Croydon

Flight Type:

Scheduled Revenue Flight

Survivors:

Site:

Plain, Valley

Schedule:

Croydon – Whitchurch

MSN:

6805

YOM:

1939

Location:

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Circumstances:

The aircraft was performing a regular schedule flight to the RAF Whitchurch, south of Bristol. While on approach, the crew encountered engine problems and attempted to make an emergency landing in a field located in Pucklechurch, northeast of the airport. Just prior to touchdown, the four engine aircraft impacted a house and crashed in a field. All 12 occupants were uninjured while the aircraft named 'Fingal' was damaged beyond repair.

Probable cause:

All four engines failed on approach after a fuel line ruptured.

Crash of a Bristol 142 Blenheim IF at RAF Harwell: 1 killed

Date & Time: Nov 14, 1939 at 1130 LT

Type of aircraft:

Bristol 142 Blenheim

Operator:

Registration:

L1286

Flight Phase:

Takeoff (climb)

Flight Type:

Military

Survivors:

Site:

Schedule:

Harwell – Croydon

MSN:

8569

YOM:

1938

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After takeoff from RAF Harwell, the pilot entered clouds when he lost control of the airplane that dove into the ground and crashed in Folly Farm. The pilot, sole on board, was killed.
Crew:
P/O William Ronald Ross, pilot.

Crash of a Bristol 142 Blenheim IF in Croydon: 2 killed

Date & Time: Oct 18, 1939

Type of aircraft:

Bristol 142 Blenheim

Operator:

Registration:

L6689

Flight Phase:

Flight Type:

Military

Survivors:

Site:

Lockheed 14 Super Electra

Schedule:

North Weald – Croydon

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While on a night approach to Croydon, the crew encountered poor visibility when the airplane crashed. Both crewmen were killed.
Crew:
F/O Edward Neville Prescott,
LAC Albert Roberts.

Crash of a Lockheed 14-WF62 Super Electra in Saint-Sauveur

Date & Time: Aug 11, 1939

Type of aircraft:

Operator:

Registration:

G-AFGN

Flight Phase:

Flight

Flight Type:

Scheduled Revenue Flight

Survivors:

Edward Gordon Houston Forsyth

Site:

Plain, Valley

Schedule:

Croydon – Basel – Zurich

MSN:

1467

YOM:

1938

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Circumstances:

En route from Croydon to Basel, while cruising at an altitude of 10,000 feet over France, the crew encountered technical problems on both engines and reduced his altitude. Few minutes later, one engine fired and the captain attempted to make an emergency landing at Luxeuil-les-Bains AFB. On final, the crew lowered the gear and landed in a wheat field located in Saint-Sauveur, northeast of the airbase. Upon touchdown, the aircraft lost its undercarriage and slid for few dozen metres before coming to rest, bursting into flames. All 12 occupants evacuated safely and the airplane was destroyed by fire.

Probable cause:

Engine failure and fire.

Crash of a Percival P.10 Vega Gull off Le Touquet

Date & Time: Jun 26, 1939

Type of aircraft:

Percival P.10 Vega Gull

Operator:

Registration:

G-AELE

Flight Phase:

Flight Type:

Private

Survivors:

Site:

Lake, Sea, Ocean, River

Schedule:

Croydon – Le Touquet

MSN:

K.26

YOM:

1936

Location:

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Circumstances:

On approach to Le Touquet Airport, the airplane went out of control and crashed into the Bay of Canche. The aircraft was lost and the pilot was injured.

Crash of a Junkers JU.52/3mge in Brussels: 3 killed

Date & Time: Mar 14, 1939 at 0557 LT

Type of aircraft:

Junkers JU.52

Operator:

Registration:

OO-AUA

Flight Phase:

Flight Type:

Cargo

Survivors:

Site:

De Havilland DH.84 Dragon

Schedule:

Croydon - Brussels

MSN:

5815

YOM:

1937

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Circumstances:

On final approach to Brussels-Haren Airport at night and in marginal weather conditions, at a height of about 50-60 metres, the three engine airplane lost altitude and descended to 10-20 metres when the pilot-in-command initiated a go around procedure. The aircraft stalled and crashed in a field located in Sint-Stevens-Woluwe, bursting into flames. The aircraft was destroyed by impact forces and a post crash fire and all three crew members were killed.

Probable cause:

The accident appeared to be attributable to an error of the pilot who made a go around when the aircraft was in the final landing phase, flaps out, and was already losing speed. The pilot's error was caused by an initial error of judgement, as he felt that he could land without facing the wind when he had taken a large margin of safety at high altitude, a margin required by the poor weather conditions and the lack of clearance from the aerodrome boundary in the direction of landing. The pilot did not appear to be concerned about the required landing direction indicated to him by the 'T' and the landing light location. His decision seems to have been dictated by the fear of missing the ground that he had had a hard enough time finding after a trip that was probably painful. In any event, the terminal services do not appear to be questionable as to the origin and consequences of the accident.

Crash of a De Havilland DH.84 Dragon I in Croydon: 1 killed

Date & Time: Apr 25, 1938 at 2130 LT

Type of aircraft:

Operator:

Registration:

G-ACHX

Flight Phase:

Flight Type:

Training

Survivors:

Site:

De Havilland DH.84 Dragon

Schedule:

Croydon - Croydon

MSN:

6036

YOM:

1933

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Circumstances:

The crew departed Croydon on a local night training flight. Two hours and a half later, while on approach, the right engine failed. The airplane lost height, impacted trees and crashed less than a mile from the airport, in Purley. Both occupants were injured and the pilot died five days later from injuries sustained.
Crew:
F/O Colin Calder Byar, pilot, †
Ernest Ratcliffe, wireless operator.

Probable cause:

An examination of the wreckage disclosed the fact that both petrol taps had been turned off, but that there had been ample fuel aboard at the time of the accident. The taps on the D.H. Dragon cannot be turned off by accident, nor can they be reached quickly, and the machine had been flying for two-and-a-half hours.

Crash of a De Havilland DH.84 Dragon 2 in Croydon

Date & Time: Feb 26, 1938 at 1330 LT

Type of aircraft:

Operator:

Air Travel & Survey

Registration:

VH-UZX

Flight Phase:

Flight Type:

Test

Survivors:

Site:

General Aircraft ST-4 Monospar

Schedule:

Croydon - Croydon

MSN:

6084

YOM:

1934

Location:

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Region:

Crew on board:

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Pax on board:

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Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

The crew was completing a last local test flight, proceeding with some controls before the aircraft would be delivered to Australia. On final approach to Croydon Airport, the twin engine aircraft was too low and collided with a power line. It crash landed in a field, impacted a fence and came to rest against an embankment bordering a railroad track located 800 yards short of runway, at Beddington. All three crew members were injured and the aircraft was destroyed.
Crew:
Philip Bailey, pilot,
Thomas Valette,
John Furnival.

Probable cause:

Too low approach.

Crash of a General Aircraft ST-4 Monospar II in Croydon

Date & Time: Dec 13, 1937

Type of aircraft:

Operator:

Charles Henry Tutt

Registration:

G-ACEW

Flight Phase:

Flight Type:

Cargo

Survivors:

Site: