
January 1959 to September 1967
Aer Lingus - Irish International Airlines
EI-AKK - c/n 422 - a V.808 series Viscount
Ireland registered
2 March 1956
Aer Lingus placed an order for six Type 808 aircraft.
19 January 1959
First flight from Brooklands Airfield, Weybridge, Surrey, England.
It landed at Wisley Airfield, Surrey, England for fitting out and test flying.
15 December 1959
Noted at Blackbushe Airport, Hampshire, England.
31 January 1959
Departed from Wisley Airfield, Surrey, England on delivery to Aer Lingus named as 'St Aidan' / 'St Aodhan'.
It was fitted with Rolls-Royce Dart RDa6 Mark 510 engines, 70 seat configration and a fuel capacity of 1,940 imperial gallons.
18 February 1959
Noted at Gatwick Airport, Surrey, England due to a London Airport (Heathrow) weather diversion.
7 November 1959
Noted at Gatwick Airport, Surrey, England due to a London Airport (Heathrow) weather diversion.
12 November 1959
Noted at Gatwick Airport, Surrey, England due to a London Airport (Heathrow) weather diversion.
24 September 1960
Noted at Gatwick Airport, Surrey, England due to a London Airport (Heathrow) weather diversion.
Aer Lingus 'Green Cheat Line' livery
circa 1964
Painted in the Aer Lingus 'Green Cheat Line' livery.
21 July 1966
Noted at Gatwick Airport, Surrey, England due to a Heathrow Airport weather diversion.
July 1967
Converted to Type 808C cargo configuration by Scottish Aviation Ltd (SAL) at Prestwick Airport, Ayrshire, Scotland.
21 September 1967
Crashed on approach to Lulsgate Airport, Bristol, England in poor weather.
Crashed on approach to Lulsgate, Bristol, England
The weather deteriorated as the aircraft approached Lulsgate Airport, Bristol, England after a scheduled flight from Collinstown Airport, Dublin, Ireland. The Viscount was misaligned with the runway, which the pilot tried to correct at flare-out level. The starboard wing tip and the No. 4 (starboard outer) propeller struck the runway during this manoeuver. An overshoot was attempted, but the pilot saw obstructions coming up ahead, which he considered he wouldn't be able to clear resulting in the aircraft being put onto the ground with the wheels up. It finally came to rest beyond the runway and against a fence with the fuselage cracked open behind the wing and severe damage to the starboard wing.
All 17 passengers and 4 crew survived the crash.
PROBABLE CAUSE: An attempt to align the aircraft with the runway at too low a height following the commander's incorrect decision to continue the approach when visual guidance became obscured below critical height.
Broken up for scrap after removal of all useful parts.
FURTHER READING: Books about Aer Lingus
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