Airplane Crash - Near Atar, Mauritania 05/26/1952
Details of airplane crash/ shootdown - Near Atar, Mauritania
| Date | 05/26/1952 |
| Time | 08:45 |
| Location | Near Atar, Mauritania |
| Operator | British Overseas Airways |
| Flight # | 251 |
| Route | Tripoli - Kano |
| Type | Handley Page HP-81 Hermes IV |
| Registration | G-ALDN |
| Cn/In | HP-81/15 |
| Aboard | 18 |
| Fatalities | 1 |
| Ground | 0 |
| Summary | The crew became lost in the desert, ran out of fuel and made a forced landing. Survivors had to be led by a rescue team 15 miles to an oasis before they could be evacuated. The co-pilot died 5 days later from head injuries suffered in the accident. Navagational errors by the crew. Improper adjustment of the parameters of the gyroscopicompass CL2 Gyrosyn by the navigator. Absence of radio assistance and incorrect use of the compasses. Captain's decision to use the gyroscopicompass in the place of the magneticompass which was inoperative. The aircraft was named 'Horus.' |
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