List of accidents and incidents involving the Bristol Freighter

A Bristol Freighter Mk.32 of British United Airways

This is a list of accidents and incidents involving the Bristol Freighter, a twin-engined transport aircraft used as both a freighter and airliner as well as a troop transport and car ferry.

1940s

1946

• 4 July - Freighter IIA G-AHJB on delivery to REAL Transportes Aéreos of Brazil crashed into the sea 198 km east of Aracaju, Brazil. The crew were rescued by an American steamship.^[1][2]

1947

• 16 October - Freighter I F-BCJN Société Aérienne du Littoral crashed into the sea off Cartagena, Spain, 41 killed.^[1][2]
• 23 October - Bristol's company demonstrator Freighter IA G-AIMC, named "Merchant Venturer", was damaged beyond repair at Wau, New Guinea during a worldwide sales and demonstration tour. The aircraft, which was on charter to Qantas, was parked at the top of Wau's 1:12 gradient airstrip after landing when the park brake cable failed. "Merchant Venturer" rolled backwards down the runway and off the lower end into a deep ditch.^{[3][4][5][6][7][8]}
• 18 November - Freighter XI SE-BNG of AB Trafik-Turist-Transportflyg crashed into the Santa Marie del Monte mountain near Revello, Italy, 21 killed.^[1][2]

1948

• 25 January - Freighter 21E F-BCJA of Société Indochinoise de Transport Aériens disappeared on a flight from Cyprus to Iraq, five missing.^[1][2]
• 11 April - Freighter 21E F-BENG of Cie Air Transport crashed at Los Barrios, Algeciras, Spain, three killed.^[1][2]

1949

• 6 May - G-AIFF a Bristol Aeroplane Company Freighter Mark 31 crashed into the English Channel about 26 km from Portland Lighthouse following rudder over-balance causing structural failure of the fin, seven killed.^[1][2]
• 8 July - Freighter IA T-28 of the Argentine Air Force was damaged beyond repair, five killed.^[1][2]
• 6 August - Freighter 21 HC-SBU of the Shell Company of Ecuador crashed near Salasca Hill, Cordilleras, Ecuador, 34 killed.^[1][2]
• 24 November - Freighter 21E EC-ADK of Aviacion y Comercio was damaged beyond repair when it overshot the runway at Mahon Airport, Minorca.^[1]

1950s

1950

• 10 March - Freighter 21 F-BECR of Société Indochinoise de Transport Aériens crashed into high ground near Saigon, South Vietnam, four killed.^[1][2]
• 21 March - G-AHJJ a Bristol Aeroplane Company Freighter Mark 21 crashed near Cowbridge, Glamorgan after take-off from Llandow, four killed.^[1][2]
• 28 July - Freighter 21 F-BENF of Cie Air Transport crashed in the Sahara near Tanezrouft, Tunbukta, 26 killed.^[1][2]
• 5 October - Freighter 21 WH575 operated by the Bristol Aeroplane Company crashed on take off during a simulated engine failure when both engines were stopped, aircraft later re-built.^[2]

1951

• 27 July - Freighter 21E VR-NAX of West African Airways Corporation was damaged beyond repair when it landed short of the runway at Kaduna, Nigeria.^[1]
• 14 September - Freighter 21E G780 of the Royal Pakistan Air Force crashed.^[1]
• 25 September - Freighter IA T-37 of the Argentine Air Force crashed in Argentina, three killed.^[1][2]

1952

• 26 August - Wayfarer 21P G783 of the Royal Pakistan Air Force crashed near Khewra, Pakistan, 18 killed.^[2]
• 25 September - Wayfarer 21P G699 of the Royal Pakistan Air Force crashed near Lahore, Pakistan, two killed.^[2]

1953

• 19 January - G-AICM a Silver City Airways Freighter 21 crashed near Tempelhof Airport, West Berlin.^[1]
• 27 May - Freighter 31M NZ5908 of the Royal New Zealand Air Force crashed into high ground at Wither Hills near Blenheim, New Zealand, five killed.^[1][2]
• August - Freighter IA T-41 of the Argentine Air Force crashed.^[1]
• 11 November - Wayfarer 21P G809 of the Royal Pakistan Air Force crashed.^[2]
• 25 November - Freighter 21E A81-2 of the Royal Australian Air Force crashed after structural failure near Woomera, Australia, three killed.^[1][2]
• 4 December - Freighter 21 EC-AEG of Aviacion y Comercio crashed near Guaderrama mountains 132 km from Madrid, Spain, 23 killed.^[1]

1954

• 16 August - Freighter 21E F-VNAI of Air Vietnam crashed near Pakse, Laos, 47 killed.^[1][2]

1955

• 5 February - Freighter 21E VR-NAD of West African Airways Corporation crashed 94 km north west of Calabar, Nigeria, 13 killed.^[1][2]
• 17 September - Freighter 31 CF-GBT of Pacific Western Airlines was damaged beyond repair after a forced landing north of Thorhild, Alberta, Canada, two killed.^[1][2]
• 3 December - Freighter 31M 9696 of the Royal Canadian Air Force crashed at Merville, France, seven killed.^[1][2]

1956

• 13 February - Freighter 31 CF-FZU of Maritime Central Airways was damaged beyond repair during a take off from Baffin Island, Frobisher Bay, Canada, three killed.^[1][2]
• 30 May - Freighter 31 CF-TFZ of Pacific Western Airlines was damaged beyond repair at Beaver Lode Lake, Northwest Territories, Canada.^[1]
• 18 June - Freighter 31 CF-TFY of Transair was damaged beyond repair after it sank in 40 feet of water at Hudson Bay, Canada.^[1]
• November - F-OAUO of Air Laos was damaged beyond repair when it overshot the runway at Vientiane, Laos.^[1]
• 1 November - Freighter 31M S4413 of the Pakistan Air Force crashed.^[2]
• 10 December - NZ5901 of the Royal New Zealand Air Force crashed at Cameron Highlands, Malaya, eight killed.^[1][2]

