De Havilland BC DHBC-2 Heron

The De Havilland BC DHBC-2 Heron is a piston-engined passenger airliner for fourteen passengers built by De Havilland British Columbia between 1951 and 1964 based on the DH.114 Heron type of DHBC's parent company, De Havilland Aircraft of the United Kingdom.

Design & development
The British Columbian-built Herons differed from the British versions primarily with regards to the engines. The first BC variant was the DHBC-2A Heron 3 powered by Hoffar Aero Engines' HB-8 Bombus 8M-2 inverted V-8 engine producing 255 hp, which - like all the British variants - resulted in what one industry writer referred to as a "leisurely" performance.

Shortly after taking delivery of the first batch of Heron 3s, Inter-Dominion Air Lines asked DHBC about the possibility of an improved variant with stronger engines and better speed; Hoffar proposed the supercharged HIV-8A-2 Hawk, an air cooled inverted V-8 like the Bombus, but much more powerful at 375 hp. The third Heron 3 (c/n C271/1951) was returned to DH and fitted with the Hawk. The result was a vast improvement in performance over the Heron 3 as well as the Gipsy Queen-powered British versions, giving increases in service ceiling as well as cruise speed - nearly 20 knots faster.

The success of the DHBC-2B Heron 3B experiment caused a number of airlines such as Foshing Airlines of Republican China and Central African Airways of Rhodesia & Nyasaland to change their order to the new variant. Consequently, only eleven Heron 3s were built, but the Heron 3B proved to be DHBC's first great commercial success, with 274 built - over a hundred more than of all British variants combined.

Operational history
See also: DHBC-2 Heron operators

Operators
Operators who took delivery of aircraft new from the factory are marked with a star (★).

Current

 * Indonesia
 * Sabang Merauke Raya Air Charter: 2


 * United States
 * ★ California Aerial Survey Co.: 2
 * Private owner: 1

Former

 * Argentina
 * ★ LADE – Líneas Aéreas del Estado: 7


 * Australia
 * Aeropelican Air Service: 3
 * Ansett Australia: 3
 * ★ Queensland Airlines: 3


 * Bolivia
 * ★ Lloyd Aéreo Boliviano: 3


 * British Columbia
 * ★ Air BC: 15
 * ★ Awyr Cymru Newydd: 7
 * ★ BC Government Air Service: 2
 * ★ BC Hydro & Power Authority: 2
 * ★ De Havilland BC: 1
 * ★ Hawkair: 6
 * ★ Inter-Dominion Air Lines: 8
 * ★ Island International Airways: 3
 * ★ Kootenay Airways: 10
 * Northern Air: 15
 * Northern Thunderbird Air: 23
 * ★ Pacific Coastal Airlines: 4
 * ★ Pacific Western Airlines: 22
 * ★ Royal Mail of BC: 2
 * ★ Skeena Air Transport: 2
 * ★ Supermarine BC: 1
 * ★ Thunderbird Airways: 8
 * ★ Upper Fraser Airways: 15


 * Burkina Faso
 * Air Burkina: 5


 * Canada
 * Air 500: 1
 * Air Sask: 1
 * Alberta Government Air Service: 2
 * Inter-Canadien: 12
 * ★ Quebecair: 12
 * ★ Trans-Canada Air Lines: 2
 * ★ Trans-Gaspesian Air Lines/Air Gaspé: 2
 * Transwest Air: 1
 * ★ Wardair Canada: 6


 * Ceylon
 * ★ Air Ceylon: 5


 * Republic of China
 * ★ Foshing Airlines: 5


 * Denmark
 * Cimber Air: 2


 * El Salvador
 * ★ TACA: 8


 * Ethiopia
 * ★ Ethiopian Airlines: 5


 * Fiji
 * ★ Fiji Airways: 7


 * Ghana
 * ★ Ghana Airways: 4


 * Gold Coast
 * ★ Gold Coast Airways: 2


 * Indonesia
 * Merpati Nusantara Airlines: 2


 * Iran
 * Iran Air: 5
 * ★ Iranian Airways: 4
 * ★ Persian Air Services: 1


 * Israel
 * ★ Arkia Israeli Airlines: 6


 * Japan
 * All Nippon Airways: 4
 * ★ Fujita Airlines: 5
 * JDA Japan Domestic Airlines: 4
 * TDA Toa Domestic Airlines: 4


