No fatalities

1962-09-09: De Havilland DHC-2 Beaver (XP815) — British Army Air Corps — Volos, Greece

Volos, GreeceTakeoff (climb)

On September 9, 1962, a De Havilland DHC-2 Beaver (registration XP815) operated by British Army Air Corps was involved in an aviation accident near Volos, Greece during takeoff. No fatalities were reported. Investigators recorded the probable cause as: The pilot lost control of the aircraft after a cockpit sunblind fell over their face during the takeoff roll. This summary draws on records from the Bureau of Aircraft Accidents Archives (B3A); 8 related events involving the same aircraft type or operator are linked below.

Sourcesthe Bureau of Aircraft Accidents Archives (B3A)Primary reportUpdated 1781244481Data APIEditorial standards

A single-engine airplane lost control and crashed immediately after liftoff, resulting in no injuries but significant damage to the airframe.

What happened

During the takeoff phase of flight, a single-engine airplane experienced a sudden loss of control. As the aircraft reached liftoff speed, it became unmanageable and subsequently crashed at the departure site.

While the impact resulted in the aircraft being declared a total loss due to damage beyond repair, there were no fatalities or injuries reported among those on board.

Findings

Investigations into the accident determined that the primary factor leading to the loss of control was an obstruction within the cockpit. Specifically, the sunblind from the cockpit visor fell forward and covered the pilot's face at the critical moment of takeoff, preventing the pilot from maintaining proper visual orientation.

Probable cause

The pilot lost control of the aircraft after a cockpit sunblind fell over their face during the takeoff roll.