Crash of a Blériot 155 in Romney Marsh: 3 killed

Date & Time: Aug 18, 1926 at 1430 LT
Type of aircraft:
Blériot 155
Operator:
Registration:
F-AIEB
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Scheduled Revenue Flight
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Plain, Valley
Schedule:
Paris - Croydon
MSN:
02
YOM:
1926
Location:
Ashford
Kent
Country:
United Kingdom
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
2
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
13
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
3
Aircraft flight hours:
47
Circumstances:
The aircraft departed Paris-Le Bourget Airport at 1240LT bound for Croydon with a crew of two and 13 passengers on board. The crew made a radio control arriving over the Channel and its overflight was uneventful. While reaching the British coast, the crew encountered poor weather conditions with heavy rain falls. Due to poor visibility, the pilot decided to make a precautionary landing in Romney Marsh but his altitude was too low. The noise of all four engines suddenly ceased and the machine descended in a gliding turn to port as if the pilot was manoeuvring to land. When passing over some farm buildings on the borders of a large field, the four engines aircraft hit the roof of a barn and crashed into some hayricks. The pilot and two passengers were killed while 12 other occupants were injured, 10 seriously.
Crew:
Pierre Delisle, pilot, †
Gabriel Ducos, mechanic.
Passengers:
R. Blaney, †
H. Rizzi, †
Mr. R. McAdam,
Mr. S. Hazzard,
Miss S. Hazzard,
Miss H. Awes,
Miss E. Fearn,
Miss M. Varden,
Miss V. Varden,
Mr. L. Stroh,
Miss E. Bennett,
Lord Norreys,
Mrs. Grant.

Source: Kent & Sussex History Forum
Probable cause:
The wreckage of the aircraft showed evidence of both port wingtips being shattered by the collision with the tiled roof of the barn - it had carried away the top half of the hayrick and swung through 180° before coming to rest with the starboard wings crushed against another hayrick. The front of the fuselage was shattered and most of the starboard side of the passengers' cabin was broken outwards. No defects were found in the fuel system, mechanics or airframe, and the accident was put down to an error of judgement on the part of the pilot when manoeuvring to land owing to bad weather conditions.

Crash of a Polikarpov PM-1 in Dortmund

Date & Time: Jul 15, 1926
Type of aircraft:
Polikarpov PM-1
Operator:
Registration:
RR-USS
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Scheduled Revenue Flight
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Plain, Valley
Schedule:
Berlin - Paris
YOM:
1926
Location:
Dortmund
North Rhine-Westphalia
Country:
Germany
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
1
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
2
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
En route from Berlin to Paris, the pilot encountered engine problems and attempted an emergency landing. The aircraft crash landed in a field near Dortmund and came to rest. All three occupants evacuated safely and the aircraft was damaged beyond repair.
Probable cause:
Engine failure in flight caused by the failure of a connecting rod.

Crash of a Breguet 14T bis in The Channel: 1 killed

Date & Time: May 31, 1926
Type of aircraft:
Breguet 14
Operator:
Registration:
F-ADAI
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Postal (mail)
Survivors:
No
Site:
Lake, Sea, Ocean, River
Schedule:
Paris - Croydon
MSN:
1908
YOM:
1921
Location:
The Channel
World
Country:
World
Region:
World
Crew on board:
1
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
1
Circumstances:
While on a mail flight from Paris to Croydon, the aircraft disappeared in The Channel. SAR operations were initiated but no trace of the aircraft nor the pilot Xavier R. A. de Masin was found.

Crash of a Farman F.70 in Cateau-Cambrésis

Date & Time: Jan 20, 1926
Type of aircraft:
Farman F.70
Operator:
Registration:
F-AHCV
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Postal (mail)
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Plain, Valley
Schedule:
Brussels - Paris
MSN:
16
YOM:
1925
Location:
Le Cateau-Cambrésis
Nord
Country:
France
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
1
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
En route from Brussels to Paris on a mail flight, the pilot encountered an unexpected situation and was forced to make an emergency landing. The aircraft crash landed in an open field located in Le Cateau-Cambrésis, east of Cambrai. The aircraft was damaged beyond repair and the pilot escaped with minor injuries.

Crash of a Farman F.60 Goliath in Wadhurst: 1 killed

Date & Time: Oct 16, 1925 at 1600 LT
Type of aircraft:
Farman F.60 Goliath
Operator:
Registration:
F-HMFU
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Scheduled Revenue Flight
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Plain, Valley
Schedule:
Paris - Croydon
MSN:
03
YOM:
1919
Location:
Wadhurst
East Sussex
Country:
United Kingdom
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
2
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
7
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
1
Captain / Total hours on type:
313.00
Circumstances:
The airplane departed Paris-Le Bourget Airport at 1255LT on a flight to Croydon, carrying seven passengers and two crew members. After passing over The Channel, the crew passed Dymchurch when the weather conditions worsened with rain falls and storm activity. The pilot reduced his altitude to 500 feet then decided to follow a railway line, apparently to divert to Penshurst Aerodrome. Too low, the aircraft collided with an oak tree and crashed in an open field. A female passenger was killed while eight other occupants were injured. The aircraft named 'Île de France' was damaged beyond repair.
Crew:
Roger Paul Ernest Thierry, pilot,
Pierre Auclair, mechanic.
Passengers:
Mrs. Kate V. Burke,
Reverend D. Burke,
Mr. J. L. Burke,
Mrs. M. Redner,
+ three other passengers, an Italian, a French and a Briton.
Probable cause:
A verdict of 'Accidental death' was returned, the pilot being exonerated from blame.

