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Coordinates: 39°55′N 14°30′E / 39.917°N 14.500°E / 39.917; 14.500 (South African Airways Flight 201)
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{{short description|1954 aviation accident}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=July 2014}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=July 2014}}
{{EngvarB|date=July 2014}}
{{EngvarB|date=July 2014}}
{{Refimprove|date=February 2011}}
{{Infobox Airliner accident
{{Infobox Airliner accident
|name=South African Airways Flight 201
|name=South African Airways Flight 201
|image=British Overseas Airways Corporation - de Havilland DH-106 Comet 1 G-ALYY.jpg
|image=
|image_size=250px
|caption=Comet that was involved in the accident
|caption= G-ALYY, the aircraft involved in the accident
|occurrence_type=Accident
|occurrence_type=Accident
|date=8 April 1954
|date={{start date|1954|04|8|df=y}}
|type=In-flight metal fatigue failure leading to explosive decompression and break-up.
|type=In-flight metal fatigue failure leading to explosive decompression and [[in-flight breakup]]
|site=Mediterranean between [[Naples]]/[[Stromboli]]
|site=Mediterranean Sea between [[Naples]] and [[Stromboli]]
|coordinates= {{coord|39|55|N|14|30|E|display=inline,title|type:landmark|name=South African Airways Flight 201}}
|coordinates= {{coord|39|55|N|14|30|E|display=inline,title|type:landmark|name=South African Airways Flight 201}}
|aircraft_type=de Havilland DH 106 Comet 1
|aircraft_type={{ubl|de Havilland DH 106|Comet 1}}
|aircraft_name="Yoke Yoke"
|aircraft_name=
|operator= [[South African Airways]] on behalf of [[British Overseas Airways Corporation|BOAC]]
|operator= [[South African Airways]] on behalf of [[British Overseas Airways Corporation|BOAC]]
|tail_number=G-ALYY
|tail_number=G-ALYY
|origin=[[London Heathrow Airport]]
|origin=[[London Heathrow Airport]], [[London]], England
|stopover0=[[Ciampino Airport]]
|stopover0=[[Rome Ciampino Airport]], [[Rome]], Italy
|last_stopover=[[Cairo International Airport]]
|last_stopover=[[Cairo International Airport]], [[Cairo]], Egypt
|destination=[[OR Tambo International Airport|Johannesburg Jan Smuts]]
|destination=[[O.R. Tambo International Airport|Johannesburg Jan Smuts Airport]], [[Johannesburg]], [[Union of South Africa|South Africa]]
|passengers=14
|passengers=14
|crew=7
|crew=7
|injuries=0
|injuries=
|fatalities=21 (all)
|fatalities=21
|survivors=0
|survivors=0
}}
}}
'''South African Airways Flight 201''', a [[de Havilland Comet|de Havilland Comet 1]], took off at 18:32 [[Coordinated Universal Time|UTC]] on 8 April 1954 from [[Ciampino Airport]] in Rome, Italy en route to [[Cairo]], Egypt, on the second stage of its flight from London to [[Johannesburg]], South Africa. The flight crashed, killing all aboard at around 19:07 UTC. The flight was operated as a charter by [[British Overseas Airways Corporation]] (BOAC) using the aircraft {{Airreg|G|ALYY}} ("[[RAF phonetic alphabet|Yoke Yoke]]"), with a South African crew of seven, and carrying 14 passengers.
'''South African Airways Flight 201''' ('''SA201'''), a [[De Havilland Comet#Comet 1|de Havilland Comet 1]], took off at 18:32 [[Coordinated Universal Time|UTC]] on 8 April 1954 from [[Ciampino Airport]] in [[Rome]], Italy, en route to [[Cairo]], Egypt, on the second stage of its flight from [[London]], England to [[Johannesburg]], South Africa. The flight crashed at around 19:07 UTC, killing all on board. The flight was operated as a charter by [[British Overseas Airways Corporation]] (BOAC) using the [[aircraft registration]] {{Airreg|G|ALYY}} ("[[RAF phonetic alphabet|Yoke Yoke]]"), with a South African crew of seven, and carrying fourteen passengers.


