On 2 February 1953, an Avro York four-engined piston airliner registered G-AHFA of Skyways disappeared over the North Atlantic on a flight from the United Kingdom to Jamaica.^[1] The aircraft had 39 occupants including 13 children.^[2]

The Avro York was a military trooping flight for the British Air Ministry from Stansted Airport in the United Kingdom to Jamaica with six crew and 33 passengers, including soldiers with their families.^[1][3] The aircraft had stopped at Lajes Field in the Azores and departed at 23:25 on 1 February 1953 for Gander Airport in Newfoundland.^[1] The aircraft transmitted Positional Operational Meteorological Reports at approximately one-hour intervals from 00:10 to 04:25 on 2 February.^[1] At 04:10 the aircraft position was given as 44°32'N 41°38'W.^[1] At 05:31 Gander heard an Urgency signal from the aircraft giving a position a minute before the message as 46°15'N 46°31'W.^[1] The urgency signal was followed by a distress message SOS, SOS, SOS DE G-A the message stopped abruptly and no further communications from the aircraft were heard.^[1]

An extensive air and sea search failed to find any trace of the aircraft or the 39 occupants.^[1][2] The following day (3 February) United States Coast Guard cutter Campbell reported several large oil patches and dye markers about 120 miles south-west of the last reported position of the aircraft; the Campbell reported that the search area had snow squalls.^[4]

The Avro York (registration: G-AHFA^[5]) had been built in 1946 and had completed 6,418 hours total flying time.^[6] It had a valid certificate of airworthiness issued three days before the disappearance and had been completely overhauled in November 1952.^[6] The aircraft was owned by the Lancashire Aircraft Corporation and operated by Skyways.^[3]

The aircraft was first registered to the Ministry of Supply and Aircraft Production on 20 March 1946.^[7] It was registered to British South American Airways (BSAA) on 20 August 1946 and operated with the name "Star Dale".^[7][8] It was sold to British Overseas Airways Corporation (BOAC) on 3 September 1949.^[7] BOAC sold the aircraft in 1951 and it was registered to the Lancashire Aircraft Corporation on 11 December 1951.^[7]

A public inquiry was opened in London at Holborn Town Hall on 2 July 1953 to consider possible causes of the loss of the York.^[6] The Solicitor General representing The Crown absolved the crew from blame; he also ruled out sabotage or contaminated fuel.^[6] On the second day the Chief Investigation Officer of the Accidents Investigation Branch (AIB) gave an opinion that it may have been an uncontrollable fire in one of the aircraft's engines.^[9]

The report of the inquiry was issued on 3 December 1953 and stated that the cause was unascertainable.^[3] The court found the loss was not contributed by any wrongful act or default of any person or party.^[3] It was concluded that the urgency signal was transmitted at a normal speed and possibly not an indication that urgent assistance was required, quickly followed by a hasty distress signal indicated that whatever the trouble it developed in a sudden and violent manner.^[3]