G-ALYU had undergone 1,230 pressurized flights before testing and 1,830 tank "flights" before the fuselage failed at the corner of a squarish forward escape hatch window. This failure was the pivotal evidence needed to turn the direction of the investigation towards fatigue.

On 2 May 1953, BOAC Flight 783, a de Havilland Comet jetliner registered G-ALYV and operated by British Overseas Airways Corporation, broke up mid-air and crashed after encountering a severe squall, shortly after taking off from Calcutta (now Kolkata), India. All 43 passengers and crew on board were killed.

A de Havilland DH-106 Comet 1 passenger plane, operated by BOAC, was destroyed in an accident near Calcutta, India. All 43 on board were killed. The airplane operated on a return flight from London, UK to Singapore. On its return leg from Singapore it landed at Calcutta-Dum Dum Airport at 15:10 hrs local time.

On its scheduled return flight from Singapore to London the aircraft took off from Calcutta-Dum Dum Airport at 1629LT bound for New Delhi-Palam Airport. Six minutes later, while climbing, the crew encountered poor weather conditions with the presence of a thunder-squall.

Mar 25, 2024 · DOT is committed to ensuring that information is available in appropriate alternative formats to meet the requirements of persons who have a disability. If you require an alternative version of files provided on this page, please contact [email protected].

The Comet prototype (G-ALVG) had single main wheels, in production aircraft this was replaced by a 4-wheel bogie landing gear. skin, mandatory structural sampling was routinely conducted by both civil and military Comet operators.

On 2 May 1953, BOAC Comet 1 (G-ALYV) crashed in a severe tropical storm six minutes after taking off from Calcutta/Dum Dum (now Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose International Airport), India, killing all 43 on board.

Apr 22, 2022 · On 2 May 1953 – the first anniversary of the Comet’s entry into service – G-ALYV “disintegrated in the air” shortly after taking off from Calcutta and while flying through a heavy storm.

With the recovery of large sections of G-ALYP from the Elba crash and BOAC’s donation of an identical airframe, G-ALYU, for further examination, an extensive "water torture" test eventually provided conclusive results.

On May 2, 1953, one year to the day after the maiden flight of the British-made de Havilland Comet, aircraft G-ALYV departed Calcutta Airport for Delhi as BOAC Flight 783. A few miles out of the...