G-BMBC PA-31

[wardmanstuart]

Came across this while sorting through some old photo`s not sure if it was based at LPL at the time but it crashed into the Mersey while on approach to LPL 14th June 2000G-BMBC PA-31 w/o 14/6/2000 at LPL Airport


50247321886_79bb37fd090_h by [/url] by Stuart Wardman, on Flickr

[vfr800]

Think it was on a medical flight from the Isle of Man

[Deleted]

Aug 20, 2020 11:00:57 GMT 1 vfr800 said:

Think it was on a medical flight from the Isle of Man

Yes it was. I remember this well. I knew the pilot, Keith Whyam, from my days of working at Blackpool. He was a well-known local character, a very experienced pilot and part owner of Air Navigation and Trading. The post-accident report suggested that he may have suffered a heart attack. He had certainly flown into Liverpool many times during his flying career.

[viscount]

From the thread elsewhere on this section of NWAN:

derbosoft.proboards.com/thread/13889/liverpool-aviation-accidents-incidents

In the listing Liverpool Airport related Aviation Accidents and Incidents, is the entry:

14.06.00 G-BMBC	PA-31-350 Navajo   Liverpool   op IoM Air Ambulance   On an Ambulance flight from IoM to Liverpool with 09 in use in calm, misty 
			            landing		              conditions.  Aircraft hit river and sank in fairly shallow water just short
					                              of 09 landfall.  All 5 on board died.  AAIB Report inconclusive as to cause.
					                              www.aaib.gov.uk/cms_resources.cfm?file=/dft_avsafety_pdf_500947.pdf

I must admit that I was unware that it was a member of Blackpool's Air Navigation and Trading Ltd, Whyham family who was the pilot, the AAIB don't name names. The AAIB report is a good account of the radio and flight VFR and Special VFR procedures, from Ronaldsway to Liverpool.

The loss of 5 lives makes it the worst accident in the take off or landing phase of flight at Liverpool since 1948, although there had been a crash to the north of Liverpool City in 1963 that also resulted in 5 fatalities. The two worst accidents post war with Liverpool links, were while en route to Liverpool and during approach for an away landing on a flight from Liverpool (1984 & 1983).