James Thain (8 February 1921 – 6 August 1975) was a British aviator and former Royal Air Force officer. He was pilot in command aboard BEA Flight 609 when it crashed in the 1958 Munich air disaster.
James Thain | |
|---|---|
| Born | 8 February 1921 Bermondsey, London, England |
| Died | 6 August 1975 (aged 54) Bracknell, Berkshire, England |
| Nationality | British |
| Occupation(s) | Aviator, farmer |
| Spouse | Ruby Violet Thain (13.06.1913-27.11.1998) |
| Military career | |
| Allegiance |  United Kingdom |
| Service |  Royal Air Force |
| Rank | Flight lieutenant |
| Battles / wars | Second World War |
Military career
editThain started his career as a Royal Air Force sergeant. He was later promoted to warrant officer and was given an emergency commission as an acting pilot officer in April 1944.[1] He was promoted to pilot officer on probation in September that year.[2] He was subsequently made flight lieutenant in May 1948,[3] receiving a permanent commission in that rank in 1952.[4] He retired from the RAF to join British European Airways (BEA).
The Munich incident, retirement and death
editOn 6 February 1958, Thain was pilot in command of an Airspeed AS.57 Ambassador (Lord Burghley, G-ALZU) flying out of Munich. The aircraft was carrying the Manchester United football team back from a match in Yugoslavia.
After two failed take off attempts, caused by problems with boost surging in one of the Ambassador's engines, Thain chose to make a third try, hoping to stay on schedule, rather than remain overnight for maintenance at Munich. The aircraft failed to take off and crashed, killing twenty-three people. Twenty people died on board, and three died later in hospital.
The German airport authorities blamed Thain for the accident at the time, saying he did not de-ice the aircraft's wings, despite eyewitness statements indicating de-icing was not required. On Christmas Day 1960 he was dismissed by BEA and spent the next decade trying to clear his name. He never flew for an airline again.[5]
It was later learned that slush on the runway had made it impossible for the Ambassador to gain flying speed.[6] Thain was cleared in 1969.[7] Despite this finding, German authorities continued to blame Thain.[8][9]
Retiring to his poultry farm in southern England, Thain died after suffering a heart attack on 6 August 1975, at the age of 54, in Berkshire.[5]
Notes
edit- ^ "London Gazette".
- ^ London Gazette.
- ^ "London Gazette".
- ^ "London Gazette".
- ^ a b death notice in Flight International. 14 August 1975, p. 210. Retrieved 4 July 2015.
- ^ Stewart, Stanley. Air Disasters (Guild Publishing, 1987), p. 86.
- ^ DRAPER, FRANK (10 June 1969). "Munich crash pilot cleared". Evening Standard. London. p. 21. Retrieved 5 March 2023.
- ^ Leroux, Marcus (30 January 2008). "Captain James Thain cleared of blame after the thawing of hostilities". The Times. London: Times Newspapers. Retrieved 11 January 2009.[dead link]
- ^ "Mayday: Season 11". Archived from the original on 19 February 2012. Retrieved 12 July 2015.
Sources
edit- Stewart, Stanley (1987). Air Disasters. London: Guild Publishing. ISBN 0-09-956200-6.