Crash of a Farman F.60 Goliath in Croydon

Date & Time: Jan 22, 1924
Type of aircraft:
Farman F.60 Goliath
Operator:
Registration:
F-GEAO
Flight Phase:
Landing (descent or approach)
Flight Type:
Scheduled Revenue Flight
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Airport (less than 10 km from airport)
Schedule:
Paris - Croydon
MSN:
10
YOM:
1920
Location:
Croydon
Surrey
Country:
United Kingdom
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
0
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
For unknown reasons, the aircraft landed hard at Croydon Airport. Upon impact, it nosed down before coming to rest, bursting into flames. While all occupants evacuated safely, the aircraft was destroyed by fire. Pilot was Paul Delisle.

Crash of a Farman F.60 Goliath in Littlestone-on-Sea

Date & Time: Dec 3, 1923
Type of aircraft:
Farman F.60 Goliath
Operator:
Registration:
F-AEIF
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Scheduled Revenue Flight
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Plain, Valley
Schedule:
Paris - Croydon
MSN:
32
YOM:
1923
Location:
Littlestone-on-Sea
Kent
Country:
United Kingdom
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
0
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
After overflying the Channel, the crew encountered technical problems and made a force landing in Littlestone-on-Sea, Kent. While all occupants evacuated safely, the aircraft was damaged beyond repair.
Probable cause:
Technical failure.

Crash of a Handley Page W.8 in Poix-de-Picardie

Date & Time: Nov 22, 1923
Type of aircraft:
Handley Page W.8
Operator:
Registration:
G-EAPJ
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Scheduled Revenue Flight
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Plain, Valley
Schedule:
Croydon - Paris
MSN:
W.8/1
YOM:
1919
Location:
Poix-de-Picardie
Somme
Country:
France
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
2
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
7
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
En route from Croydon to Paris, the crew encountered engine problems and elected to make an emergency landing in an open field. Upon landing, the aircraft rolled for few dozen metres then impacted a drainage ditch, coming to rest broken in two. All 9 occupants evacuated safely while the aircraft was damaged beyond repair.
Probable cause:
Engine failure in flight.

Crash of a Farman F.60 Goliath in Monsures: 6 killed

Date & Time: May 14, 1923 at 1342 LT
Type of aircraft:
Farman F.60 Goliath
Operator:
Registration:
F-AEBY
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Scheduled Revenue Flight
Survivors:
No
Site:
Plain, Valley
Schedule:
Paris - Croydon
MSN:
15
YOM:
1922
Location:
Monsures
Somme
Country:
France
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
2
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
4
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
6
Circumstances:
The aircraft departed Paris-Le Bourget Airport at 1235LT bound to the north. While cruising at a height of 3,000 feet, the entered an uncontrolled descent and crashed in an open field located in Monsures, Somme. The airplane was destroyed by impact forces and a post crash fire. All six occupants were killed.
Crew:
François Le Men, pilot +1.
Passenger:
Mr. Pierrot, Technical Director of Air Union,
Two US citizen,
One Finnish citizen.
Probable cause:
The cause of the accident was the structural failure of a wing. One of the aircraft's wings was found at a distance of 200 yards (180 m) from the location of the main wreckage. One pair of wheels from the undercarriage was found near the railway line from Amiens to Beauvais, several hundred yards from the main wreckage.

Crash of a Caudron C.61 in Souilly

Date & Time: May 4, 1923
Type of aircraft:
Caudron C.61
Operator:
Registration:
F-AFCP
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Scheduled Revenue Flight
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Plain, Valley
Schedule:
Paris – Strasbourg – Budapest – Bucharest
MSN:
5366.10
YOM:
1923
Location:
Souilly
Meuse
Country:
France
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
2
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
5
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
The aircraft departed Paris-Le Bourget on a regular schedule service to Bucharest with intermediate stops in Strasbourg and Budapest. En route, the crew encountered an unexpected situation and was forced to attempt an emergency landing. The aircraft crashed in an open field located in Souilly, about 15 km southwest of Verdun. All seven occupants evacuated safely while the aircraft was damaged beyond repair.

Crash of a Caudron C.74 in Aulnay-sous-Bois: 3 killed

Date & Time: Nov 14, 1922
Type of aircraft:
Caudron C.74
Operator:
Registration:
F-ESAB
Flight Phase:
Takeoff (climb)
Flight Type:
Demonstration
Survivors:
No
Site:
Airport (less than 10 km from airport)
Schedule:
Paris - Paris
MSN:
C74/1
YOM:
1922
Location:
Paris-Le Bourget
Seine-Saint-Denis
Country:
France
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
3
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
3
Circumstances:
The crew was taking part to the 'Grand-Prix des Avions de Transport'. Shortly after takeoff from Paris-Le Bourget Airport, at a height of 100 metres, the aircraft went out of control and crashed in a field in Aulnay-sous-Bois, east of the airport. All three occupants, two mechanic and one engineer, were killed. This aircraft, a four engines model recently built, was the only one example in service (first prototype).
Crew:
Alphonse-Flavien Poirée, pilot,
Émile Bobillier, mechanic,
M. Courcy, mechanic.
Probable cause:
A propeller blade detached in flight and cut the tail, causing the aircraft to be uncontrollable.