1957

• 9 May - EC-ADI an Aviacion y Comercio, later Aviaco, Freighter 21 crashed on approach to Barajas near Madrid, Spain, 37 killed.^[1][2]
• 11 September - EC-AEH, a Freighter 21E of Aviacion y Comercia, was damaged beyond repair when landing at Tetuan, Morocco.^[1]
• 8 October 1- Freighter 21E HZ-AAC of Saudi Arabian Airlines was damaged beyond repair during landing at Tarair, Saudi Arabia.^[1]
• 21 November - Freighter 31 ZK-AYH of Straits Air Freight Express crashed and burned at Russley Golf Course, Christchurch, New Zealand, after it broke up in flight due to a severe gust of wind initiating the fatigue failure of the right wing. The wing failed at a bolt hole that had been drilled in its front spar during a modification meant to fix an existing fatigue problem in the wing. The four occupants were killed.^[1][9][10]

1958

• 27 February - Freighter 21E G-AICS of Manx Airlines crashed at Winter Hill, near Bolton, Lancashire, United Kingdom, 35 killed.^[1][2]
• 25 March - Freighter 21E HZ-AAB of Saudi Arabian Airlines was damaged beyond repair during a landing at Guriat airstrip in Saudi Arabia.^[1]
• 4 November - Freighter 31 F-BHVB of Cie Air Transport crashed on landing at Le Touqet, France.^[1]

1959

• 29 January - Freighter 31M S4426 of the Pakistan Air Force crashed near Chakala, Pakistan. seven killed.^[1][2]
• 15 March - Freighter 31 EC-ADH of Aviacion y Comercio was damaged beyond repair on landing at Mahon Airport, Minorca, one killed.^[1][2]
• November - Pakistan Air Force Mark 21P G778 was damaged beyond repair in a landing accident.^[1]
• November - Freighter 31M S4419 of the Pakistan Air Force crashed.^[1][2]

1960s

1961

• 1 November - Freighter 32 G-ANWL of Silver City Airways crashed in Guernsey, two killed.^[1][2]
• 18 December - VH-AAH of Pacific Aviation was damaged beyond repair while landing at Albion Park near Sydney, Australia.^[1]
• Freighter 31 S4415 of the Pakistan Air Force crashed on an unknown date.^[2]

1962

• 19 April - Freighter 31E EC-AHJ of Aviacion y Comercio was damaged beyond repair at Valencia, Spain.^[1]
• 30 June - Freighter 21 G-AGVC of Manx Airlines was damaged beyond repair when the landing gear collapsed during landing at Ronaldsway, Isle of Man.^[1]
• 26 July - S4414 of the Royal Pakistan Air Force crashed at Indus Valley, Pakistan.^[1]

1963

• 24 September - G-AMWA of British United Air Ferries crashed on take-off at Guernsey.^[1]
• 30 December - Freighter 31M 9697 of the Royal Canadian Air Force crashed on approach to Marville aerodrome, France, eight killed.^[2]

1967

• Freighter 31M 369 of the Iraqi Air Force was damaged beyond repair in a landing accident on an unknown date.^[1][2]
• 12 June - Freighter 31M EI-APM of Aer Turas crashed on landing at Dublin, Ireland, 2 killed.^[1]

1968

• 10 April - Freighter 31E ZK-CPU of SAFE Air was damaged beyond repair by a hurricane.^[1]

1969

• 11 June - Freighter 32 F-BLHH of Cie Air Transport was damaged beyond repair at Le Touquet, France.^[1]
• 21 August - G775 of the Pakistan Air Force was damaged beyond repair.^[1]

1970s

• 3 May 1970 - Freighter 31M CF-WAG of Wardair was damaged beyond repair at Great Slave Lake near Snowdrift, Northwest Territories, Canada.^[1]
• 31 May 1974 - Freighter 31M CF-QWJ of Lambair entered a spiral dive and crashed at Ranklin Inlet, Canada following an engine failure; two killed.^[1][11]
• 10 May 1975 - Freighter 21E VH-SJQ of Air Express crashed in Bass Strait off Cape Paterson 40 km south of Wonthaggi, Victoria, Australia following an engine failure; two killed.^[1][12]
• 20 November 1977 - Freighter 31M C-FWAD of Norcanair stalled and crashed at Hay River Airport, Canada; one killed.^[2]

1980s

• 14 January 1981 - Freighter 31E ZK-CAM of SAFE Air was damaged beyond repair while landing at Blenheim-Woodbourne Airport, New Zealand.^[2]
• 21 June 1988 - Freighter 31M C-GYQY of Trans-Provincial Airlines crashed on landing at Bronson Creek, 350 km north of Terrace, British Columbia, Canada.^[1]

1990s

• 18 July 1996 - Freighter 31 C-FDFC crashed on take off from Enstone Airfield, United Kingdom.^[2]
• 24 April 1997 - Freighter 31A C-FTPA damaged beyond repair landing at Bronson Creek Airport, Canada.^[2]

References

• Eastwood, Tony and John Roach. Piston Engine Airliner Production List. West Drayton, UK: The Aviation Hobby Shop, 1991. ISBN 0-907178-37-5.