Bristol Britannia crash, Feb 16, 1980 (7 killed), Billerica
Bristol Britannia accident on February 16, 1980 near Billerica, Massachusetts, United States with 7 fatalities. Cause: Degraded aerodynamic performance...
- Date: February 16, 1980
- Aircraft: Bristol Britannia
- Location: Billerica, Massachusetts, United States
- Fatalities: 7
- Phase of flight: Takeoff and climb
- Cause: Degraded aerodynamic performance from ice and snow accumulated on the airframe before takeoff and further icing in flight, with windshear, downdraughts and turbulence during the climb. Contributing were the crew's failure to obtain an adequate preflight weather briefing and the National Weather Service's failure to advise the crew of a SIGMET for severe icing.
Redcoat Air Cargo Bristol Britannia G-BRAC took off from Boston Logan on a cargo flight to Shannon and Luton with eight people on board. Shortly after takeoff in snow, fog and severe icing, it lost height uncontrolled and crashed into woodland in Billerica, about 17 miles northwest of the airport. Seven occupants were killed and one crew member was seriously injured.