01 May 2024
This website is regularly archived by the British Library who selectively archive websites with research values that are representative of British social history and cultural heritage.

Museum search


Viscount Survivors

Viscount Survivors


59 of the 444 Viscounts built survive as complete airframes or major components. Some are in very good condition and are looked after by museums while others are just wrecks. They can be found in 24 countries.

Viscount history

Letter from HRH Prince Philip

See and hear a Viscount

Newsletters

Flight Magazine Reports

Aircraft operational
records and photos

Viscount illustrations
by David Carter


Discover the history of the Viscount with film, video, contemporary reports from the pages of Flight Magazine, our newsletters, and aircraft operational records and photos from our database.


Share your photos and stories

Live Magazine


Our 'Live Magazine' is used by members and non-members to share their Viscount photos and stories with fellow enthusiasts located throughout the world in real time.

You are able to send in your photos, stories and comments by Facebook, Twitter or email and we will post them for all to enjoy.

Contact us

information@VickersViscount.net



Join the Vickers Viscount Network
for FREE

Membership details


Featured pages

Our website contains over 20,000 pages of photos and information that can all be accessed from the menu at the top of every page. Here are a few to get you started.


In the Beginning

The Turboprop World-Beater

Sir George Edwards

The Rolls-Royce Dart

c/n 1 G-AHRF V.630
The Prototype Viscount

c/n 2 VX217 V.663
The Tay powered Viscount

c/n 3 G-AMAV V.700
The V.700 series prototype

c/n 4 G-ALWE V.701
The first BEA Viscount

c/n 5 G-ALWF V.701
The oldest surviving Viscount

c/n 8 F-BGNK V.708
The first Air France Viscount

c/n 30 EI-AFV V.707
The first Aer Lingus Viscount

c/n 40 CF-TGI V.724
The first TCA Viscount

c/n 44 VH-TVA V.720
The first TAA Viscount

c/n 67 YI-ACK V.735
The first Iraqi Airways Viscount

c/n 70 CF-GXK V.737
The first Canadian DoT Viscount

c/n 71 VP-TBK V.702
The first BOAC Associated
Companies Viscount

c/n 74 G-ANRR V.732
The first Hunting-Clan Viscount

c/n 77 LN-FOF V.736
The first Fred Olsen Viscount

c/n 79 IU-683 V.723
The first Indian Air Force Viscount

c/n 88 N7402 V.744
The first Capital Airlines Viscount

c/n 97 VH-BAT V.747
The first Butler Air
Transport Viscount


This website does not use cookies or capture your details


Established 2005
Vickers Viscount Network
A Virtual Museum dedicated to the Vickers-Armstrongs VC2 Viscount
   

Viscount c/n 254

Operational Record

Photo of Viscount c/n 254
British European Airways Corporation (BEA)


England flag England

This V.802 series Viscount was built for
British European Airways Corporation (BEA) as G-AORC

It first flew on Monday, 29 July 1957 at Weybridge, Surrey, England powered by Rolls-Royce Dart 510 engines.

Photo of Viscount c/n 254
British European Airways Corporation (BEA)


England flag England

Its final owner/operator was
British European Airways Corporation (BEA) as G-AORC.

Its fate:-
Crashed on to the Hill of Barnweill at Craigie, 4.5 miles east-northeast of Prestwick Airport, Ayrshire, Scotland 28 April 1958 due to an altimeter mis-read.

The Viscount had taken off from Heathrow at 20:42 local time for the positioning flight to Prestwick. On nearing Prestwick a descent from FL185 was commenced. The aircraft was cleared to pass the Prestwick radio beacon at 4,000 feet. Shortly after the crew reported descending through 11,000 feet, the aircraft struck the ground close to the Prestwick radio beacon. The plane skidded for about 400 metres and caught fire. The crew of five, with the exception of one stewardess, were injured, but all got clear of the aircraft before it was consumed by fire.


Operational record
Photo of British European Airways Corporation (BEA) Viscount G-AORD *

Country of Registration United Kingdom

January 1957 to January 1957

British European Airways Corporation (BEA)

G-AORD * - c/n 254 - a V.802 series Viscount
United Kingdom registered

circa 1956
Allocated registration G-AORD but this was not taken up. It was then used on C/N 171.


Photo of British European Airways Corporation (BEA) Viscount G-AORC *

Country of Registration United Kingdom

August 1957 to April 1958

British European Airways Corporation (BEA)

G-AORC * - c/n 254 - a V.802 series Viscount
United Kingdom registered

February 1953
An order was placed for the first 800 series Viscount which was specifically designed for British European Airways Corporation (BEA).

This was the 24th and last Type 802 ordered by British European Airways (BEA).

2 January 1956
Registered to British European Airways Corporation (BEA).

29 July 1957
First flight from Brooklands Airfield, Weybridge, Surrey, England.

It landed at Wisley Airfield, Surrey, England for fitting out and test flying.

17 August 1957
Delivered to British European Airways (BEA) named as 'R M A Richard Lander'.

Crashed on to the Hill of Barnweill at Craigie, 4.5 miles east-northeast of Prestwick Airport, Ayrshire, Scotland.
Crashed on to the Hill of Barnweill
at Craigie, Ayrshire, Scotland

28 April 1958
Crashed on to the Hill of Barnweill at Craigie, 4½ miles east-northeast of Prestwick Airport, Ayrshire, Scotland on approach to land during a charter flight from London Airport (later known as Heathrow), Middlesex, England to collect a party of 24 stranded BOAC passengers.

The Viscount had taken off at 20:42 local time for the positioning flight to Prestwick Airport. Nearing Prestwick, a descent from FL185 was commenced. The aircraft was cleared to pass the Prestwick radio beacon at 4,000 feet. Shortly after the crew reported descending through 11,000 feet, the aircraft struck the ground close to the Prestwick radio beacon. The plane skidded for about 400 metres and caught fire. The crew of five, with the exception of one stewardess, were injured, but all got clear of the aircraft before it was consumed by fire.

PROBABLE CAUSE:
The accident was considered to have been caused by the Captain flying the aircraft into the ground during the descent to Prestwick after mis-reading the altimeter by 10,000ft. Whilst a somewhat ambiguous presentation of height on the pressure altimeter may have initiated this mis-reading, a lack of co-operation between the Captain and First Officer and a lack of alertness on the part of the First Officer were also contributory factors.

Total time 1,312 hours and 845 total landings.

Flight Magazine report - 9 May 1958
FURTHER READING: Books about BEA - British European Airways



Photo of BEA - British European Airways Viscount G-AOJC

The Vickers Viscount Network is always interested to hear from anyone who has information or photographs to help complete the story of the Viscount. If you can help please contact us at
Information@VickersViscount.net.


Click here for more details about the Vickers Viscount Network

This website has been designed, built and is maintained by Geoff Blampied, Norwich, Norfolk, England.