1954 "X" losses

13/01/1954

XD196

Sycamore HR13

275 Sqn

Suffered a temporary engine failure just after take off from Linton-on-Ouse, Yorks. This caused resonance in the tail rotor shaft and loss of control. The pilot was forced to auto-rotate into trees

25/01/1953

XB317

Avenger AS4

RNAY Abbotsinch

Made a successful forced landing in a field four miles NE of Balloch, Dumbarton after the carburettor had iced up in cloud. It was operating from Abbotsinch. Allocated to ground instruction at Worthy Down

10/02/1954

XB681

Sabre F4

3 Sqn

Landed halfway down the runway at Geilenkirchen, West Germany. The pilot realised that he could not stop and raised the undercarriage to reduce damage. It ran off the runway into the undershoot area

24/02/1954

XB866

Sabre F4

26 Sqn

Radio contact was lost after take off from Oldenberg, West Germany. No wreckage or body were found and it is thought that the pilot was suffering from anoxia and flew into the sea

24/02/1954

XB667

D

Sabre F4

3 Sqn

Both aircraft dived into high ground at Henri-Chapelle, Belgium during a formation flight. Possibly due to the leader not allowing sufficient height to recover from a dive

24/02/1954

XB643

K

Sabre F4

3 Sqn

02/03/1954

XB763

Sabre F4

RCAF loan

Ran out of fuel during a sortie from Baden-Sollingen, West Germany while operating with 422 Sqn RCAF. The pilot ejected and it crashed somewhere in Belgium. See XB825 below

02/03/1954

XB825

Sabre F4

RCAF loan

Ran out of fuel and crashed in Belgium after the pilot ejected. Possibly flying with XB763 above. The serial XB825 was allocated to another Sabre

03/03/1954

XB912

Sabre F4

112 Sqn

The pilot attempted to overshoot from an abortive approach at Bruggen, West Germany. The engine failed to give full power and it crashed into the undershoot area and caught fire

04/03/1954

XB936

Sabre F4

67 Sqn

During take off from Wildenrath, West Germany the pilot raised the nose too high so that the wings acted as air brakes. The aircraft lifted only 4 ft off the ground at the end of the runway. The starboard drop tank hit an obstruction causing the aircraft to stall and crash

22/03/1954

XB600

W

Sabre F4

67 Sqn

Suffered an electrical failure ten minutes after take off from Wildenrath, West Germany. The pilot was unaware of the emergency procedure to lower the undercarriage or how to operate the generator reset switch. He jettisoned the drop tanks and made a wheels up landing back at base

13/05/1954

XD773

Sabre F4

66 Sqn

Engine failed while on approach to Linton-on-Ouse, Yorkshire due to main fuel regulator failure. The pilot made a forced landing in the undershoot area

03/06/1954

XB648

Sabre F4

130 Sqn

The port tyre bust on take off from Bruggen, West Germany causing the aircraft to veer onto the grass. The pilot tried to raise the undercarriage but only the nose wheel retracted causing extensive damage to the nose

10/06/1954

XB475

Hiller HT1

705 NAS

Control was lost after taking avoiding action when the lead aircraft turned suddenly due to mechanical problems during a practice display with 3 Hillers, 3 Dragonflies and a Whirlwind. It suffered rotor banging and autorotated heavily in the ground at Gosport, Hants. The pilot was killed

16/06/1954

XB884

Sabre F4

112 Sqn

Suffered an electrical failure shortly after take off from Bruggen, West Germany. While making an emergency landing back at base the flight control system went u/s and put the aircraft into a steep climb. The pilot ejected safely

16/06/1954

XD711

Sabre F4

66 Sqn

During a four ship formation break to port the pilot of XD711 (the section leader) broke sharply, while XD716 broke slowly. They collided and crashed near Hornsea, Yorkshire. Both pilots ejected

16/06/1954

XD716

Sabre F4

66 Sqn

22/06/1954

XB940

Sabre F4

4 Sqn

The pilot lost contact with his formation in haze. He became lost and attempted to return to Jever, West Germany. Due to low fuel he diverted to Hamburg. He considered that he had insufficient fuel to make the runway and landed on an autobahn short of the airfield

29/06/1954

XB819

Z

Sabre F4

234 Sqn

Written off in a forced landing four miles ENE of Julich, West Germany after the engine failed due to a fuel leak. The pilot survived

08/07/1954

XB647

Sabre F4

4 Sqn

Flicked over and rolled into the ground after a low speed climb 
out from an overshoot at Jever, West Germany with dive brakes extended

10/07/1954

XB520

Hiller HT1

HMS Vidal Flt

The helicopter was tasked with surveying the waters and reefs around Jamaica and was fitted with floats. It lost height in a hover in still air due to a combination of being overloaded in the climatic conditions and over pitching of the rotor blades. It settled in the water 200 yards off HMS Vidal in Kingston Bay, Jamaica and sank. The two crew were rescued and the helicopter was recovered

22/07/1954

XD730

T

Sabre F4

66 Sqn

The pair were part of a four ship formation and were letting down through cloud. The leader ordered not below 3,000 ft but the two pilots did not acknowledge. They flew into Kinder Scout Ridge on Ashop Moor near Glossop, Derbyshire. Neither pilots ejected and were killed

22/07/1954

XD707

Sabre F4

66 Sqn

22/07/1954

XD758

L

Sabre F4

66 Sqn

The pilot suffered lack of oxygen at 40,000 ft. When reducing height both fire warning lights came on. They remained on even though the pilot throttled back so he ejected. The aircraft crashed two miles NE of Helmsley, Yorkshire. He may have suffered anoxia due to his mask slipping

