Avro Vulcan Crash 20th September 1958 - Keith Sturt

[n1ckb99]

An interesting note, the Vulcan shown fron 0:05-0:10 is not VX770, the one which crashed. It has a black radome at the front, something which was never fitted to VX770. The other prototype VX777 also never had a black radome, so this is likely a later B1 airframe

[merlin3945]

To all who have posted comments that serve only to berate the crew and aircraft or only serve to belittle British engineering. Before commenting about how the pilot killed his crew etc we need only look as far as the famous B-52 crash to see a pilot who truely killed his crew. If you really care I suggest you read the book Vulcan 607 and read what can be done with this aircraft. If nothing else it shows how you can overcome any engineering problem plus its a really good read. Stop the bitterness

[hoot72]

Please have some respect for the dead crew. It looks to be a failure of the airframe or intake rather than pilot error. RIP to the crew.

[19thSFGA]

This pilot killed his crew just to show of a fast low pass at an airshow.

[cathedralcat]

@19thSFGA check your facts carefully before you pass judgements like that. This particular aircraft had been flown earlier in the morning and as a result there was damage to the leading edge which had not been checked properly once back on the ground. When my Grandfather took this Avro up for the flypast little did he know of this unreported damage. So please do not make ignorant comments like this, anything else you want to know just ask.

[sakoshooter48]

@19thSFGA Go back to smoking your dope ya fucking hippie!

[lightning1975]

@19thSFGA (and other people who don't know what they are on about) FYI Brave people like Mr Sturt and his crew were true heroes of the jet age pioneers of modern aviation and ultimately paved the way for modern day aircraft, even like the ones which can effortlessly take people like you to shag bored slappers from Solihull in places like Magaluf and Ayia Napa. Have some respect for Cathedralcat and his Grandfather you moron!

[19thSFGA]

@lightning1975 A Pox on you Sir !

[lightning1975]

@19thSFGA At least you are a Jimi Hendrix fan. That goes a big way towards redeeming yourself! -Sorry for calling you a moron but you must know the facts before posting things. 

[johnkollor]

What year was VX770 delivered?

[danjama]

This video is terrifying.

[stubbostubbs]

Sad. Such a robust airframe as well. RIP.

[ValiantXD818]

whats the reg of that vulcan???

[johnkollor]

@ValiantXD818 VX770

[gobbygoz72]

I've read the comments for this video- regardless of our respective nations technical endeavours and acheivements, & over the last110 years there have been many all over the world, at the end of the day flying still involves a human beibg piloting the aircraft, & when things sadly go wrong, it is always hoped that everyone walks away, although all too often this is not the case. My sympathies for your loss cathedralcat

[jers59]

@stevesroom looks like you never made it pass the six grade, just another wack job conspiracy theorist with no life my suggestion take long walk off short pier

[gaz11h]

I have seen photos of this incident at Newark air museum, horrific how the vulcan disintigrated in mid air.

[Llamehtdos2]

@jers59 and @LIVERPOOLSCOTTISH

Please show a little respect for the person who has posted this vid of his relative and many other good peoples last moments. Why not take your pissing contest elsewhere? Its easy enough to set up your own Youtube to enable you to carry on!

Maybe then cathedralcat can find out the information he is seeking!

[cathedralcat]

Thanks for your kind words @Llamehtdos2 I'm all in favour of discussing any aviation type subjects in relation to my Grandpa's Vulcan and the Syerston accident, no matter how contentious (in the long run I do intend to submit the findings of my investigations to the MOD, even if it is over 50 years too late) but please can you keep this post to context @LIVERPOOLSCOTTISH and @jers59. And just so that you know Im a 'she' not a 'he' :-) ...many thanks

[Sqdrn1]

keeping on subject - not comets concordes etc... The particular aircraft had been in recent RAF tests and was believed to have been looped. This had also been Avro demo practice too - until they''d found leading edge ribs were being damaged. They actually had a particularly short engineer at Woodford who'd climb into the L/e after such demos to make checks so these could be repaired where found. It is thought that l/e rib damage had probably been sustained in this aircraft prior to the flight.