==Flight and disaster==
==Flight and disaster==
Gerry Bull and other BOAC engineers examined the aircraft for Flight 201. Previously, the same team had examined [[BOAC Flight 781]] (a Comet that broke up at altitude that January) prior to its final flight.<ref name="Secondsdisaster">"Comet Air Crash" ("Crash of the Comet"). ''[[Seconds From Disaster]]''.</ref>
Gerry Bull and other BOAC engineers had examined the aircraft for Flight 201. Previously, on 10 January 1954, the same team had undertaken a preflight inspection of [[BOAC Flight 781]], a Comet that had broken up at altitude. It suffered an explosive decompression and all 35 people on board were killed.<ref name="Secondsdisaster">{{Cite episode |title=Comet Air Crash" "(Crash of the Comet) | date=15 November 2006 |series=Seconds From Disaster |series-link=Seconds From Disaster |network=[[National Geographic Channel]] |season=3 |number =8 |language=en}}</ref>


Flying as ''SA201'', Yoke Yoke took off from London for Rome at 13:00&nbsp;UTC on Thursday 7 April 1954, on the first leg southwards to Johannesburg, arriving at Rome approximately two and a half hours later, at 17:35&nbsp;UTC. On arrival at Rome engineers discovered some minor faults, including a faulty fuel gauge and 30 loose bolts on the left wing,<ref>{{cite web|title=Major Airline Disasters: Involving Commercial Passenger Airlines 1920–2011|url=http://www.airdisasters.co.uk/080454.htm|work=http://www.airdisasters.co.uk|accessdate=22 February 2013}}</ref> which delayed the aircraft's departure by 25 hours before Yoke Yoke was ready to depart for Cairo on the evening of Thursday 8 April.
Flight 201 took off from [[London]] for [[Rome]] at 13:00&nbsp;UTC on Wednesday 7 April 1954, on the first leg southward to [[Johannesburg]], arriving at Rome approximately two and a half hours later, at 17:35&nbsp;UTC. On arrival at Rome, engineers discovered some minor faults, including a faulty fuel gauge and 30 loose bolts on the left wing,<ref>{{cite web|title=Major Airline Disasters: Involving Commercial Passenger Airlines 1920–2011|url=http://www.airdisasters.co.uk/080454.htm|work=www.airdisasters.co.uk|accessdate=22 February 2013}}</ref> which delayed the aircraft's departure by 25 hours before ''Yoke Yoke'' was ready to depart for [[Cairo]] on the evening of Thursday 8 April.


The aircraft took off for Cairo at 18:32&nbsp;UTC under the command of Captain William Mostert, and climbed rapidly towards its cruising height of {{convert|35000|ft}}. The crew reported over the [[Ostia (town)|Ostia]] beacon at 18:37&nbsp;UTC, passing through the altitude of {{convert|7000|ft}}. The weather was good, but with an overcast sky.
The aircraft took off for Cairo at 18:32&nbsp;UTC under the command of Captain William Mostert, and climbed rapidly toward its cruising height of {{convert|35000|ft|m|order=flip|abbr=on}}. The crew reported over the [[Ostia (town)|Ostia]] beacon at 18:37&nbsp;UTC, passing through the altitude of {{convert|7000|ft|m|order=flip|abbr=on}}. The weather was good, but with an overcast sky.


Another report was made from the aircraft, first at 18:49&nbsp;UTC at [[Ponza]], where it reported climbing through {{convert|11600|ft}} and another at 18:57&nbsp;UTC when it reported passing a beam of Naples. At 19:07&nbsp;UTC, while still climbing, the aircraft contacted Cairo on the long range [[High frequency|HF]] radio and reported an [[Estimated time of arrival|ETA]] of 21:02&nbsp;UTC.
Another report was made from the aircraft, first at 18:49&nbsp;UTC at [[Ponza]], where it reported climbing through {{convert|11600|ft|m|order=flip|abbr=on}} and another at 18:57&nbsp;UTC when it reported passing abeam of [[Naples]]. At 19:07&nbsp;UTC, while still climbing, the aircraft contacted Cairo on the long range [[High frequency|HF]] radio and reported an [[Estimated time of arrival|ETA]] of 21:02&nbsp;UTC.


This was the last message heard from Yoke Yoke as some time later, the aircraft disintegrated in the night sky at around {{convert|35000|ft|m}}, killing everyone on board.
This was the last message heard from ''Yoke Yoke'' as some time later, the aircraft disintegrated in the night sky at around {{convert|35000|ft|m|order=flip|abbr=on}}, killing everyone on board.


