Date & Time:
Mar 26, 1936
Type of aircraft:
De Havilland DH.84 Dragon
Operator:
Registration:
G-ACAP
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Charter/Taxi (Non Scheduled Revenue Flight)
Survivors:
No
Site:
Plain, Valley
Schedule:
Croydon - Bournemouth
MSN:
6002
YOM:
1933
Country:
United Kingdom
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
2
Crew fatalities:
2
Pax on board:
3
Pax fatalities:
3
Other fatalities:
0
Total fatalities:
5
Circumstances:
The airplane departed Croydon on a special mission on behalf of the Royal Air Force. While cruising at night at an altitude of 8,000 feet in stormy weather, the twin engine aircraft entered an uncontrolled descent and crashed in a pasture located near the RAF Stoney Cross. All five occupants were killed.
Crew:
Francis Joseph Birmingham, pilot,
Robert Frederick Burgess, wireless operator.
Passengers:
Brendan Birmingham,
Daisy Marsh,
Norman Tyrrell Burton.
Crew:
Francis Joseph Birmingham, pilot,
Robert Frederick Burgess, wireless operator.
Passengers:
Brendan Birmingham,
Daisy Marsh,
Norman Tyrrell Burton.
Probable cause:
The loss of control occurred while the aircraft was cruising in poor weather conditions with storm activity and atmospheric turbulences. The assumption that the aircraft may have been hit by lightning has not been ruled out.
