Date & Time:
Sep 15, 1936
Type of aircraft:
De Havilland DH.86 Express
Operator:
Registration:
G-ADYF
Flight Phase:
Takeoff (climb)
Flight Type:
Postal (mail)
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
London – Hamburg
MSN:
2347
YOM:
1936
Country:
United Kingdom
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
4
Crew fatalities:
3
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
0
Other fatalities:
0
Total fatalities:
3
Circumstances:
The airplane departed London-Gatwick Airport on a night mail flight to Hamburg, carrying four crew members. After takeoff, while climbing, the pilot-in-command initiated a 180 turn, apparently to return to Gatwick. Doing so, the airplane lost height, impacted trees and crashed. A crew member was injured while three others were killed, including Cpt W. F. Anderson.
Probable cause:
There is no suggestion of mechanical failure, though it is possible that the rudder control was accidentally interfered with at a critical moment after takeoff.