After repeated attempts at re-gaining contact by both Cairo and Rome were made, it was realised{{Who|date=February 2011}} that another Comet had been lost. Initial news of the accident was leaked to the press by a German radio station which had been monitoring the radio transmissions.
After repeated attempts at re-gaining contact by both Cairo and Rome air traffic control were made and went unanswered, it was realised that another Comet had been lost. Initial news of the accident was leaked to the press by a German radio station which had been monitoring the radio transmissions.


''The [[New York Times]]'' wrote that:<ref name="whitney19540410">{{Cite news |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1954/04/10/archives/comet-wreckage-found-in-sea-3-americans-among-21-victims-comet.html |title=Comet Wreckage Found in Sea; 3 Americans Among 21 Victims |last=Whitney |first=Peter D. |date=1954-04-10 |work=The New York Times |access-date=2019-05-02 |page=1 |language=en-US |issn=0362-4331}}</ref>
Three days after the incident, ''The [[New York Times]]'' carried a piece covering the event.
{{cquote|Britain today weighed the cost of a stunning blow to her proudest pioneer industry – jet civil aviation – as the crash of another Comet airliner was confirmed. Twenty-one persons, including three Americans, were believed to have died when the plane was lost in the Mediterranean. The discovery of at least six bodies and bits of wreckage floating in the sea about {{convert|70|mi|km}} south of Naples put a pall on the last hopes for the British Overseas Airways Corporation craft, missing since 6:57 o'clock last night.
{{quote|Britain today weighed the cost of a stunning blow to her proudest pioneer industry – jet civil aviation – as the crash of another Comet airliner was confirmed. Twenty-one persons, including three Americans, were believed to have died when the plane was lost in the Mediterranean. The discovery of at least six bodies and bits of wreckage floating in the sea about {{convert|70|mi|km|disp=sqbr|-1}} south of Naples put a pall on the last hopes for the British Overseas Airways Corporation craft, missing since 6:57 o'clock last night.


Tonight the Minister of Transport, [[Alan Lennox-Boyd, 1st Viscount Boyd of Merton|A. T. Lennox-Boyd]] withdrew from all Comets the [[certificate of airworthiness]] that the aircraft won on 20 January 1952, 'pending further detailed investigations into the causes of the recent disasters.'
Tonight the Minister of Transport, [[Alan Lennox-Boyd, 1st Viscount Boyd of Merton|A. T. Lennox-Boyd]] withdrew from all Comets the [[certificate of airworthiness]] that the aircraft won on 20 January 1952, 'pending further detailed investigations into the causes of the recent disasters.


This second, unexplained Comet crash in three months came less than three weeks after the sleek four-jet de Haviland airliner had been restored to commercial service with about 60 safety modifications. They had been grounded for 10 weeks since the [[BOAC Flight 781|previous Comet crash]] 10 Jan into the Mediterranean near the island of Elba with 35 dead.
This second, unexplained Comet crash in three months came less than three weeks after the sleek four-jet de Havilland airliner had been restored to commercial service with about 60 safety modifications. They had been grounded for 10 weeks since the [[BOAC Flight 781|previous Comet crash]] 10 Jan into the Mediterranean near the island of Elba with 35 dead.


Early today they were grounded again. Sir Miles Thomas, chairman of the airline, said the new crash was 'a very great tragedy and a major setback for British civil aviation.'|4= ''The New York Times''|5=10 April 1954}}
Early today they were grounded again. Sir Miles Thomas, chairman of the airline, said the new crash was 'a very great tragedy and a major setback for British civil aviation.}}


Bull said that he felt difficulty accepting the fact that the same circumstances that occurred with the BOAC flight occurred with the South African Airways flight.<ref name="Secondsdisaster"/>
Bull said he found it difficult to accept the fact that the circumstances surrounding the crash of BOAC flight 781 three months earlier had occurred again with the South African Airways flight.<ref name="Secondsdisaster"/>


=='''Significance'''==

This sudden, catastrophic hull loss at altitude of G-ALYY, was in not surprising. Comet G-ALYP (“Yoke Peter”) had disintegrated at altitude On 10 January 1954, 20 minutes after taking off from Ciampino, airport, while operating BOAC Flight 781. It crashed into the Mediterranean off the Italian island of Elba with the loss of all 35 on board. BOAC then voluntarily grounded its Comet fleet pending investigation into the causes of this accident. There were no eye witnesses to the disaster and only partial (and inclusive) radio transmissions which were incomplete evidence; and, no obvious reason for the crash could be deduced.

