Date & Time: Mar 10, 1921 at 1100 LT
Operator:
Registration:
F8423
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Test
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Martlesham Heath - Martlesham Heath
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
1
Crew fatalities:
1
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
0
Other fatalities:
0
Total fatalities:
1
Circumstances:
The pilot, sole on board, departed RAF Martlesham Heath on a local test flight. En route, while flying at a relative low altitude, the aircraft stalled and entered an uncontrolled descent before crashing in an open field located in Hasketon, Suffolk. The pilot F/o Harold William Gardner was killed.
Probable cause:
The aeroplane stalled after coming out of a left handed spin: there not being sufficient height for the Pilot to get control again. There is no evidence to show why the aeroplane got into a spin. The purpose of the flight was to practice on this type of machine which was new to the pilot.