G-APEC at London Heathrow in 1965. |
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| Accident summary | |
|---|---|
| Date | 2 October 1971 |
| Site | Aarsele, Belgium |
| Passengers | 55 |
| Crew | 8 |
| Injuries | 0 |
| Fatalities | 63 (all) |
| Survivors | 0 |
| Aircraft type | Vickers Vanguard |
| Operator | British European Airways |
| Tail number | G-APEC |
| Flight origin | London Heathrow Airport, United Kingdom |
| Destination | Salzburg Airport, Austria |
British European Airways Flight 706 was a scheduled flight from London-Heathrow Airport (LHR) to Salzburg-W. A. Mozart Airport (SZG), by Vickers Vanguard G-APEC, on the 2 October 1971. Whilst en route at 19,000 ft (5,791 m) the rear cabin pressure bulkhead failed, causing the aircraft's tail to fall off. The aircraft crashed near Aersele, Belgium, killing all 63 passengers and crew on impact.[1]
Investigators trying to learn the crash's cause, found corrosion in the lower part of the rear pressure bulkhead underneath plating that was bonded to the structure. The bulkhead had been literally eaten away. Fluid contamination, perhaps from the lavatory, was thought to have been the root cause for the corrosion.[2]
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