As an act of what at the time was thought to be an appropriate degree of prudence, the fleet was stood down (by the authority of the manufacturer advising the operator, BOAC; not the authority of the government suspending or withdrawing the certificate of airworthiness) while engineers at de Havilland recommended and executed 60 modifications aimed at any possible design flaws in the aircraft. When the Abele Committee initially determined no cause to be found (in the aircraft) for the Yoke Peter hull loss; or any other systemic flaw; De Havilland and BOAC; weighing the financial impact of the aircraft's grounding on BOAC's operations, resumed Comet flights on 23 March 1954.

The loss of “Yoke Yoke”, conclusively established that there was a fundamental design flaw in the aircraft, whose effect was suspicioned as being catastrophic decompression of the primary hull. But the origin and nature of this failure, was technically still unknown. But it was the loss of “Yoke Yoke” that established that these unknowns would have to be definitively resolved, and the aircraft subsequently redesigned accordingly.


==Search and recovery==
==Search and recovery==
{{Location map|Italy|position=left|label=SA201|width=200|lon_dir=E|lat_dir=N|lat_deg=39|lat_min=55|lat_sec=|lon_deg=14|lon_min=30|lon_sec=|background=white|caption=Approximate location of the accident near Italy}}
{{Location map|Italy|relief=1|position=left|label=SA201|width=200|lon_dir=E|lat_dir=N|lat_deg=39|lat_min=55|lat_sec=|lon_deg=14|lon_min=30|lon_sec=|background=white|mark=Airplane Crash.svg|caption=Approximate location of the accident near Italy}}


As soon as it heard of the crash BOAC once again voluntarily grounded all its Comets as it had done three months earlier after the [[BOAC Flight 781|BOAC Flight 781 disaster]]. The Italian air-sea rescue services were notified, and searching began at dawn the next day, subsequently involving the [[Royal Navy]] [[Aircraft carrier|carrier]] {{HMS|Eagle|R05|6}} and the destroyer {{HMS|Daring|D05|6}}. Some time later that day, a report was received from a [[British European Airways|BEA]] [[Airspeed Ambassador|Ambassador]] aircraft of a patch of oil some {{convert|70|mi}} east of [[Naples]] and bodies and wreckage in the water {{convert|30|mi}} south-east of [[Stromboli]]. The depth of the Mediterranean Sea at the crash site meant that a salvage mission was ruled out as impractical, but due to the similarities of the two crashes, if the cause of the BOAC crash was found, it would explain the SA crash, as well.
As soon as it heard of the crash, BOAC once again voluntarily grounded all of its Comets as it had done three months earlier after the [[BOAC Flight 781]] disaster. The Italian air-sea rescue services were notified, and searching began at dawn the next day, subsequently involving the [[Royal Navy]] [[Aircraft carrier|carrier]] {{HMS|Eagle|R05|6}} and the destroyer {{HMS|Daring|D05|6}}. Some time later that day, a report was received from a [[British European Airways|BEA]] [[Airspeed Ambassador|Ambassador]] aircraft of an oil patch and bodies and wreckage in the water. The depth of the Mediterranean Sea at the crash site meant that a salvage mission was ruled out as impractical, but if the cause of the BOAC crash was found, it would also explain the SA crash due to the close similarities of the two.


==Official investigation==
==Official investigation==
At the time of the accident, the investigation into the crash of [[BOAC Flight 781]] was still in progress, but suspicion of the cause of the loss of Yoke Peter had fallen on the possibility of an [[Jet engine|engine]] [[turbine]] failure. During the previous grounding of all Comets, modifications had since been made to the Comets, including Yoke Yoke, that seemed to eliminate this possibility.
At the time of the accident, the investigation into the crash of [[BOAC Flight 781]] was still in progress, but suspicion of the cause of the crash had fallen on the possibility of an [[Jet engine|engine]] [[turbine]] failure. During the previous grounding of all Comets, modifications had been made to the aircraft, including ''Yoke Yoke'', that seemed to eliminate this possibility.


