Crash of a De Havilland DH.18 in Airgueil

Date & Time: May 13, 1921
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
G-EAUF
Flight Phase:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Paris – Croydon
MSN:
3
YOM:
1920
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
2
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
8
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
The pilot was attempting to make a forced landing and the aircraft ended up on its back, completely wrecked near the edge of a large field 1,5 km north of Argueil. Marks on the ground and the nature of the country indicate that the pilot stalled the machine in attempting to land across a sunken road with insufficient flying speed. The pilot stated that his left wing dropped and he could not get it up again. From marks on the ground, the wing had apparently not touched the ground until the undercarriage collapsed, after which the machine turned over onto its back. The pilot was Captain H. W. Chataway.