
THIS IS EDs BLOGG
BLACKPOOL AIR CRASH EVENTS
These are the events leading to the Blackpool Airport Crash on the 29th June 1972. The flights were regular into Blackpool Airport, as top flight technicians flew from Munich to Blackpool, then by car onto the Aircraft base at Warton BAC Systems factory on the banks of the River Ribble in Lancashire. The flight technicians were working on the Multi - Roll- Combat -Aircraft. The twin engine aircraft was used for the carriage of company employee`s and goods for the BAC factory at Warton. A twice weekly service was operated between the two companies. The aircraft left Munich airport and landed at Blackpool Airport at 09.40. Later that same day the flight technicians arrived at the airport for the flight back to Munich. Around 16.30, then aircraft taxied out to the runway and lined up ready to take off. During the take-off run the aircraft reached it`s normal rotation speed in the usual distance, however, although the aircraft was traveling fast enough, rotation did not take place, so the plane did not take off. Then I believe it was the captain`s decision to abandon the take off, people at the airdrome heard the noise of the engine suddenly die down approximately 300 meters from the end of the runway. Subsequently, brake marks were found commencing in the same area, breaking was not effective and the aircraft then left the airport runway still at high speed with it`s nose and wheels at ground level. The first collision occurred when the starboard wingtip struck and severed a post supporting one of the airfield runway approach lights. Then the aircraft continued, colliding with and badly distorting the double track railway lines just passed the edge of the airfield. The nose wheel of the aircraft was broken off by this impact and structural damage was done to the underside of the fuselage. Almost immediately, beyond the railway lines broke though a wall and collided with a row of single story masonry chalets in the adjacent holiday camp demolishing some more chalet`s and setting them on fire. The wings of the aircraft were broken off during the impact, spilling aircraft fuel over the area, but the main part of the aircraft continued it`s progress, sustaining further structural damage as it did so. The foreword part of the fuselage, including the flightdeck, was twisted to starboard and progressively destroyed.
The final impact brought the aircraft to rest against a second row of chalets which were also badly damaged. The plane wreckage caught fire and was destroyed. I believe the final total of passengers and crew that died was SEVEN. NOW, to my part in all this, when you live and work in Blackpool, most people have two jobs in order to manage things. I worked at the Pontin`s Holiday Camp around 4 miles south of Blackpool during the day, I worked as a porter 8am to 5pm, had some tea and a little sleep and then worked at the Theatre Nightclub in Blackpool until around 2.30AM, then have a great curry and back to my chalet at the Holiday Camp around 3.45AM, then slept until 7.45AM and started again, and that was seven day`s a week. On the 29th June 1972 we had just gone for our evening meal , we were sat in a large dining room and the suddenly, we heard an enormously loud crash, it was obviously serous, apparently it was an Hansa Jet crashed. My other porter colleague Peter and I ran down right away to where we saw a huge plume of smoke. On our arrival we encountered a large area of extensive damage; opposite we could see a row of chalets had been badly damaged, some were completely wrecked. Parts of the plane had disintegrated and left strewn all over the place, as were some of the bodies. There were fires in several places . It did no occur that there was any danger to us, our only thoughts were to see if anyone if anyone was in danger and needed our help. Peter ran down one row of chalets and I ran down another one shouting to see if there was anyone was in danger and needed our help, but we did not find anyone thank goodness. I spotted another row of chalets and we ran down there in case they needed any help, but found no one. Peter and myself then went among the wreckage to see if anyone was still alive. One of the aircraft`s engines was thrown clear of the body of the aircraft, and when I looked around I saw a stout guy lying on the floor nearby; he was black all over including his face but white underneath, I ran over to him and asked if he was OK, as I did not get a reply thought it best to move him as his body as his body was in direct contact with the plane`s engine which was still burning and I was not sure if it would explode any time soon. So I bent down and started to pull on his arm to get him away from the burning engine, to my horror, a part of his arm came away and I was left holding it, I was sure he was dead and then I saw some slight movement and realised that was still alive. But the very worst thing for me and I assure you I will never forget it, was the horrible, devastating stench of badly BURNING FLESH. Peter and I were very busy collecting blankets from the store. We dashed back to the crash scene with piles of blankets on the trolly, then placed a cordon around the scene and then we distributed those blankets to lots of people who were somewhat distraught and just milling around surveying the scene, and also we were trying to comfort some of the people who were clearly shocked. Peter and I were so very busy running here and there trying to help people when we saw people from the press, they started asking us to tell them about what had happened and to make a statement, we were in a heightened state just then, and told them to "JUST PISS OFF". Then we saw two men that were employed by Pontin`s Holiday Camp as Tennis Coaches being interviewed by some of the press. The next day these men were part of the headline newspapers . I can tell you with complete confidence , that I NEVER saw them anywhere near the crash scene at any time and never helped anyone at all. Shame on them. I continued to work at Pontins Holiday Camp and the Theatre Nightclub and left later that year in 1973.
BLACKPOOL AIRPORT CRASH

A HANSA JET (Similar to this one)
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