After an extensive multi-year investigation, the official document of findings was released by the Ministry of Transport and Civil Aviation, on 1 February 1955, as ''Civil Aircraft Accident Report of the Court of Inquiry into the Accidents to Comet G-ALYP on 10 January 1954 and Comet G-ALYY on 8 April 1954.''
After an extensive multi-year investigation chaired by [[Lionel Cohen, Baron Cohen]], the official document of findings was released by the Ministry of Transport and Civil Aviation, on 1 February 1955, as ''Civil Aircraft Accident Report of the Court of Inquiry into the Accidents to Comet G-ALYP on 10 January 1954 and Comet G-ALYY on 8 April 1954.''


The joint investigation of this accident, and of BOAC 781 revealed manufacturer design defects and [[metal fatigue]] that resulted ultimately in the [[explosive decompression]] that caused both accidents.
The joint investigation of this accident, and of BOAC 781, revealed manufacturer design defects and [[metal fatigue]] that resulted ultimately in the [[explosive decompression]] that caused both accidents.

==In popular culture==
The events of Flight 201 were included in "Ripped Apart", a [[List of Mayday episodes#Season 6 (2007)|Season 6 (2007)]] episode of the Canadian TV series ''[[Mayday (Canadian TV series)|Mayday]]''<ref>{{Cite episode|title=Ripped Apart|series=Mayday|series-link=Mayday (Canadian TV series) |network=[[Discovery Channel Canada]] |station=[[National Geographic Channel]]|season=6|number=1|date=16 December 2007}}</ref> (called ''Air Emergency'' and ''Air Disasters'' in the U.S. and ''Air Crash Investigation'' in the UK and elsewhere around the world). This special episode examined aviation emergencies that were caused by pressurization failure or explosive decompression; the episode also featured BOAC Flight 781.


==See also==
==See also==
⚫
*[[List of accidents and incidents involving commercial aircraft]]
⚫
{{Portal|South Africa|United Kingdom|Italy|Aviation|Disasters|Death|1950s}}
* [[Uncontrolled decompression#Notable decompression accidents and incidents|List of notable decompression accidents and incidents]].
*[[Uncontrolled decompression#Notable decompression accidents and incidents|List of notable decompression accidents and incidents]]
⚫
* [[Lists of accidents and incidents on commercial airliners]]
⚫
* [[Seconds_From_Disaster#Episodes|National Geographic ''Seconds From Disaster'' episodes]]
*[[List of structural failures and collapses]]
*[[List of structural failures and collapses]]
⚫
*[[Seconds From Disaster#Episodes|National Geographic ''Seconds From Disaster'' episodes]]


==Notes==
==References==
{{Reflist}}
{{Reflist|30em}}


==References==
==Further reading==
* ''Air Disasters'' by Stanley Stewart – Arrow Books (UK) 1986/89 – ISBN 0-09-956200-6
* ''Air Disasters'' by Stanley Stewart – Arrow Books (UK) 1986/89 – {{ISBN|0-09-956200-6}}
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20140108181935/https://lessonslearned.faa.gov/Comet1/G-ALYP_Report.pdf ''Civil Aircraft Accident Report of the Court of Inquiry into the Accidents to Comet G-ALYP on 10th January, 1953 and Comet G-ALYY on 8th April, 1954'']. [[Ministry of Transport and Civil Aviation (United Kingdom)|Ministry of Transport and Civil Aviation]]. London, 1955.<!--Alternate links: https://reports.aviation-safety.net:443/1954/19540408-2_COMT_G-ALYY.pdf and https://www.faa.gov/sites/faa.gov/files/2022-10/G-ALYP_Report_0.pdf -->
* ''Report of the Public Inquiry into the causes and circumstances of the accident which occurred on 10 January 1954, to the Comet aircraft G‐ALYP'' – Official Report – 1955
** Official Report (1955), [http://web.archive.org/web/20091026195856/http://geocities.com/CapeCanaveral/Lab/8803/fcogalyp.htm ''Report of the Public Inquiry into the causes and circumstances of the accident which occurred on the 10th January, 1954, to the Comet aircraft G‐ALYP''].
* *"[http://www.ntsb.org/Wiringcargodoorlite/Additional%20Aircraft%20Accident%20Reports_files/CometAAR-1.pdf Report of the Public Inquiry into the causes and circumstances of the accident which occurred on the 10th January, 1954, to the Comet aircraft G-ALYP]." ([http://www.webcitation.org/6TkjnQUu2 Archive]) – Hosted on the [[National Transportation Safety Board]] website – Begins on Page 6 of 169


