Date:	Monday 28 April 1958
Time:
Type:	Vickers 802 Viscount
Owner/operator:	British European Airways - BEA
Registration:	G-AORC
MSN:	254
Year of manufacture:	1957
Fatalities:	Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 5
Aircraft damage:	Destroyed, written off
Category:	Accident
Location:	Craigie -   United Kingdom
Phase:	Unknown
Nature:	Ferry/positioning
Departure airport:	London Airport (LHR/EGLL)
Destination airport:	Glasgow-Prestwick Airport (PIK/EGPK)
Confidence Rating:	Accident investigation report completed and information captured

Narrative:
The Viscount took off from London at 20:42 for a positioning flight to Prestwick. Nearing Prestwick, a descent from FL185 was commenced The aircraft was cleared to pass the Prestwick radio beacon at 4000 feet. Shortly after the crew reported descending through 11000 feet, the aircraft struck the ground close to the Prestwick beacon. The plane skidded for about 400 m and caught fire.

PROBABLE CAUSE: "The accident was caused by the captain flying the aircraft into the ground during the descent to Prestwick after misreading the altimeter by 10000ft. Whilst a somewhat ambiguous presentation of height on the pressure altimeter may have initiated this misreading, a lack of co-operation between the captain and first officer and a lack of alertness on the part of the first officer were the main contributory factors."

ICAO Accident Digest, Circular 59-AN/54 (129-132)

photo (c) Alec Moore; Craigie; April 1958

photo (c) Jim Cain; Craigie; 10 May 1958

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