 * Malaya
 * ★ Borneo Airways: 5


 * Malaysia
 * Malaysian Airlines: 5


 * '''Namibia:
 * Eros Air: 3


 * Nicaragua
 * Aeronica: 4
 * Fuerza Aérea Nicaragüense and predecessors: 2
 * ★ LANICA: 4


 * Nigeria
 * ★ Pan African Airlines: 1


 * Norway
 * ★ Braathens S.A.F.E.: 5


 * Panama
 * INAIR Panamá: 4


 * Peru
 * ★ APSA Peruvian Airlines: 5
 * TANS Perú: 5


 * Philippines
 * Air Mindanao: 2
 * ★ Philippine Airlines: 7


 * Portugal
 * ★ SATA Air Açores: 4


 * Puerto Rico
 * ★ Caribair Puerto Rico: 4


 * Rhodesia
 * Air Rhodesia: 9


 * Rhodesia & Nyasaland
 * ★ Central African Airways: 10


 * Rhodesia-Zimbabwe
 * Air RZ: 9


 * Sierra Leone
 * ★ Sierra Leone Airways: 5


 * Sri Lanka
 * Air Lanka: 5


 * South Africa
 * ★ Trek Airways: 3


 * South Vietnam
 * ★ Air Vietnam: 5


 * '''South West Africa:
 * Eros Air: 3
 * ★ South West Air Transport - Suidwes Lugdiens: 4
 * Swawek Aviation: 1


 * Timor Leste
 * TAT Transportes Aéreos de Timor: 3


 * United States
 * Air New England: 4
 * Allegheny Airlines: 6
 * ★ Aspen Airways: 3
 * Business Express: 1
 * ★ Cape & Islands Airlines: 4
 * ★ Capital Airlines: 7
 * Eastern Airlines: 4
 * ★ Frontier Airlines: 12
 * Golden West Airlines: 9
 * Great Lakes Airlines: 2
 * ★ HATS Hawaiian Air Tour Service: 3
 * ★ Henson Airlines: 6
 * ★ Lake Central Airways: 6
 * ★ Los Angeles Airways: 9
 * Mall Airways: 1
 * Metro Airlines: 4
 * Mississippi Valley Airlines: 1
 * Pacific Airmotive Corp.: 1
 * Piedmont Airlines: 4
 * Royal Hawaiian Airlines: 3
 * United Airlines: 7
 * USAir: 2
 * Wright Airlines: 4


 * Upper Volta
 * Air Volta: 5


 * Vietnam
 * Vietnam Airlines: 5


 * West Germany
 * ★ Bayerischer Flugdienst: 6
 * DLT: 6


 * West Indies
 * ★ BWIA West Indies Airways (British West Indies Airways, Trinidad & Tobago): 4
 * ★ LIAT (Leeward Islands): 6

Accidents & incidents

 * 11 December 1957 Philippine Airlines Heron 3B RP-C55 (c/n C325/1954), operating a scheduled flight from Ozamiz City to Pagadian, crashed during take-off due to a loss of control. Passing 75 feet after take-off, the aircraft suddenly banked left and lost altitude, catching fire after hitting some trees. It was determined that the weight of the passengers' hand luggage was not included in the weight calculations. Even with that weight included, the gross weight was still within the aircraft's MTOW; however, the passengers were mostly seated at the rear, the weight was distributed unevenly. This, as well as gusty winds and a high ambient temperature together with a too-steep climb on take-off contributed to the irrecoverable low-altitude stall. Of the ten passengers and two pilots, the pilot and one passenger were killed.


 * 28 July 1959 Central African Airways Heron 3 VP-WFJ (c/n C311/1953), operating a non-scheduled passenger flight from Bulawayo, Rhodesia & Nyasaland to Salisbury, was written off after a belly landing. The green light indicating 'gear down and locked' did not illuminate for the right side main gear on approach to Salisbury. The emergency gear extension system failed to work, so a belly landing was attempted on the grass parallel to the runway. The main gear strut collapsed, and the aircraft swung right before coming to a stop. There were no fatalities amongst the 36 passengers and 3 crew aboard.


