Talk:BSAA Star Ariel disappearance

cause of Disappearence?

the avro type 688 tudor Star Ariel was lost 17 January 1949 while on a flight between Bermuda and Kingston Jamaica One interesting fact besides the pilot radioing that after an hour of flying 150 miles south of Bermuda that he was chainging radio frequencies to Jamaica...is that despite his own airplanes regaulations he did not check in every one half hour,,,,,the implication being that he couldnt check in,,because he was dead....there is a theroy the cabin heater, located underneath the floor of the cockpit, was also placed close to hydraulic pipes. This meant that hydraulic vapor could have leaked and come into contact with the hot heater, causing either a fire or an explosion..could that be a plausable xplanation?

Regarding the pilot's silence: The pilot, Captain John McPhee, was last in contact at 09:42, about an hour after takeoff. The lack of further half-hourly check-ins could imply a sudden and catastrophic event. A fast-spreading fire, an explosion, or sudden decompression caused by a mechanical failure like the one you described could have incapacitated the crew and rendered the radio unusable before they could send a distress signal.

What makes the theory plausible Design and layout: The theory, proposed in 2009 by former BSAA Tudor pilots Don Mackintosh and Captain Peter Duffey, highlights the poor layout of the Avro Tudor IVB's systems. The aircraft's fuel-burning cabin heater was located in the fuselage, under the floor of the cockpit, close to hydraulic lines. Risk of fire or explosion: According to the theory, a hydraulic fluid leak could have atomized into a vapor. If this vapor came into contact with the hot heater, it could have caused a sudden and catastrophic fire or explosion. Lack of warning: An accident investigator who reviewed the case noted that a fire starting underneath the floorboards could have progressed rapidly to a catastrophic state before the crew was aware of the danger. The aircraft also lacked an automatic fire extinguishing system in that area, and the fire-detection alarms were not placed near the heater. Corroborating evidence: Poor Tudor design: The Avro Tudor was known for its poor system design. Gordon Store, a BSAA pilot, described the systems as "hopeless," mentioning that the fuel-burning heaters were often problematic. Previous concerns: Concerns about the heating system's reliability had been raised before the Star Ariel disappearance, and its use was reportedly forbidden on another Tudor flight after a similar incident involving smoke. Fleet grounding: After the Star Ariel vanished, British South American Airways immediately grounded its remaining fleet of Avro Tudor IVs. Production of the Tudor aircraft line was also permanently ceased. This swift action suggests that the airline recognized a significant, inherent risk with the aircraft design. No distress call: A catastrophic event like a sudden explosion or flash fire in the cockpit could easily explain why the crew was unable to send a distress signal. The fact that they missed their radio check-in supports the idea that the end came suddenly and without warning. 2603:6010:BB00:288B:7088:529C:A58E:2E5D (talk) 13:25, 24 October 2025 (UTC)