On October 16, 1947, the flight crew of a Bristol 170 Freighter Mk. I of the Transports Aériens Intercontinentaux (TAI) ( aircraft registration F-BCJN ) reported on the flight from Marseille to Oran that they had had to turn off an engine. The plane crashed in the Mediterranean abeam of Cartagena , Spain . Of the 43 inmates, only the navigator and one passenger could be saved, the other 41 were killed.
On November 18, 1947, a Bristol 170 Mk XI of the Swedish charter airline Trafik-Turist-Transportflyg (SE-BNG) was flown into the Santa Maria del Monte mountain (CFIT, Controlled flight into terrain ). On the way from Ethiopia to Sweden, the plane flew into the mountains on the section from Catania to Rome Ciampino Airport . Of the 25 inmates, 21 were killed.
On April 11, 1948, a Bristol 170 Mk.21 of Compagnie Air Transport (F-BENG) flew after take-off from Gibraltar airport on a cargo flight to Casablanca near Algeciras in the mountains. The pilots had not made the prescribed left turn immediately after take-off, but had flown straight ahead until they collided with the terrain at a height of around 800 meters. All three crew members were killed.
On May 6, 1949, part of a wing of a Bristol 170 Mk.31 manufactured by the Bristol Aircraft Company (G-AIFF) apparently broke off during a test flight. The machine crashed into the English Channel 16 miles from the Isle of Portland . All 7 crew members were killed.
On November 24, 1949, a Bristol 170 Freighter Mk.21E of the Spanish airline Aviaco (EC-ADK) rolled over the runway end at Mahon-Menorca Airport (San Luis) and was irreparably damaged. All 26 occupants, 22 passengers and 4 crew members survived.
1950s
On March 10, 1950, a Bristol 170 Mk.21 of the French Société Indochinoise de Transport Aériens (SITA) (F-BECR) crashed in South Vietnam on a cargo flight from Phu Bai Airport in Huế to Da Nang Airport . All 3 crew members and the only passenger were killed.
On March 21, 1950, a Bristol 170 Mk.21 from the manufacturer Bristol Aircraft Company (G-AHJJ) went into a tailspin on a test flight and crashed about 60 kilometers west of the Bristol Filton factory airfield near Cowbridge. The machine was on the second test flight after being converted from the Mk.IIA version to the Mk.21. All 4 inmates perished.
On July 29, 1950, a Bristol 170 Mk.21 of Compagnie Air Transport (F-BENF) crashed on the flight from Algiers Airport to Gao (Mali) near Tanezrouft (Mali). An explosion in the fuel tank of the right wing or its breakage due to material fatigue of the rivets used there are assumed to be possible causes. All 4 crew members and 22 passengers were killed.
On July 27, 1951, a West African Airways Corporation (VR-NAX) Bristol 170 Freighter 21E was irreparably damaged in an accident during the approach to Kaduna Airport . The reason was lack of fuel. None of the inmates was killed.
On January 19, 1953, a Bristol 170 Mk.21 of Silver City Airways (G-AICM) ran out of fuel. Since a landing at the destination airport Berlin-Tempelhof was not possible due to fog, a crash landing occurred nearby. Both pilots survived the total write-off, which came about due to insufficient fuel reserves.
On December 4, 1953, a Freighter Mk. 21 of the Spanish Aviaco (EC-AEG) flew into a ridge on a flight from Bilbao to Madrid-Barajas Airport, 20 minutes before arrival near Guaderrama. Of the 33 inmates, 23 were killed.
On August 16, 1954, the pilots of a Bristol 170 Mk.21E of Air Vietnam (F-VNAI) avoided an emergency landing at Pakse Airport ( Laos ) on their flight from Hanoi to Saigon due to engine problems . On approach, the machine crashed into a tributary of the Mekong . On the flight, family members were evacuated by troops from the Red River area in northern Vietnam; the plane was overloaded. Of the 55 inmates, 47 were killed, 46 passengers and one steward. This was the worst accident involving a Bristol 170.
On February 5, 1955, a West African Airways Corporation (VR-NAD) Bristol 170 Freighter 21E crashed from an altitude of 1200 meters while flying from Enugu to Calabar. The reason was the structural failure of the left wing. None of the 13 inmates survived the crash into a densely forested hill area.
On September 17, 1955, a Bristol 170 Mk. 31 of Pacific Western Airlines (PWA) (CF-GBT) had an engine failure on a flight to Yellowknife , whereupon the pilots decided to return to the starting airport Edmonton-Municipal . According to another source, the machine was operated by Associated Airways , which was acquired by PWA that same year. Due to, among other things, at least 635 kilograms of overloading, the plane crashed 22 kilometers north of Thorhild ( Alberta ) on a field, although the cargo had started to be dropped. Of the 6 inmates, 2 were killed, the captain and one passenger.
On February 13, 1956, a Bristol 170 of Maritime Central Airways (CF-FZU) crashed two minutes after taking off from Frobisher Bay Airport , killing all three crew members. Inadequate load securing was found to be the cause of the accident , so that a loaded truck chassis started to move when it started. As a result, the center of gravity shifted and the captain lost control of the aircraft when attempting to return to the airport (see also the accident involving a Bristol 170 of Maritime Central Airways ) .
On May 30, 1956, the left main landing gear of a Bristol 170 Mk. 31 of Pacific Western Airlines (CF-TFZ ) broke through the ice of the lake when landing on the frozen Beaverlodge Lake ( Northwest Territories ). The aircraft fell on the left wing and was irreparably damaged. All three crew members survived. Even after more than 50 years, the wreck is still in good condition there (see photo from 2010 on Airliners.net).
