ASN Aircraft accident Airspeed AS.57 Ambassador 2 G-AMAB Düsseldorf Airport (DUS)
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Status:
Date:Friday 8 April 1955
Type:Silhouette image of generic amba model; specific model in this crash may look slightly different
Airspeed AS.57 Ambassador 2
Operator:British European Airways - BEA
Registration: G-AMAB
MSN: 5224
First flight: 1952
Engines: 2 Bristol Centaurus 661
Crew:Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 6
Passengers:Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 47
Total:Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 53
Aircraft damage: Damaged beyond repair
Location:9 km (5.6 mls) SW of Düsseldorf Airport (DUS) (   Germany)
Phase: En route (ENR)
Nature:International Scheduled Passenger
Departure airport:Düsseldorf Airport (DUS/EDDL), Germany
Destination airport:London (unknown airport), United Kingdom
Narrative:
Some 6 minutes after takeoff from Düsseldorf the no. 1 propeller went into reverse. The prop could not be feathered, so the pilot-in-command decided to return to the airport. The approach had to be abandoned due to low clouds and control problems. A missed approach procedure was carried out, but altitude was lost. High tension wires ahead forced the captain to extend the flaps to 20deg to lift over them. This evasive manoeuvre worked, but the aircraft then stalled and crashed.

Probable Cause:

PROBABLE CAUSE: "The accident was due to a) the propeller of the left-hand engine going into brake position during climb. The technical reason for this occurrence so far has not been found; b) the weather which made the approach rather difficult. In good weather conditions the landing would probably have been successful."

Classification:
Engine reverse issue
Loss of control

Photos

photo of Airspeed-AS-57-Ambassador-2-G-AMAB
accident date: 08-04-1955
type: Airspeed AS.57 Ambassador 2
registration: G-AMAB
photo of Airspeed-AS-57-Ambassador-2-G-AMAB
accident date: 08-04-1955
type: Airspeed AS.57 Ambassador 2
registration: G-AMAB
photo of Airspeed-AS-57-Ambassador-2-G-AMAB
accident date: 08-04-1955
type: Airspeed AS.57 Ambassador 2
registration: G-AMAB
 
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.
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