Crash of a Vickers 61 Vulcan in Oxted

Date & Time: Aug 15, 1922
Type of aircraft:
Vickers Vulcan
Operator:
Registration:
G-EBDH
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Scheduled Revenue Flight
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Plain, Valley
Schedule:
Croydon - Paris
MSN:
02
YOM:
1922
Location:
Oxted
Surrey
Country:
United Kingdom
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
0
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
Few minutes after takeoff from Croydon, the pilot encountered technical problems and decided to make an emergency landing in Oxted, near Caterham, Surrey. While all occupants were uninjured, the aircraft was damaged beyond repair. Exact date of the occurrence remains unknown. The accident occurred between 1st and 31st of August 1922.
Probable cause:
Technical failure.

Crash of a Blériot Spad 33 in Saverne: 5 killed

Date & Time: Jul 16, 1922 at 0355 LT
Type of aircraft:
Blériot Spad 33
Operator:
Registration:
F-FREI
Flight Phase:
Takeoff (climb)
Flight Type:
Scheduled Revenue Flight
Survivors:
No
Site:
Plain, Valley
Schedule:
Warsaw - Prague - Strasbourg - Paris
MSN:
25
YOM:
1921
Location:
Saverne
Bas-Rhin
Country:
France
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
1
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
4
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
5
Circumstances:
Shortly after takeoff from Strasbourg-Neuhof Airport, while climbing, the pilot encountered engine problems while flying in unfavorable winds. The aircraft banked left and crashed in a field located in Saverne, northwest of Strasbourg. All five occupants were killed, among them four British citizens who were flying back to Paris after taking part to a car racing (Grand Prix de France 1922) on the circuit of Strasbourg.
Crew:
Henri Louis, pilot.
Passengers:
John Robinson,
Joseph Donald,
Percy Jack Stevans,
Mr Johnson.
Probable cause:
Engine trouble in unfavorable winds.

Crash of a Blériot Spad 33 off Folkestone: 3 killed

Date & Time: Jun 3, 1922 at 1130 LT
Type of aircraft:
Blériot Spad 33
Operator:
Registration:
F-ACMH
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Scheduled Revenue Flight
Survivors:
No
Site:
Lake, Sea, Ocean, River
Schedule:
Croydon - Paris
MSN:
555
YOM:
1921
Location:
Folkestone
Kent
Country:
United Kingdom
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
1
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
2
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
3
Circumstances:
After passing over Lympne, the aircraft has just entered over the English Channel when, from a height of about 1,500 feet, it entered a dive and crashed in the sea off Folkestone. The aircraft was destroyed and all three occupants were killed.
Crew:
Paul Ernest Morin, pilot.
Passengers:
Paul Carroll,
Dr, Gordon Ley.

Crash of a Farman F.60 Goliath in Thieuloy-Saint-Antoine: 5 killed

Date & Time: Apr 7, 1922 at 1400 LT
Type of aircraft:
Farman F.60 Goliath
Operator:
Registration:
F-GEAD
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Scheduled Revenue Flight
Survivors:
No
Site:
Plain, Valley
Schedule:
Paris - Croydon
MSN:
23
YOM:
1920
Location:
Thieuloy-Saint-Antoine
Oise
Country:
France
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
2
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
3
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
5
Circumstances:
The aircraft was completing a regular schedule flight from Paris-Le Bourget to Croydon with three passengers and a crew of two on board. While cruising at a height of 500 feet in foggy conditions, the aircraft collided with a De Havilland DH.18A operated by Daimler Airway and registered G-EAWO. It appears that the DH.18 hit the upper left wing of the Farman which detached. Both aircraft crashed in an open field (a piece of wing crashed on the roof of a house) and were destroyed. While the British pilot was seriously injured, all other six occupants were killed. The only survivor died from his injuries few hours later. The collision occurred in Thieuloy-Saint-Antoine, some four km south of Grandvilliers and 27 km north of Beauvais, Oise. At the time of the accident, the visibility was reduced due to fog. First collision in commercial aviation history.
Crew:
Jean Mire, pilot
Mr. Simonet, mechanic
Passengers:
Mr Bouriez, engineer by CGEA,
Mr & Mrs Christopher Bruce Yule, American citizens who were on honeymoon and travelling back to the US via London.
Probable cause:
Both crews were apparently trying to maintain visual contact with the ground while flying under a low overcast, and must have simply failed to see each other in time to prevent the accident. It was also reported that G-EAWO had been slightly to the left of the proper course, maybe due to the inexperience of the pilot on this line. Priority rules should be the same in aviation as on the road but in the present case, experts confirmed these rules were not the same in UK and France. So new priority rules will come into force following this tragic event.
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