Date & Time:
Feb 4, 1931
Type of aircraft:
Blackburn R.B.1 Iris
Operator:
Registration:
N238
Flight Phase:
Landing (descent or approach)
Flight Type:
Training
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Lake, Sea, Ocean, River
Schedule:
RAF Mount Batten - RAF Mount Batten
MSN:
1
YOM:
1929
Country:
United Kingdom
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
12
Crew fatalities:
9
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
0
Other fatalities:
0
Total fatalities:
9
Circumstances:
The aircraft was engaged in a training mission with 12 crew on board on behalf of the 209 Squadron. At the time of the accident, weather conditions were good with a calm sea. At a speed of 70 mph, the float plane hit violently the water surface and was wrecked. Three crew members were rescued while nine other occupants perished.
Crew:
W/Cdr Charles Gilbert Tucker, †
F/O Frederick Kingsley Wood, †
Sgt Edmund Walter Harris Wilson, †
LAC William Henry Stark, †
LAC Cecil Gwilym Davies, †
LAC Louis Charles Oates, †
LAC Harold Corrie Ongley, †
LAC William Sidney Rutledge, †
LAC William George Stevens, †
F/Lt Maurice Hibbert Ely,
F/Lt Charles Ryley,
Cpl William Mansell Barry.
Crew:
W/Cdr Charles Gilbert Tucker, †
F/O Frederick Kingsley Wood, †
Sgt Edmund Walter Harris Wilson, †
LAC William Henry Stark, †
LAC Cecil Gwilym Davies, †
LAC Louis Charles Oates, †
LAC Harold Corrie Ongley, †
LAC William Sidney Rutledge, †
LAC William George Stevens, †
F/Lt Maurice Hibbert Ely,
F/Lt Charles Ryley,
Cpl William Mansell Barry.
Probable cause:
There was no mechanical failure prior to the accident and the cause of the crash was identified as being a pilot error as the Court of Inquiry showed that the pilot Charles Tucker was a qualified pilot but not proficient in flying boats. It appears that he misjudged the distance between the aircraft and the water surface.
