Incident Overview

Date: Wednesday 5 January 1949
Aircraft Type: Avro 685 York I
Owner/operator: British South American Airways – BSAA
Registration Number: G-AHEX
Location: Caravelas Bay, BA – ÿ Brazil
Phase of Flight: Unknown
Status: Destroyed, written off
Casualties: Fatalities: 3 / Occupants: 15
Component Affected: No specific component is identified as being directly affected, but the fire and subsequent damage to the engine, oil system, and propeller feathering system suggest damage to the engine itself.No specific component is identified as being directly affected, but the fire and subsequent damage to the engine, oil system, and propeller feathering system suggest damage to the engine itself.
Category: Accident
A tire failure on takeoff led to a catastrophic engine failure during flight. The crew initiated an emergency spiral descent due to the engine’s failure. The crash-landing occurred near Caravelas, resulting in significant damage to the aircraft.A tire failure on takeoff led to a catastrophic engine failure during flight. The crew initiated an emergency spiral descent due to the engine’s failure. The crash-landing occurred near Caravelas, resulting in significant damage to the aircraft.

Description

A tire failure was experienced on takeoff. The takeoff was continued and a visual inspection was carried out while climbing to cruising altitude. Nothing unusual was noted. At 3,5 hours into the flight the no. 3 engine failed and a fire broke out. The crew immediately started an emergency spiral descent. The York, barely under control, crash-landed near Caravelas. PROBABLE CAUSE: “Fire on board the aircraft while in flight. The secondary cause as the bursting of a tyre of starboard wheel resulting in damage to the undercarriage and to the oil system installation, and which occurred when taking off. The tread of the burst tyre tore off the hydraulic jack bracing struts, which were forced into the nacelle of the engine, causing damage to the oil system installation so that the oil emptied out, and resulting in possible further damage to the propeller feathering system. Owing to the lack of oil, caused by seepage, the connecting rods were torn out, contributing to an excessive increase in speed. In this way the uncontrolled propeller and the resulting overspeeding caused the engine to break apart, allowing the outbreak of fire, whose intensity was aggravated by the large quantity of oil round the nacelle of the no.3 engine.”

Primary Cause

Fire on board the aircraft while in flight.Fire on board the aircraft while in flight.

Share on:

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *