Incident Overview

Date: Friday 3 June 1966
Aircraft Type: Hawker Siddeley HS-121 Trident 1C
Owner/operator: Hawker Siddeley Aviation
Registration Number: G-ARPY
Location: 1,6 km SSW of Felthorpe – ÿ United Kingdom
Phase of Flight: Manoeuvring (airshow, firefighting, ag.ops.)
Status: Destroyed, written off
Casualties: Fatalities: 4 / Occupants: 4
Component Affected: Trident G-ARPY aircraft, specifically the stall warning and recovery systems.Trident G-ARPY aircraft, specifically the stall warning and recovery systems.
Category: Accident
A Trident G-ARPY aircraft experienced a series of maneuvers during a stall test following the completion of initial tests. A prolonged delay in recovery action resulted in the aircraft entering a superstall, preventing recovery and causing a flat spin.A Trident G-ARPY aircraft experienced a series of maneuvers during a stall test following the completion of initial tests. A prolonged delay in recovery action resulted in the aircraft entering a superstall, preventing recovery and causing a flat spin.

Description

HS-121 Trident G-ARPY departed Hatfield at 16:52 to carry out the first of a series of production test flights to qualify for a Series Certificate of Airworthiness. At 18:30, after completing a large part of the tests, the stalling tests were begun. Three approaches to stall were made to check the stall warning and stall recovery systems. The fourth stalling run was made at a height of 11600 ft in landing configuration with the stall warning and recovery systems made inoperative. The Trident entered a superstall with the nose pitched up to 30-40 degrees. The plane turned to the left, the right wing dropped and the plane then went into a flat spin to the right. PROBABLE CAUSE: “During a stalling test decisive recovery action was delayed too long to prevent the aircraft from entering a superstall from which recovery was not possible.”

Primary Cause

Delayed recovery action during a stall test prevented the aircraft from exiting a superstall.Delayed recovery action during a stall test prevented the aircraft from exiting a superstall.

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