Narrative:The Handley Page O/400 sustained substantial damage in a forced landing in the desert near El Shereik, Sudan.
The airplane was engaged in an attempt to be the first airplane to fly from London to Cape Town, South Africa. It was en route from Aswan to Khartoum at 7800 feet when the aircraft suddenly suffered from severe oscillation and vibration as a result of tail flutter. The pilot shut down the engines and prepared for a forced landing. The aircraft nosed down upon landing, with all four crew being thrown clear of the aircraft.
Classification:
Forced landing outside airport
Sources:
»
Golden Years of Aviation»
The Race for the Cape
Photos
Map
This map shows the airport of departure and the intended destination of the flight. The line between the airports does
not display the exact flight path.
Distance from Aswan Airport to Khartoum-Civil Airport as the crow flies is 926 km (579 miles).
This information is not presented as the Flight Safety Foundation or the Aviation Safety Network’s opinion as to the cause of the accident. It is preliminary and is based on the facts as they are known at this time.