On May 9, 1957, came at a Bristol 170 Freighter Mk.21 the Aviaco (EC ADI) on a flight from Santiago de Compostela to Madrid-Barajas Airport during flown under visual traffic pattern for landing at a stall . The plane spun , crashed and caught fire. All 5 crew members and 32 passengers were killed.
On September 11, 1957, a Bristol 170 Freighter was Mk.21E the Aviaco (EC-AEH) on the airport Tetouan in a hard landing irreparably damaged. All inmates survived.
On February 27, 1958, a Bristol 170 Mk.21E of Manx Airlines (G-AICS) was on a charter flight from Ronaldsway Airport to Manchester when it came to a controlled flight into terrain (CFIT). The plane was leased from parent company Silver City Airways . Since the wrong NDB radio beacon had been selected on the radio compass , a navigation error occurred which resulted in the aircraft being flown 35 kilometers north-northwest of the destination airport in Manchester into the 450-meter-high Winter Hill . Of the 42 occupants, 35 passengers were killed; 4 passengers and the 3 crew members survived. This was the second worst accident involving a Bristol 170 based on the number of fatalities.
On November 4, 1958, a Bristol 170 Mk.21 operated by Compagnie Air Transport (F-BHVB) hit an obstacle on its approach to Le Touquet Airport . The resulting damage resulted in the landing gear collapsing when it touched down and the aircraft was a total loss. There was no personal injury.
On March 13, 1959, a Bristol 170 Freighter Mk.21E of Aviaco (EC-ADH) made a sharp right turn on the final approach to Mahon-Menorca Airport (San Luis) at a height of about 120 meters and then fell to the ground, possibly triggered by a strong gust of wind . One of the passengers was killed, the other 17 occupants, 14 passengers and 3 crew members survived.
1960s
On 1 October 1961, a Bristol 170 Freighter was Mk.31E the Aviaco (EC-AHK) on the Ibiza airport irreparably damaged in a landing accident. All inmates survived.
On November 1, 1961, a Bristol 170 Mk.32 of Silver City Airways (G-ANWL) coming from Cherbourg-Maupertus airport got out of control when attempting a go-around at Guernsey airport, hit the ground with the right wing and overturned. The loss of control was caused by a failure of the propeller adjustment of the right engine. Of the 10 occupants, 2 crew members perished, all others survived.
On April 19, 1962, a Bristol 170 Freighter was Mk.31E the Aviaco (EC-AHJ) on the Valencia Airport from currently not present reasons irreparably damaged. People were not harmed.
On June 30, 1962, the landing gear of a Bristol 170 Mk.21 operated by Silver City Airways (G-AGVC) collapsed on landing at Ronaldsway Airport . The machine was irreparably damaged, the occupants remained uninjured. (Note: In the Aviation Safety Network source, the operator is incorrectly referred to as "Manx Airlines".)
On September 24, 1963, a British United Air Ferries (G-AMWA) Bristol 170 Mk.32 had an engine malfunction when taking off from Guernsey Airport . The machine was supposed to fly to Bournemouth and carried mostly freight and a car. The take-off was aborted at a speed of about 80 knots. When the pilots realized that the remaining runway length was no longer sufficient and that there would be a collision with obstacles, they steered the aircraft to the left, whereupon the machine took off briefly, then rolled through a fence and across a street and finally 200 to 400 meters came to a stop behind the end of the runway. All three crew members and the only passenger survived, but the aircraft was ready for scrap.
On June 12, 1967, an Aer Turas Mk.31E Freighter ( EI-APM ) coming from Prestwick Airport jumped up several times when landing at Dublin Airport , whereupon the pilots decided to take off. This led to the failure of the left engine and loss of control in a left turn. The left wing collided with the roof of a building; it crashed. Both pilots, the only occupants, were killed.
On July 11, 1969, a Bristol 170 Mk.32 of Compagnie Air Transport (F-BLHH) parked at Touquet Airport was rammed by an airport excavator and damaged in such a way that the machine had to be written off. People were not harmed.
1970s
On May 3, 1970, a Bristol 170 Mk.31M of Wardair (CF-WAG) broke through the ice of the actually frozen lake on Great Slave Lake , Canada and could no longer be recovered. People were not harmed.
1980s
On January 14, 1981, the right main landing gear of a Bristol 170 Mk.31E of New Zealand's SAFE Air (Straits Air Freight Express) (ZK-CAM) collapsed when it rolled out during landing at Blenheim-Woodbourne Airport. The reason was a fatigue fracture in the landing gear attachment. The two crew members and the two passengers were uninjured. The machine was damaged beyond repair.
1990s
On April 24, 1997, a Bristol 170 Mk.31 Hawkair (C-FTPA) was on the 80-kilometer cargo flight from Wrangell Airport ( Alaska ) to Bronson Creek Airport ( British Columbia ). On landing, the right wing came into contact with the ground. The plane peeped and rushed into a ditch. The trigger was presumably the fatigue fracture of a bolt in the chassis suspension. All three crew members survived. The machine was damaged beyond repair. It was the last accident involving a Bristol 170, a type that was last used in 2004 - after 59 years of operation.
↑ Maurice J. Wickstead: Airlines of the British Isles since 1919 . Air-Britain (Historians) Ltd., Staplefield, W Sussex 2014, ISBN 978-0-85130-456-4 , p. 377.
↑ Maurice J. Wickstead: Airlines of the British Isles since 1919 . Air-Britain (Historians) Ltd., Staplefield, W Sussex 2014, ISBN 978-0-85130-456-4 , p. 318.
↑ Maurice J. Wickstead: Airlines of the British Isles since 1919 . Air-Britain (Historians) Ltd., Staplefield, W Sussex 2014, ISBN 978-0-85130-456-4 , p. 377.
