Short S.23 Empire Flying Boat | Bureau of Aircraft Accidents Archives

The seaplane named 'Cavalier' departed Port Washington Seaplane Base in Long Island at 1038LT on a transatlantic flight to Southampton with an intermediate stop in Hamilton, Bermuda. About two hours later, the crew encountered poor weather conditions and decided to modify his route to avoid a cumulonimbus area. Doing so, the aircraft lost height and while cruising in poor weather with low temperature, the pilot decided to return to his initial route when both inner engines stopped while both outboard engines lost power. In such situation, the captain decided to ditch the aircraft some 285 miles southeast of Port Washington. The radio operator was able to report his position and the aircraft sank about 15 minutes after ditching. The tanker named 'Esso Baytown' arrived on scene aroung midnight and his crew was able to evacuated 10 injured people while three others were killed, among them one crew member.
Crew:
M. R. Alderson, pilot,
Neil Richardson, copilot.

Probable cause:

The fact of the descent was entirely due to complete loss of power in the case of the two inner engines and partial loss of power in the outboard engines owing to carburetor icing trouble. The sea conditions were such that a safe landing was impossible and, as a result of damage to the hull, the machine sank in about fifteen minutes after breaking in half.

Crash of a Short S.23 Empire Flying Boat near Habbaniya Lake: 4 killed

Date & Time: Nov 27, 1938

Type of aircraft:

Short S.23 Empire Flying Boat

Operator:

Registration:

G-AETW

Flight Phase:

Flight

Flight Type:

Positioning

Survivors:

Site:

Plain, Valley

Schedule:

Southampton – Sydney

MSN:

S.839

YOM:

1937

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Circumstances:

En route from Southampton to Sydney and while flying over Iraq at night, the crew encountered poor weather conditions with a sandstorm. Apparently in an attempt to maintain a visual contact with the ground, the crew reduced his altitude when the float plane named 'Calpurnia' hit the ground at full power and crashed. All four crew members were killed.

Crash of a Short S.23 Empire Flying Boat off Brindisi: 2 killed

Date & Time: Dec 5, 1937

Type of aircraft:

Short S.23 Empire Flying Boat

Operator:

Registration:

G-ADUZ

Flight Phase:

Takeoff (climb)

Flight Type:

Scheduled Revenue Flight

Survivors:

Yes

Site:

Lake, Sea, Ocean, River

MSN:

S.817

YOM:

1937

Location:

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Shortly after takeoff from the harbor of Brindisi, the seaplane named 'Cygnus' stalled and crashed into the sea. Six people were injured while two other (a crew member and a passenger) were killed.

Probable cause:

Wrong takeoff configuration on part of the flying crew who wrongly set up the flaps for takeoff, causing the aircraft to stall.

Crash of a Short S.23 Empire Flying Boat off Athens: 3 killed

Date & Time: Oct 1, 1937

Type of aircraft:

Short S.23 Empire Flying Boat

Operator:

Registration:

G-ADVC

Flight Phase:

Landing (descent or approach)

Flight Type:

Scheduled Revenue Flight

Survivors:

Yes

Site:

Lake, Sea, Ocean, River

Schedule:

Alexandria – Athens

MSN:

S.820

YOM:

1937

Location:

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Circumstances:

The approach to the harbor of Phaleron in Athens was initiated in excellent weather conditions with sun, no wind and a calm sea. The float plane named 'Courtier' landed hard, broke off and sank. Three passengers drowned and 11 other occupants were rescued.

Probable cause:

It is believed that the the pilot-in-command may have suffered an optical illusion while trying to land on a mirror like sea.

Crash of a Short S.23 Empire Flying Boat in Ouroux: 5 killed

Date & Time: Mar 24, 1937 at 1411 LT

Type of aircraft:

Short S.23 Empire Flying Boat

Operator:

Registration:

G-ADVA

Flight Phase:

Flight

Flight Type:

Scheduled Revenue Flight

Survivors:

Yes

Site:

Mountains

Schedule:

Southampton – Brindisi – Mirabella – Alexandria – Durban

MSN:

S.818

YOM:

1936

Location:

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Region:

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Aircraft flight hours:

Circumstances:

The float plane departed Southampton at 1150LT on a flight to Durban with intermediate stops in Brindisi, Mirabella and Alexandria. On board were one passenger, five crew members and a load of mail, four boxes with 160 kg of gold, one box of gemstone et tree bags of bank notes from the National British and Egyptian Banks. While overflying the Morvan Mountain Range, the radio navigator contacted ground control in Lyon-Bron to obtain a position briefing. While flying in snow falls, the four engine aircraft named 'Capricornus' deviated from the flight plan then impacted two pine trees and crashed near Ouroux, some 20 km southwest of Mâcon. The radio navigator survived and walked few km to find help. When he returned to the aircraft, he found that all five other occupants were killed.
Crew:
A. Paterson, pilot,
G. E. Klein, copilot,
Denis R. O'Brien, flight clerk,
James L. Cooper, radio navigator,
F. A. E. Jeffcoate, steward.
Passenger:
Beatrix 'Betty' Mercy Coats.

Probable cause:

Controlled flight into terrain following a navigational error due to zero visibility in snow falls. The crew thought he was overflying the Saône Valley when the accident occurred.