3 fatalities

Cargo Flight Crashes into Sea After Engine Problems; Three Crew Members Killed (G-AMNK)

Heraklion, GreeceTakeoff (climb)

On August 24, 1960, a Vickers Viking (registration G-AMNK) operated by Don Everall Aviation was involved in an aviation accident near Heraklion, Greece during takeoff. 3 people were killed. Investigators recorded the probable cause as: The cause of the engine failure was not established but the most likely reason appears to be a defective fuel or ignition system. The reason why it was not possible for the aircraft to maintain safe flight after the failure of the engine remains unknown. This summary draws on records from the Bureau of Aircraft Accidents Archives (B3A); 3 related events involving the same aircraft type or operator are linked below.

Sourcesthe Bureau of Aircraft Accidents Archives (B3A)Primary reportUpdated 2026-06-12Data APIEditorial standards

A twin-engine cargo aircraft on a flight from Birmingham to Aden crashed into the sea shortly after takeoff from Heraklion Airport, killing all three crew members. The aircraft encountered engine problems after lifting off from runway 27 at night.

Accident

A twin-engine cargo aircraft was operating a flight from Birmingham, UK, to Aden, Yemen, with intermediate stops at Nice, Brindisi, Heraklion, Cairo, and Jeddah. The departure from Heraklion Airport occurred at night from runway 27. Following a takeoff roll of 1,800 meters, the aircraft lifted off and climbed to an altitude of 100 feet. At that point, the crew encountered technical problems with the engines. The airplane banked left and subsequently crashed into the sea. All three crew members were killed.

Investigation

The investigation into the accident determined that the cause of the engine failure was not established, but the most likely reason appears to be a defective fuel or ignition system. The reason why it was not possible for the aircraft to maintain safe flight after the failure of the engine remains unknown.

Probable cause

The cause of the engine failure was not established but the most likely reason appears to be a defective fuel or ignition system. The reason why it was not possible for the aircraft to maintain safe flight after the failure of the engine remains unknown.