Ken Fielding shares with AirlineReporter.com another set of classic photos that have an interesting story. Here are his photos and his story in his own words…
This was a taxiing accident at Liverpool in July, 1966. It was lunchtime on a warm summer’s day and I was sitting in my office, directly in front of the aircraft’s right wing, having just had lunch and reading a book. Working at an airport so close to the ramp you no longer ‘hear’ aircraft, they just become a background noise.
Suddenly there was an enormous bang and shrieking of tortured metal. I jumped up and there was this Rolls Royce Dart engine about six feet away from my window with the prop blades bent at an interesting angle.
Viscount Cambrian Airways taken July 15, 1966 by Ken Fielding. Click for Larger.
That got the heart pumping a bit faster and I grabbed my camera and rushed outside. Can you imagine anyone being allowed that close to a pranged aircraft now?
The aircraft had been having hydraulic problems and had been ‘fixed’. It was being ground tested by two engineers when the hydraulics failed again, losing steering and brakes. The starboard wing hit an Aer Lingus V.800 Viscount which swung it round toward the terminal and straight into Gate 2.
Oops. This Vickers Viscount did not stop in time. Photo by Ken Fielding. Click for Larger.
The first thing the ground crew did was straighten the props (as they would on a normal turnaround). Having demolished a couple of sets of British Eagle steps and a baggage truck, the two on the other wing needed a bit more attention. The aircraft demolished the wall at Gate 2 and you can see the broken nose-wheel resting on the wall.
Those blades and those stairs aren't looking so great. Photo by Ken Fielding. Click for Larger.
This was outside my office window. A piece of the mangled steps can be seen (top left of center) sticking out of the aircraft roof while another piece had gone through an aircraft window.
Something about this just does not look right. Photo by Ken Fielding. Click for Larger.
Cambrian Airways taxiing accident, from the upper roof terrace at Liverpool (LPL). The starboard wingtip stopped about 4 feet from my office window.
Check out Ken’s other photos on his Flickr account. If you have any questions for Ken about this incident, ask them in the comment, he will be happy to answer them.
It gives a whole new meaning to the terminal announcement “The aircraft now arriving at Gate No:2….”
The cambrian aircraft was back in service a couple of months later after a front-end rebuild while the Aer Lingus Viscount 800 suffered some damage to it’s flaps which took about 3 weeks to repair.
Intriguing photos. Thanks for sharing!
Dear Ken
I have just seen your great colour photos of Cambrian Airways Viscount G-AMOE after its collision with the Liverpool Speke terminal building.
We run a non-profit website dedicated to the history of the Viscount and would like permission to use your photos which would be duly credited to you.
Kind regards
Brian Burrage
Website Co-founder
Was flying as engineer on BMA Argonaut on that day.Was somewhat surprised that Liverpool had gone to a nose in opperation.As a liscensed engineer on Viscounts and being nosy had to have a good luck.It would seem that in the confusion the poor bloke forgotb is emergency brakes and of coarse the pressure storedin the brake accumulator.
I flown on that plane in 67 and 68. a dent or 2 good aircraft
I was there on that day plane spotting on the airport and saw the whole thing . I have looked for details of this accident for years as people think I drempt it. As I recall l seem to remember the plane coming out of the hanger to the left of the terminal passing my position and clipping the wing of a bac111 which had passengers on board it then spun into gate 3 nose first the passengers where taken off the bac111 and soon after we where told to leave the airport. I would have been about 9 years of age and still remember it as it happened