Zone

Crash of an Avro 652 Anson C.19 in Titsey Hill: 2 killed

Date & Time: Aug 14, 1957
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
TX222
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Croydon - Croydon
Region:
Crew on board:
4
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
2
Circumstances:
Few minutes after takeoff from Croydon, while on a local training flight, the crew encountered poor weather conditions. Apparently, the pilot reduced his altitude in an attempt to establish a visual contact with the ground when the airplane clip trees and crashed in a wooded area located in Titsey Hill, about 7 miles southeast of Croydon Airport. Two crew members were rescued while two others were killed, among them S/Ldr Archibald Reginald Gerald Jackson.

Crash of a De Havilland DH.89A Dragon Rapide in Wallington: 1 killed

Date & Time: Sep 14, 1952
Operator:
Registration:
G-AIZI
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Site:
MSN:
6861
YOM:
1946
Location:
Region:
Crew on board:
1
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
1
Circumstances:
Shortly after takeoff from Croydon Airport, while in initial climb, the right engine failed. The pilot lost control of the airplane that stalled and crashed in flames against the wall of a church located in the center of the city of Wallington. The aircraft was destroyed by impact forces and a post crash fire and the sole occupant was killed. The aircraft was piloted and owned by Rodney Reuben Carne.
Probable cause:
Engine failure.

Crash of an Airspeed AS.65 Consul off Brighton: 6 killed

Date & Time: Jun 14, 1952 at 0949 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
G-AHFT
Flight Phase:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Croydon – Le Mans
MSN:
2593
YOM:
1946
Region:
Crew on board:
1
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
7
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
6
Circumstances:
The aircraft was performing a charter flight from Croydon to Le Mans with seven passengers and the pilot. The flight was without incident until shortly after crossing the English coast in the vicinity of Brighton at about 0855. The starboard engine gave one or two bangs which the pilot thought might be due to carburetor icing. The engine quickly recovered, however, and the flight proceeded. At about 0915 the starboard engine again began to cough. This time it did not recover. The aircraft was then twenty-two nautical miles from the nearest aerodrome, namely Le Havre on the French coast while the nearest English aerodrome was Shoreham, fifty-seven nautical miles in the opposite direction. The pilot elected to turn back to the English coast and make a 180 degrees turn to port. The aircraft continuously lost height and finally ditched twelve miles south of Brighton at 0949LT. There were only two passenger survivors who were picked up two hours later.
Probable cause:
The probable cause of this accident was primarily the failure of the starboard engine, and, thereafter the disaster must be attributed to errors on the part of the pilot.
Final Report:

Crash of an Airspeed AS.65 Consul in Crow Stone Edge: 3 killed

Date & Time: Apr 12, 1951
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
TF-RPM
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Site:
Schedule:
Croydon – Liverpool – Prestwick – Reykjavik
MSN:
2647
YOM:
1946
Region:
Crew on board:
2
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
1
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
3
Circumstances:
The crew was performing a delivery flight from Croydon to Reykjavik with intermediate stops in Liverpool and Prestwick. While approaching Liverpool from the east, the pilot encountered poor weather conditions and lost his orientation. While flying in poor visibility, the twin engine aircraft hit the slope of a mountain located in Crow Stone Edge, southwest of Sheffield, in the Peak District National Park. The aircraft disintegrated on impact and all three occupants were killed.
Crew:
Pall Magnusson, pilot,
Alexander Watson, wireless operator.
Passenger:
Johann Rist.

Crash of an Avro 652 Anson I in Jersey

Date & Time: Feb 5, 1951
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
G-AIXZ
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Croydon – Jersey
MSN:
EG646
YOM:
1946
Region:
Crew on board:
2
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
The crew was performing a cargo flight from Croydon to Jersey with a load of newspapers. On final approach, the twin engine aircraft was too low and hit the ground few dozen yards short of runway. On impact, the undercarriage were sheared off, the airplane slid for several yards and hit a stone wall before coming to rest. Both pilots were unhurt while the aircraft was damaged beyond repair.

Crash of an Avro 652 Anson I in Le Touquet

Date & Time: Dec 11, 1950
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
VH-BDX
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Le Touquet – Croydon
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
2
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
Crashed on takeoff at Le Touquet Airport for unknown reason. Both occupants were uninjured while the aircraft was damaged beyond repair. The aircraft was already damaged in a wheels-up landing near Cranbrook, Kent, after an engine failure over the English Channel on February 6, 1950. It suffered a second accident on November 18, 1950 near Boulogne, France.

Crash of an Airspeed AS.65 Consul off Guernsey: 4 killed

Date & Time: May 8, 1950
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
G-AHJX
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Croydon – Saint Peter
MSN:
541
YOM:
1946
Region:
Crew on board:
1
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
3
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
4
Circumstances:
On final approach to Saint Peter-La Villiaze Airport, the twin engine aircraft went out of control and crashed into The Channel. All four occupants were killed.

Crash of an Airspeed AS.65 Consul in Normanton

Date & Time: Nov 1, 1949
Type of aircraft:
Registration:
G-AIIS
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Croydon – Yeadon
MSN:
4398
YOM:
1946
Region:
Crew on board:
1
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
2
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
The pilot started the descent to Yeadon Aerodrome when he was forced to make an emergency landing in a field located in Normanton, southeast of Leeds. The aircraft came to rest and was damaged beyond repair while all three occupants escaped uninjured.

Crash of an Avro 652A Anson I in Croydon

Date & Time: Mar 8, 1949
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
G-ALFJ
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Location:
Region:
Crew on board:
1
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
Shortly after takeoff from Croydon Airport, while in initial climb, the aircraft suffered an engine failure, stalled and crashed onto a hangar. The pilot was rescued and unhurt and luckily, no one was injured in the hangar. The aircraft was damaged beyond repair.
Probable cause:
Engine failure.

Crash of a Beechcraft C-45 Expeditor off Dieppe: 8 killed

Date & Time: Nov 8, 1948 at 1739 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
F-BGAF
Flight Phase:
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Paris – Croydon
MSN:
6336
YOM:
1944
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
2
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
6
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
8
Captain / Total flying hours:
3000
Circumstances:
Due to a strike by Air France, all flights from Paris to London were cancelled and the Ice Hockey National Team of Czechoslovakia was grounded in Paris. As the team should fly to London to take part to a tournament, it was decided that few players rent a plane by Mercure Taxis Aériens. The founder and Chief Pilot of this company disagreed to do the flight due to poor weather conditions above The Channel but was finally convinced to fly to London. The twin engine aircraft left Paris-Le Bourget at 1638 bound for Croydon. About an hour later, while flying over The Channel, the crew encountered poor weather conditions (mist) and maybe, the pilot elected to return to Paris or to divert to Cherbourg when the aircraft went out of control and crashed into the sea off Dieppe. As the aircraft failed to arrive in Croydon, SAR operations were conducted but eventually suspended few days later as no trace of the aircraft nor the eight occupants was found. A year later, human remains were found on a beach and analysis suggest that they belonged to the pilot.
Crew:
René de Narbonne, pilot 1.
Passengers:
Ladislav Trojak,
Karel Stibor,
Zdenek Svarc,
Vilibald Sorrel,
Miloslav Pokorny,
Zdeněk Jarkovský.