23/07/1954 XB865 Sabre F4 26 Sqn During a tail chase the pilot overstressed the airframe when recovering from a dive. The engine flamed out then caught fire. As he ejected the aircraft exploded and crashed four miles from Hede, West Germany. He did not undo the seat straps before pulling the rip cord for the chute and was killed
27/07/1954 XD514 Vampire T11 5 FTS Spun into the North Sea during a sortie from Oakington. killing the pilot
28/07/1954 XE306 Sycamore HR14 275 Sqn The engine failed to respond when approaching the hover position at Linton-on-Ouse, Yorks. It struck the ground port wheel first, bounced and turned over. Both crew were injured
05/08/1954 XB638 Sabre F4 20 Sqn When carrying out a roller landing in the dark at Oldenberg, West 
Germany the aircraft struck a tree, damaging a wing. It struck the ground and burnt out throwing the pilot clear still strapped in his seat
06/08/1954 XA303 Cadet TX3 5 GS Written off in a flying accident at Edzell, Angus
08/08/1954 XE514 Pioneer CC1 267 Sqn Encountered a down draught when on final approach to Fort Shean, 
Malaya. The pilot was unable to correct the sink and it struck the ground just short of the airstrip. It then bounced onto the airstrip and turned over. Rebuilt and sold as G-ANAZ
10/08/1954 XD768 X Sabre F4 66 Sqn The pilot made an emergency landing at Full Sutton, Yorks after suffering partial engine failure at 15,000 ft due to fuel starvation caused by a faulty oil filter. It landed half way up the runway and during braking the port tyre burst causing it to swing off the runway. The 
undercarriage was raised to stop
20/08/1954 XD530 Vampire T11 9 FTS Flew into rising ground at Merryfield, Somerset after overshooting at Yeovilton. It exploded and disintegrated on impact, killing the pilot
27/08/1954 XD776 Z Sabre F4 66 Sqn During a display rehearsal the cockpit filled with smoke and flames caused by a fire in the port ammunition bay due to heat control failure. The pilot ejected and the aircraft crashed twelve miles SW of North Luffenham, Rutland
02/09/1954 XB734 E Sabre F4 26 Sqn Following undercarriage failure the pilot was unable to lower the manual lever due to a loose bolt in the mechanism. He landed the aircraft on the grass at Oldenburg, West Germany beside the runway
04/09/1954 XB256 Dragonfly HC4 194 Sqn Suffered gear box failure during a test flight due to oil starvation. The pilot attempted an auto rotation but the aircraft landed heavily near Kuala Lumpur airfield, Malaya
07/09/1954 XB627 C Sabre F4 67 Sqn The pilot noticed a condensation trail above him and decided to investigate it. He then descended from 35,000 ft to 500 ft and discovered that he was lost. The aircraft ran out of fuel and he made an emergency landing in a field three miles south of Peer, Belgium
21/09/1954 XD733 F Sabre F4 92 Sqn On completion of a night sortie the pilot stated that he was above the airfield at Linton-on-Ouse. Two minutes later the aircraft crashed into a local landmark on Georef Hood Hill in the Hambleton Hills, Yorkshire. The pilot did not eject and was killed
22/09/1954 XB899 B Sabre F4 20 Sqn During transfer of the squadron from Oldenburg the pilot forgot to lower the undercarriage and made a wheels up landing at Schleswigland, West Germany
29/09/1954 XD771 K Sabre F4 92 Sqn Suffered engine failure while on approach to Linton-on-Ouse, Yorkshire and crashed into a field
30/09/1954 XA271 A Marathon T1 2 ANS Broke up in mid-air over Calne, Wiltshire after loss of control in turbulent air. It is believed that it was being flown by an unauthorised person while the pilot was in the rear of the aircraft
08/10/1954 XB937 Sabre F4 4 Sqn Dived into the North Sea nine miles off Sylt, West Germany during a 
tail chase. The pilot had possibly blacked out during a high G turn
16/10/1954 XB254 Dragonfly HC4 194 Sqn Suffered structural failure of the tail cone on take off from Grik, Malaya and struck the ground nose first
19/10/1954 XB988 Sabre F4 130 Sqn Caught fire at night and crashed out of control seven miles NE of Kassel, West Germany. The pilot did not eject and was killed
21/10/1954 XA546 Javelin FAW1 Glosters Crashed into the Bristol Channel after failing to recover from a spin. The test pilot was killed after leaving it too late to eject
23/10/1954 XB711 S Sabre F4 229 OCU The aircraft was No. 4 in a four ship formation. Due to cloud the leader was unable to locate No. 3 and 4 and ordered them to return to Chivenor independently. XB711 entered more cloud and was not seen again. The pilot had probably lost control and crashed into the sea. The formation was in fact 150 miles from the intended position
26/10/1954 XB628 V Sabre F4 71 Sqn The pilot of XB729 carried out an unannounced attack on XB628 but collided with it. Both aircraft crashed ten miles from Krefeld, West Germany. Both pilots were thrown from their aircraft and after releasing their seats, made a normal parachute descent
26/10/1954 XB729 Sabre F4 71 Sqn
29/10/1954 XB927 V Sabre F4 130 Sqn The engine failed while on approach to Bruggen, West Germany due to fuel regulator failure. A forced landing was made in the undershoot area
29/10/1954 XB860 B Sabre F4 234 Sqn Exploded and broke up over Wintraal, Netherlands after being overstressed during a test flight. The pilot ejected but his chute failed to open. He landed in an apple tree, still attached to the seat, suffering 
serious injuries. The aircraft crashed at Sittard
12/11/1954 XA124 LM Sea Vampire T22 736 NAS The crew were killed when the aircraft failed to get airborne during take off from Lossiemouth, Morayshire and crashed
24/11/1954 XB612 F Sabre F4 3 Sqn Damaged during a formation take off from Geilenkirchen, West Germany when the port wheel left the runway. The aircraft swung round and the nose wheel struck a sodium flare and collapsed. Not repaired and declared a write off
26/11/1954 XD517 Vampire T11 5 FTS The pilot lost control during aerobatics. He regained control but the fire warning light came on. He abandoned the aircraft and it crashed at Winfarthing, Norfolk
29/11/1954 XD772 H Sabre F4 66 Sqn The pilot abandoned the aircraft over the North Sea due to engine failure. It flew seventeen miles inland and crashed near Kelstern, Lincs. The pilot was rescued

© Wolverhampton Aviation Group