==External links==
==External links==
* "[http://news.bbc.co.uk/onthisday/hi/dates/stories/january/10/newsid_2709000/2709957.stm 1954: Comet jet crashes with 35 on board]," ''[[BBC]]'' (second column)
* "[http://news.bbc.co.uk/onthisday/hi/dates/stories/january/10/newsid_2709000/2709957.stm 1954: Comet jet crashes with 35 on board]," ''[[BBC]]'' (second column)
* [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_3JZ3wHlgvI Comet Air Crash (BOAC Flight 781)], Seconds From Disaster, YouTube (from 27 min)


{{de Havilland Comet-related}}
{{Aviation accidents and incidents in Italy}}
{{Aviation accidents and incidents in 1954}}
{{Aviation accidents and incidents in 1954}}
⚫
{{Portal bar|Aviation|South Africa|United Kingdom|Italy|1950s}}


[[Category:Airliner accidents and incidents caused by in-flight structural failure]]
[[Category:Airliner accidents and incidents caused by in-flight structural failure]]
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[[Category:South African Airways accidents and incidents|201]]
[[Category:South African Airways accidents and incidents|201]]
[[Category:1954 in Italy]]
[[Category:1954 in Italy]]
[[Category:April 1954 events in Europe]]
[[Category:1954 disasters in Italy]]
[[Category:Aviation accidents and incidents in the Mediterranean Sea]]

Latest revision as of 19:34, 9 October 2024

South African Airways Flight 201
G-ALYY, the aircraft involved in the accident
Accident
Date8 April 1954 (1954-04-08)
SummaryIn-flight metal fatigue failure leading to explosive decompression and in-flight breakup
SiteMediterranean Sea between Naples and Stromboli
39°55′N 14°30′E / 39.917°N 14.500°E / 39.917; 14.500 (South African Airways Flight 201)
Aircraft
Aircraft type
  • de Havilland DH 106
  • Comet 1
OperatorSouth African Airways on behalf of BOAC
RegistrationG-ALYY
Flight originLondon Heathrow Airport, London, England
1st stopoverRome Ciampino Airport, Rome, Italy
Last stopoverCairo International Airport, Cairo, Egypt
DestinationJohannesburg Jan Smuts Airport, Johannesburg, South Africa
Passengers14
Crew7
Fatalities21
Survivors0

South African Airways Flight 201 (SA201), a de Havilland Comet 1, took off at 18:32 UTC on 8 April 1954 from Ciampino Airport in Rome, Italy, en route to Cairo, Egypt, on the second stage of its flight from London, England to Johannesburg, South Africa. The flight crashed at around 19:07 UTC, killing all on board. The flight was operated as a charter by British Overseas Airways Corporation (BOAC) using the aircraft registration G-ALYY[1] ("Yoke Yoke"), with a South African crew of seven, and carrying fourteen passengers.

Flight and disaster

[edit]

Gerry Bull and other BOAC engineers had examined the aircraft for Flight 201. Previously, on 10 January 1954, the same team had undertaken a preflight inspection of BOAC Flight 781, a Comet that had broken up at altitude. It suffered an explosive decompression and all 35 people on board were killed.[2]

Flight 201 took off from London for Rome at 13:00 UTC on Wednesday 7 April 1954, on the first leg southward to Johannesburg, arriving at Rome approximately two and a half hours later, at 17:35 UTC. On arrival at Rome, engineers discovered some minor faults, including a faulty fuel gauge and 30 loose bolts on the left wing,[3] which delayed the aircraft's departure by 25 hours before Yoke Yoke was ready to depart for Cairo on the evening of Thursday 8 April.

The aircraft took off for Cairo at 18:32 UTC under the command of Captain William Mostert, and climbed rapidly toward its cruising height of 11,000 m (35,000 ft). The crew reported over the Ostia beacon at 18:37 UTC, passing through the altitude of 2,100 m (7,000 ft). The weather was good, but with an overcast sky.

Another report was made from the aircraft, first at 18:49 UTC at Ponza, where it reported climbing through 3,500 m (11,600 ft) and another at 18:57 UTC when it reported passing abeam of Naples. At 19:07 UTC, while still climbing, the aircraft contacted Cairo on the long range HF radio and reported an ETA of 21:02 UTC.