 * 23 August 1959 LIAT Heron 3B VW-LIK (c/n C433/1956), making a ferry flight from Antigua, West Indies to St Kitts, overran the runway on landing and was damaged beyond repair. Neither of the crewmembers aboard were seriously injured.


 * 27 July 1962 Philippine Airlines Heron 3B RP-C56 (c/n C372/1955) crashed during a training flight; both pilots were killed.


 * 17 August 1963 Fujita Airlines Heron 3B JA6155 (c/n C537/1958), operating a non-scheduled flight from Hachijo-Jima, Japan to Haneda Airport in Tokyo, crashed into a mountainside in heavy fog shortly after take-off from Hachijo-Jima. All 16 passengers and 3 crewmembers were killed.


 * 20 May 1964 Philippine Airlines Heron 3B RP-C52 (c/n C313/1953), operating as Flight PAL26 from Siocon, Philippines to Zamboanga, crashed in heavy weather near Sibuco Point. Despite near-zero visibility due to the heavy rain, the pilot continued to fly VFR into a heavy squall, and the aircraft went down over the rocky shoreline. All eleven passengers and two crew were killed.


 * 26 January 1971 TAT Transportes Aéreos de Timor Heron 3B CR-TAI (c/n C322/1953), operating a non-scheduled passenger flight from Darwin, Australia to Bacau, Timor Leste, crashed into the sea northwest of Bathurst Island. The aircraft departed Darwin at 11:33 for a 1 hour 20 minute flight to Bacau. At 12:10, a radio exchange was made with another TAT Heron (CR-TAG) flying in the opposite direction; this was the last contact anyone had with the aircraft before its disappearance. Investigators concluded that the primary cause was probably poor visibility and poor flying conditions for which the pilot was not sufficiently qualified. There were no survivors amongst the seven passengers and two crewmembers aboard.


 * 23 May 1972 Air New England Heron 3B N472CI (c/n C473/1957), operating as Flight ANE212 from Providence, Rhode Island to Portland, Maine, crashed on take-off due to propeller failure. After passing V1 speed, just as the co-pilot, First Officer Richard J. Edmonds, called "rotate", one of the propeller blades on the number two engine (port inboard) broke off and was driven into number one engine, destroying it. The aircraft lifted off a moment later, as the power from the two starboard engines was enough to rotate, but the imbalance caused it to lurch left, with the port wing dipping downwards and the starboard attempting to continue the climb. The aircraft climbed only about 50 feet before dropping back to the ground. Of the eleven passengers and crew aboard, four, including Captain William Garcia and First Officer Edmonds, were killed; the other seven passengers suffered light to serious injuries, with three needing hospitalisation.


 * 23 May 1986 Northern Thunderbird Air Heron 3B VB-UFA (c/n C421/1956), operating as Flight TB 731 from Cassiar to Atlin, landed short of the runway, causing the right main gear to collapse. All passengers and crew escaped safely, but the aircraft was written off.


 * 23 September 1985 Piedmont Airlines Heron 3B N840HA (c/n C683/1962), operating as Flight PDT1517 from Baltimore, Maryland to Staunton, Virginia, crashed into a mountainside on approach to Staunton. Having been cleared for an ILS approach to Runway 04, the crew became uncertain of their position and struck the southwest face of Hall Mountain at 2,400 feet. The NTSB investigation concluded that the probable cause of the accident was navigational error as a result of using the incorrect navigational facility, and the use of non-standard (and non-FAA-approved) navigational radio systems. The fourteen passengers and two crew were all killed.


 * 21 May 1989 Hawkair Heron 3B VB-HWC (C620/1961), operating a charter flight for mine engineers from Wrangell, Alaska to Bronson Creek, suffered a fire in no. 2 engine whilst on final approach to Bronson Creek. The aircraft landed successfully and both pilots and the seven passengers evacuated safely, but the fire spread to the fuel tank after landing and the aircraft burnt out.