The Eerie Crash of the BAC One-Eleven: A Scary Tale from October 22, 1963

On October 22, 1963, a chilling aviation tragedy unfolded over Chickney Wood, Essex, England, when the prototype BAC One-Eleven jetliner crashed during a test flight.

The British Aircraft Corporation’s promising new aircraft, designed to revolutionize short-haul travel, was carrying six crew members when a catastrophic failure occurred.

At approximately 10:17 AM, the left wing flap retracted unexpectedly at 3,000 feet, causing the plane to pitch nose-down and slam into the ground at 350 mph.

All aboard, test pilot Mike Lithgow, co-pilot Brian Trubshaw, and four engineers, perished instantly in a fiery explosion that scarred the quiet woodland.

The crash left an eerie aftermath that lingers in local lore, especially around Halloween. Witnesses reported an unnatural silence following the blast, broken only by faint, unexplained whispers carried on the wind for weeks, as if the souls of the lost were restless.

An official investigation by the Accidents Investigation Branch pinpointed the flap mechanism’s design flaw, leading to safety upgrades across the fleet.

Yet, the site remains a somber reminder, with some villagers still claiming ghostly echoes near the crash scar, making it a fittingly spooky tale abount October 22nd as Halloween approaches.