This was the last message heard from Yoke Yoke as some time later, the aircraft disintegrated in the night sky at around 11,000 m (35,000 ft), killing everyone on board.

After repeated attempts at re-gaining contact by both Cairo and Rome air traffic control were made and went unanswered, it was realised that another Comet had been lost. Initial news of the accident was leaked to the press by a German radio station which had been monitoring the radio transmissions.

The New York Times wrote that:[4]

Britain today weighed the cost of a stunning blow to her proudest pioneer industry – jet civil aviation – as the crash of another Comet airliner was confirmed. Twenty-one persons, including three Americans, were believed to have died when the plane was lost in the Mediterranean. The discovery of at least six bodies and bits of wreckage floating in the sea about 70 miles [110 km] south of Naples put a pall on the last hopes for the British Overseas Airways Corporation craft, missing since 6:57 o'clock last night.

Tonight the Minister of Transport, A. T. Lennox-Boyd withdrew from all Comets the certificate of airworthiness that the aircraft won on 20 January 1952, 'pending further detailed investigations into the causes of the recent disasters.

This second, unexplained Comet crash in three months came less than three weeks after the sleek four-jet de Havilland airliner had been restored to commercial service with about 60 safety modifications. They had been grounded for 10 weeks since the previous Comet crash 10 Jan into the Mediterranean near the island of Elba with 35 dead.

Early today they were grounded again. Sir Miles Thomas, chairman of the airline, said the new crash was 'a very great tragedy and a major setback for British civil aviation.

Bull said he found it difficult to accept the fact that the circumstances surrounding the crash of BOAC flight 781 three months earlier had occurred again with the South African Airways flight.[2]

Search and recovery

[edit]
SA201 is located in Italy
SA201
SA201
class=notpageimage|
Approximate location of the accident near Italy

As soon as it heard of the crash, BOAC once again voluntarily grounded all of its Comets as it had done three months earlier after the BOAC Flight 781 disaster. The Italian air-sea rescue services were notified, and searching began at dawn the next day, subsequently involving the Royal Navy carrier HMS Eagle and the destroyer HMS Daring. Some time later that day, a report was received from a BEA Ambassador aircraft of an oil patch and bodies and wreckage in the water. The depth of the Mediterranean Sea at the crash site meant that a salvage mission was ruled out as impractical, but if the cause of the BOAC crash was found, it would also explain the SA crash due to the close similarities of the two.

Official investigation

[edit]

At the time of the accident, the investigation into the crash of BOAC Flight 781 was still in progress, but suspicion of the cause of the crash had fallen on the possibility of an engine turbine failure. During the previous grounding of all Comets, modifications had been made to the aircraft, including Yoke Yoke, that seemed to eliminate this possibility.

After an extensive multi-year investigation chaired by Lionel Cohen, Baron Cohen, the official document of findings was released by the Ministry of Transport and Civil Aviation, on 1 February 1955, as Civil Aircraft Accident Report of the Court of Inquiry into the Accidents to Comet G-ALYP on 10 January 1954 and Comet G-ALYY on 8 April 1954.

The joint investigation of this accident, and of BOAC 781, revealed manufacturer design defects and metal fatigue that resulted ultimately in the explosive decompression that caused both accidents.

[edit]

The events of Flight 201 were included in "Ripped Apart", a Season 6 (2007) episode of the Canadian TV series Mayday[5] (called Air Emergency and Air Disasters in the U.S. and Air Crash Investigation in the UK and elsewhere around the world). This special episode examined aviation emergencies that were caused by pressurization failure or explosive decompression; the episode also featured BOAC Flight 781.

See also

[edit]

References

[edit]
  1. ^ "G-INFO Database". Civil Aviation Authority.
  2. ^ a b "Comet Air Crash" "(Crash of the Comet)". Seconds From Disaster. Season 3. Episode 8. 15 November 2006. National Geographic Channel.
  3. ^ "Major Airline Disasters: Involving Commercial Passenger Airlines 1920–2011". www.airdisasters.co.uk. Retrieved 22 February 2013.
  4. ^ Whitney, Peter D. (10 April 1954). "Comet Wreckage Found in Sea; 3 Americans Among 21 Victims". The New York Times. p. 1. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2 May 2019.
  5. ^ "Ripped Apart". Mayday. Season 6. Episode 1. 16 December 2007. Discovery Channel Canada. National Geographic Channel.

Further reading

[edit]
[edit]
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