became a scene of morbid interest and crowds of people came to see it a police presence was required to keep them at distance 3 Possible causes EditA public inquiry by the Air Accidents Investigation Branch of the Ministry of Transport 6 concluded that the essential cause remains unknown 2 The accident was caused by the stoppage of the No 3 engine while the No 4 engine was also stopped What caused the initial failure of the No 4 engine is unknown The cause of the subsequent number 3 engine stoppage was either an electrical failure in the fuel cutoff actuator circuit or the accidental operation of the cutoff switch 1 Legacy Edit The crash site in 2007 Visible to the left as a scar on the forested slope of Shalcombe Down is the disused chalk pit where the aircraft crashed The soldiers who rescued crash survivors later received awards for their actions Major W J F Weller and Lieutenant J R Sherbourn were made Members of the Order of the British Empire Company quartermaster sergeant J W Reid was awarded the British Empire Medal 7 Aquila Airways after operating for 10 years announced in July 1958 it would cease operations nine months after the crash 8 A 50th anniversary memorial service was held in the village of Brook Isle of Wight on 18 November 2007 to commemorate the lives lost 9 In October 2008 a permanent memorial was dedicated at Brook s St Mary s Church about 0 7 miles 1 1 km due south of the crash site 5 10 Notes Edit a b Accident description at the Aviation Safety Network a b Solent Accident Report Flight 8 August 1958 p 208 Archived from the original on 12 October 2012 brief summary of accident report a b 45 Dead in Flying Boat Crash The Times No 54001 London 18 November 1957 p 12 Flight 22 November 1957 p 793 a b Memorial to island plane crash BBC 12 October 2008 Aquilla Airways Ltd Short Solent Flying Boat G AKNU crashed between Chessel and Brook on the Isle of Wight on November 1957 PDF 54 Ministry of Transport and Civil Aviation UK CAP 149 Archived PDF from the original on 18 June 2021 a href Template Cite journal html title Template Cite journal cite journal a Cite journal requires journal help 11 page extract from ICAO Circular 56 AN 51 p 227 237 hosted by baaa acro com Bureau of Aircraft Accidents Archives Air Crash Rescue Awards The Times No 54310 London 17 November 1958 p 12 Aquila Airways To Cease Operations The Times No 54206 London 18 July 1958 p 6 Flying Boat Disaster BBC South Today Memorials and Monuments on the Isle of Wight Brook Short Solent air disaster isle of wight memorials org uk Retrieved 11 October 2019 References EditFlight 22 November 1957 p 793 PDF early description of the accident Flight 8 August 1958 p 208 PDF brief summary of the published accident reportExternal links EditPhotographs of the crash site taken in 1957 1995 and 2005 Two former Aquilla Airways employees discuss the crash in a 2017 video on YouTube British Pathe newsreel footage taken of the crash wreckage silent on YouTube alternate link on BritishPathe com Newspaper clippings about the accident at PPRuNe Service to mark 50 years since Isle of Wight Plane Crash at Christian Today includes brief eyewitness account An emotional return PDF Frontline The newspaper of Hampshire Constabulary November 2006 p 15 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title 1957 Aquila Airways Solent crash amp oldid 1108104720, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
