Dehaviland accident

[JohnWright]

Just happening to be silver surfing and came across this page.
I was a fireman at Dehavs crash crewe at the time of this sad event, Alan Brandon and Tony Chalk were indeed lost that day. The test pilots office was above the Fire Station and we knew these gentlemen well.
I understand Tony Chalk was a friend or related to someone in the F1 motor racing world.
After their aircraft was overdue the news that was passed to us was that they broke cloud over Minera Mountain but the clouds happend to be mist or fog on the mountain. Tony bailed out in his Martin-Baker seat but Alan died on impact, Tony did not survive due to insufficient height.
There were a number of fatal crashes during my time there including the one at Cyprus. This one happend due to a faulty ejector seat replacment after the engine was changed in Cyprus and on the way to the Iranian Air Force. The test pilot lived in a caravan with his wife and child at 47 M.U.
After serving with DeH., I joined the Air Ministry crash crewe on the far side of the airfield at 47 MU. and when they folded returned to Flintshire Fire Service later becoming O.I.C as Sub Officer.
I am now in my eightieth year and a retired widower. Many lovely memories yet many sad ones.

[JohnWright]

Reading through my last post I note that I have made an error. It was in fact Alan Brandon that ejected from the aircraft and Tony Chalk who remained aboard. Sorry about that but it was a long time ago and memory does play tricks on an old mind. May God bless those brave guys.

[Jo Harding]

Hello all,

I don't know if this is covered in the book by Norman Barfield, titled, "Broughton: from Wellington to Airbus".

Jo

[RichardMarkham]

Hello,
 Joined only because i see this in passing and amazingly there is an article in Welwyn and Hatfield Times. OK... here i go..
The accident was in 1966. The pilots name was Peter Barlow but alongside was George Errington, Edgar Blackstone-Brown and Charles William Patterson whilst taking part in De Havilland Trident (formerly Hawker Siddeley) stalling test in 1966. His daughter aged 60 lives in Essendon, Herts. His Grandchildren and Great Grandchildren live in Udiine. The eldest Grandson is called Nicholas.
According to the report which filed in 1968 by the Accident investigation branch of the board of trade, Peter himself has completed 2,195 stalling tests with three engined jet airliners including 750 as a pilot in command. However on the 3rd of June 1966 the plane that they were in entered a superstall and could not recover. Family do not know much about this and are seeking any information... use this to contact for accident info Simon.Wesson[at]whtimes.co.UK and for info on the family contact Janet on news[at]whtimes.co.UK.

I hope this helps.

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[nephew]

Alan Brandon was my uncle.  He had 2 children with his wife, Mavis -A son Neal and a daughter Susan.

[Jetdragon]

I remember this incident - my dad worked at Broughton from just after the war until his retirement in 1987 (as did I from 1979 to 1988).

I was only a small child at the time but I remember dad saying that he and many others from Broughton helped in the search for Alan and Tony's aircraft (Alan was known as "Big & Strong" amongst the office girls there).

regards

Dave