[grubber7]

@Funfisique, Given your complete lack of background knowledge on the subject I guess that you probably don't realise that the puncture on the Concorde was caused by a part falling off an American designed and built aircraft that preceded the Concorde on the runway?

To the OP, I have read much about this incident and always think of it when I pass Syerston, but I didn't realise this footage existed, thanks for sharing.

[Funfisique]

Tipical British engineering...

The Comet also used to desintegrate as well.

Poor pilots that had to cope with such crappy designed (yet beautiful) planes...

[LIVERPOOLSCOTTISH]

@Funfisique What an innane, inaccurate comment. There was no similarity between this crash, and the issues encountered on the Comet. Typical British engineering?! Would that be the same engineering tha produced the Spitfire, Lancaster, Mosquito, Hawker Hunter, English Electric Lightening & Concorde?? There was nothing, 'crappy' about the design of the Vulcan, it was & is an incredible machine. Ridiculous comment!

[Funfisique]

@LIVERPOOLSCOTTISH

What Concorde? The same that crashed in Paris because a flat tyre???

Fuckoff Bitch....

Brits are good just at aerodynamics...in terms of manufacturing quality they are reowned worldwide like TRASH...

That´s why NOT a single BRIT COMPANY is alive today... BAE is the only one that survided... a shadow of what it was when UK Gov´s funding was infinite.

Aerospace Industry like Automotive HAD DESAPEARED from the UK not by CHANCE...

This is called: Brutal Facts

EAT IT

[LIVERPOOLSCOTTISH]

@Funfisique Congratulations on making the grade as a first class moron. Perhaps you should go & research BAe. You obviously do not realise, because you are an ignorant buffoon, that BAe is one of the largest armament companies on the planet. Being stupid, you are not aware that it consists of an amalgamation of AVRO, Hawker Siddley, Supermarine etc etc. Concorde had a superb safety track record. How many crashed? ONE. How many 737's, 747's etc have crashed imbecile?! lol What a wanker you are!

[jers59]

@LIVERPOOLSCOTTISH BAE LOL Astute runs aground BAE needed engineers from electric Boat to come across the pond and sort out all the problems with Astutesd. RR engines good for blowing up on air buses A380,s.you moron alot more B737,B747 were built then concorde.leaders in satellites thats good one

[LIVERPOOLSCOTTISH]

@jers59 Thanks for that innane input. Britain leads the world in satelite manufacture- FACT. Go and do some research cretin. We build satelites for many nations- including the US you buffoon! You are formally dismissed- you can FO back to fulfilling your role as the local village idiot now.........Better tune your banjo up :)

[jers59]

@LIVERPOOLSCOTTISH I guess the union jack is on the moon then or on Mars? or out of our solar system?Right now the US has killer drone in space able to take out satellites or hit any terrorist on earth in 30 minutes you are light years behind the US in satellite technology you might be = to our telstar satelitte launched in early 1960,s

[LIVERPOOLSCOTTISH]

@jers59 Whatever........I couldn't really give a monkeys for the opinion of an ignorant enthnocentric Yank. Your arrogant & condescending remark merely highlights your ignorance. There is a British satelite manufacturing company based in Essex that IS the world leader in the manufacture of satelites, they make them for the US, Russia and numerous other countries. What a buffoon you are. You simply assume that no other country could lead the world in ANY area, other the the US of A(rseholes). lol

[jers59]

@LIVERPOOLSCOTTISH cesspoolscottish, whats the name of this company do thery employ morons such as yourself?

[LIVERPOOLSCOTTISH]

@jers59 Congratulations on stooping to a new level of immaturity with your banal comment. Evidently you are proud to be an under achiever. Idiot.

[plasticspastic201]

@jers59 STFU jerk59

[jers59]

@plasticspastic201 get back on your meds

[aviatorbloke]

@jers59 A Union Jack is only a Union Jack when flying from the jackstaff of a ship of The Royal Navy; at all other times it is the Union Flag.