Crash of a Farman F.60 Goliath in Soignies

Date & Time: Aug 1, 1925
Type of aircraft:
Farman F.60 Goliath
Operator:
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Scheduled Revenue Flight
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Plain, Valley
Schedule:
Paris - Brussels
Location:
Soignies
Hainaut
Country:
Belgium
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
2
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
8
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
En route from Paris to Brussels, the crew encountered an unexpected situation and was forced to attempt an emergency landing. The aircraft crash landed in an open field in Soignies and was damaged. All 10 occupants evacuated safely but the aircraft was damaged beyond repair after being attacked by a bull.

Crash of a Blériot Spad 66 in Basel

Date & Time: Jun 26, 1925
Type of aircraft:
Blériot Spad 66
Operator:
Registration:
F-FREM
Flight Phase:
Takeoff (climb)
Flight Type:
Scheduled Revenue Flight
Site:
City
Schedule:
Basel - Paris
MSN:
3153.29
YOM:
1921
Location:
Basel-Sternenfeld
Basel City
Country:
Switzerland
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
0
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
Shortly after takeoff from Basel-Sternenfeld Airport, the aircraft went out of control and crashed, bursting into flames. Occupant fate unknown.

Crash of a Fokker F3 in Landrecies: 4 killed

Date & Time: Jun 25, 1925 at 1130 LT
Type of aircraft:
Fokker F3
Operator:
Registration:
H-NABM
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Scheduled Revenue Flight
Survivors:
No
Site:
Plain, Valley
Schedule:
Amsterdam – Rotterdam – Brussels – Paris
MSN:
1502
YOM:
1920
Location:
Landrecies
Nord
Country:
France
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
1
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
3
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
4
Circumstances:
En route from Brussels to Paris-Le Bourget, the pilot encountered poor weather conditions with limited visibility due to fog. The aircraft was too low and the pilot was apparently attempting to gain height when the right wing impacted trees. The aircraft lost height and crashed in the forest of Mormal, north of Landrecies, bursting into flames. The aircraft was totally destroyed and all four occupants were killed.
Crew:
Hendrik Klunder, pilot.
Passengers:
L. P. A. van den Brandeler,
H. Groginsky,
J. T. J. Labouchère.
Probable cause:
According to the operator, the accident was caused by the failure of an aileron in flight.

Crash of an Avro 504K in Paris

Date & Time: Jun 9, 1925
Type of aircraft:
Avro 504
Operator:
George Hay
Registration:
G-EAMZ
Flight Phase:
Landing (descent or approach)
Flight Type:
Private
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Airport (less than 10 km from airport)
Schedule:
Brooklands – Paris
MSN:
E3724
YOM:
1919
Location:
Paris-Le Bourget
Seine-Saint-Denis
Country:
France
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
1
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
The single engine airplane crashed on landing at Paris-Le Bourget Airport. The pilot was injured and the aircraft was destroyed.

Crash of a De Havilland DH.34B in Croydon: 8 killed

Date & Time: Dec 24, 1924 at 1200 LT
Type of aircraft:
De Havilland DH.34
Operator:
Registration:
G-EBBX
Flight Phase:
Takeoff (climb)
Flight Type:
Scheduled Revenue Flight
Survivors:
No
Site:
Airport (less than 10 km from airport)
Schedule:
Croydon - Paris
MSN:
36
YOM:
1922
Location:
Croydon
Surrey
Country:
United Kingdom
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
1
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
7
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
8
Circumstances:
Shortly after takeoff from Croydon Airport, while climbing to a height of 300 feet, the aircraft suffered a technical problem, stalled and crashed in an open field located in Purley, some 2,4 km south of the airport, bursting into flames. SAR arrived quickly on the scene but it was impossible to rescue the eight occupants who were prisoner of the fire. The pilot and five passengers were British citizens, another was Brazilian and the last was a Chilean.
Probable cause:
The report into the inquiry was published on 10FEB1925. The inquiry concluded that the aircraft was airworthy at the time of departure. There was no blockage in the petrol pipe, such damage being as a result of the firefighting operations subsequent to the crash. The use of unarmored pipe had been allowed by Air Ministry officials who were unaware of an instruction issued on 6 December 1923 that armored piping was to be used. Such usage of non-armored piping had no relevance to the accident. The then-current conditions existing at Croydon Airport meant that pilots were unable to comply with certain parts of the Air Navigation (Consolidation) Order, 1923 and that the condition of the airfield was at least a contributory factor in the accident. It also found that clarification of the meaning of the word "flight" in parts of the order was needed. No negligence was found on the part of the Air Ministry or Imperial Airways. The pilot was cleared of blame for the accident. The aircraft was found to have crashed due to an unknown mechanical defect and subsequent stall whilst an emergency landing was being attempted. In conclusion, it was determined that G-EBBX had experienced some type of mechanical malfunction prior to the accident, but the nature of the problem could not be determined. The fact that Croydon had been listed as an ‘unsatisfactory’ airport, because of its wind conditions, could have been a contributing factor, according to the investigative report.
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