[LIVERPOOLSCOTTISH]

@Funfisique The British are so 'appalling' at mnaufacturing quality, that we are recognised as the world leaders in the manufacture of satelites. In addition, ever heard of Rolls Royce jet engines? They appear to power more civilian airliners than any other engine manufacturer. Wonder why that is shit for brains?? lol Feel free to get back to me when you grown half a brain at least, you stupid cnut!

[zuiderzee]

@Funfisique "Brits are good just at aerodynamics...in terms of manufacturing quality they are reowned worldwide like TRASH"

Oh, is that why ALL the wings of every airbus are built in the UK (which are now outselling Boeing), why the US navy bought harrier, countless other buy hawk and Eurofighter and around 40% of all the worlds airlines run on Rolls Royce engines. The Comet was the FIRST jet airliner in the world, why are you so surprised it failed? Idiot.

[macbrack04]

@Funfisique Wonder why the USAAF operated Canberras for so long then...even if they did change name to RB57.....and took up the Harrier.......and...need I go on yank.

[christophertelford]

Sorry to hear of your grandfather. Mine flew the Vulcan prototype (smaller version i think) and was responsible for flying it as close to Mach 1 as possible in a dive. Fortunately his held together.

The vulcan was a lovely aircraft and everyone who flew it said so, just a shame about this one.

[sazyblueeyes]

this is an early mark of vulcan, i beleive with the straight leading edge wing which caused buffeting and vibrations at the wing tips. But im not sure film isnt really clear to identify. they redesigned the wing for later production models, but it does look like the pilot over stressed the airframe to excessive g's

[tvfilmglamdirector]

It appears as if he was able to gain a little altitude just after the wing L/E collapsed, (film cut just after fly-past with damage), however the engines on the starboard will have ingested so much material they will have produced massive vibration and lost power. Would there have been any fly-ability left in half a delta? Was there any attempt at ejection? had the handles been pulled? A fantastic film clip that will have been carefully studied by the accident investigators.

[tvfilmglamdirector]

Pity about the guy with glasses, seems he had no idea what was happening.

[VictoryVJ1]

My Dad's cousin, Sgt Charles Hanson, was one of the ground crew killed.

[schlusselmensch]

hauntedman2009, you don't sound insensitive at all, you sound delusional.

[IK1963]

I read the official crash report and it stated that the A/C was flying faster than its rated V/NE when the wing leading edge disintergrated.

[armandin2048]

I have just read Tony Blackman's book on the Vulcan development. He knew Keith well and does not believe tha Pilot Error was to blame. He is sure that nose rib damage in the leading edge due to unauthorised aeros by "another" pilot was the cause (as was also found in the other prototype).

[Stratslayer]

RIP to those who perished. sigh

[McRocket]

Horrific.

[Sqdrn1]

VX770 if not as strong as the production Mk1 DID have the Mk2 wing and it was the wing l/e which failed. . Tony Blackman explains in 'Vulcan Test Pilot..

Avro had discovered l/e ribs buckling in their own display flights and examined/replaced these after every display flight. They also made the display flights more modest to stop this occuring

Unaware; Rolls Royce had earlier much aerobatted VX770 including rumour of looping it... Exactly what would have damaged the l/e structure.

[evilintel]

Main problem was it was a hand-built prototype, not built on production jigs, so was not as sturdy. Excessive play during it's six years were not as kind to it as later models and this was the tragic result. It's a shame, because I believe in saving the prototype of any aircraft.

[hauntedman2009]

I don't mean to sound insensitive but I run a paranormal group and we recently did an investigation at RAF Syerston's Office Mess and our psychic picked up on the spirit of a crashed pilot. Could this be your grandfather?

[Familyguy098]

was he too low to eject?

if so, RIP...

[ChrisGWRoberts]

Yes. Ejection seats were fairly primitive in 1958. Also, the violent deceleration forces would have made it impossible to reach their seat handles in time.

[Familyguy098]

yeah, thats what i figured. thats why i asked. thanks for the info.

zero-zero seats werent available til late 60's i belive.

[ChrisGWRoberts]

I was a witness to this crash. I was on the A46, just arriving at RAF Syerston, having driven over from my base at RAF Swinderby.

The suggestion was that the aircraft had been over stressed by performing aerobatics at Farnborough Airshow earlier in the month.

When full power was applied for the climb away, the

volume of air sucked into the air intakes was so great that an intake collapsed, the leading edge peeled back and the wing disintegrated.

Two RAF ground crew were also killed.

[panjera]

I believe it was 3 ATC members killed and a fourth injured (all inside same caravan) and the whole crew were also fatalities. The crash was put down to pilot error, overstressing an aircraft which was itself an early prototype and not as hardy as later airframes.

[plasticspastic201]

@ChrisGWRoberts The collapse of the leading edge doesn't appear to start at the intakes. Maybe your information is incorrect. With respect, the disintegration starts towards the opposite end of the wing from the intake.

[keithlawes]

Good point about the leading edge possibly being damaged by high speed buffeting during earliser testing, the reason for the change to the kinked wing.

Have read a couple of reports on the crash and they do mention cine footage being analysed to determine speed, so maybe this is the footage that was used.

Anyhow catherdralcat sorry about your granddad, 50s test pilots were brave men, the rate of loss in the pioneer jet days was pretty terrifying.

[keithlawes]

This is absolutely gobsmacking footage, Very rare and I think prob pretty important. 770 was the very first vulcan airframe, it had the original straight leading edge (i.e. the first 20 seconds are of a different aircraft). There is a photo of the crash in Andrew Brookes hisistory of the Avro Vulcan book, but I had no idea footage existed. Are teh various vulcan societies aware of this? As the book stated they bolted the latest engines into a scrapper of an airframe and then look what happened,

[poyks]

I agree. I've seen photos of this crash over the years, and it's shocking to see the video. Yes the first 20 seconds are of a Mk1 with the kinked leading edge, one of these production aircraft should have been used for the Conway tests, not a tired prototype that must have suffered some of the damage by buffeting that the new wing design eventually cured. Excessive G limits may have contributed, but that doesn't seem to be the case during the gentle roll on the vid.

[domisdabest]

my grandfather and uncle were there, one of the engines landed around 20 metres away from where they stood

[jaguarfarewellday]

The Vulcan might grace our skies again. But sadly the art of flying has its tragic accidents !. This film shows all those to full affect. IX B assoc member .

[hollenweger]

My Grandpa was Edmund Simpson, one of the ground crew who sadly died in the crash. I have recently been doing some research into the crash, and am, in a way glad to have seen this footage. It answers some questions.

[TheFlange666]

The early parts of this footage are a different aircraft - the wing shape is not the same as VX770 which was the prototype Vulcan. VX770 didn't take off from Syerston but flew in from elsewhere and crashed on the first pass. Good luck with the website, I'm not sure there's much I can contribute about this crash thats not already out there on the web now, but if you've any questions I'll have a go!

[TheFlange666]

Thats very rare footage, I researched this accident a while back but could never find any of the original cine film, just the still photos. Although it appears to have been flown beyond the limits, you have to wonder how much previous test flights with this aircraft had a part to play in what happened that day.

[cathedralcat]

Hi, do let me know more re the research that you did on this accident as I am trying to put a website together in memory of my step grandfather who flew this. The Conway was flown beyond its limits earlier that day and the nose ribs and leading edge had damage to them. The family still maintain that this wasn't Keith's fault but its easy for the MOD to blame this on a dead pilot who can't defend himself.

[TheFlange666]

Now I've seen the footage its clear that the MOD report was incorrect regarding the height at which the plane flew in, thats way more than 80ft. Its certainly going fast but I'm not convinced the speed in the report is right either. Officials, maybe realising it was an unsound decision to test powerful new engines in an old airframe, possibly wanted to shift the blame onto the pilot who as you rightly say could not defend himself.

[skutaZ]

I was 12 years old when this accident happened. My friend and his father were just getting off the bus [from Newark] at the Syerston show, when the Vulcan seemed to explode in the sky. This footage brings back sad memories of my first visit to an air show.

Now 50 years later I have - along with thousands of others - watched Vulcan XH558 do a great display at WADDINGTON 2008 Air Show.

Thanks for posting this film