Crash of a General Aircraft ST-25 Monospar Jubilee in Lympne: 4 killed

Date & Time: Mar 12, 1938 at 1800 LT
Operator:
Registration:
G-AEJV
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
MSN:
83
YOM:
1936
Location:
Region:
Crew on board:
1
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
3
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
4
Circumstances:
Shortly after takeoff from Lympne Airport, while in initial climb, the airplane entered an uncontrolled descent and crashed in a field. All four occupants were killed.
Crew:
William Eric Davis, pilot.
Passengers:
Mrs. Cross,
Yvonne Mollie Marguerite Hernu,
Raymond Arthur Joseph Hernu.

Crash of an Avro 652 Anson in Leeds: 1 killed

Date & Time: Jun 18, 1937
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
K8763
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Manston - Manston
Location:
Region:
Crew on board:
1
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
1
Circumstances:
The pilot departed Manston Airport on a night solo training exercice on behalf of 48th Squadron. While performing manoeuvres at low altitude and at low speed, he lost control of the aircraft that stalled and crashed in a field. The pilot Sgt William Hinson was killed.

Crash of an Avro 652 Anson I in Ewell Minnis: 3 killed

Date & Time: Feb 22, 1937
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
K6158
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Manston - Manston
Region:
Crew on board:
4
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
3
Circumstances:
The crew was engaged in a local training flight out from Manston Airport. While flying at night in a snowstorm, the twin engine aircraft was struck by lightning. It went out of control and crashed in a field located in Ewell Minnis, between Folkestone and Dover, coming to rest upside down. Two crew members were injured while two others were killed. Two days later, one of the survivor died from his injuries.
Crew (48th Squadron) :
Gwilym James Maurice, pilot, †
Stanley McCabe, radio operator, †
George Edward Strangman, navigator, †
Reginald John Cooper, navigator.
Probable cause:
Went out of control after being struck by lightning in flight.

Crash of a Boulton & Paul P.71A off Dungeness: 2 killed

Date & Time: Sep 25, 1936
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
G-ACOX
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Croydon – Paris
MSN:
P.71/1
YOM:
1934
Location:
Region:
Crew on board:
2
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
2
Circumstances:
The twin engine aircraft named 'Boadicea' departed Croydon on a mail flight to Paris-Le Bourget with two crew members on board. It crashed in unknown circumstances into The Channel off Dungeness, Kent. Both crew members were killed.
crew:
Cpt Alfred Cecil Thomas, pilot,
Harold Eugene Percival, wireless operator.

Crash of an Avro 652 Anson I off Whitstable

Date & Time: Jun 25, 1936
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
K6166
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Manston - Manston
MSN:
981
YOM:
1936
Location:
Region:
Crew on board:
4
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
The crew from the 48th Squadron was performing a routine flight along the east coast of England when the left engine failed in flight. The captain attempted to ditch the aircraft some 10 km off Whitstable, Kent. All four crewmen were quickly rescued. The airplane was towed to the harbor of Whitstable and later considered as damaged beyond repair. First accident involving an Avro 652 Anson Mk I.
Probable cause:
Engine failure in flight.

Crash of a De Havilland DH.84 Dragon off Lydd

Date & Time: Jan 22, 1936
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
G-ACCR
Flight Phase:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Croydon – Le Touquet
MSN:
6011
YOM:
1933
Location:
Region:
Crew on board:
1
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
5
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
Just after leaving the English coast, while flying over The Channel, the aircraft went out of control and crashed into The Channel, few km off Lydd, Kent. All six occupants, five passengers and a pilot, were rescued while the aircraft sank and was lost.

Crash of a Desoutter I in Lympne

Date & Time: Dec 31, 1935
Type of aircraft:
Registration:
G-AANE
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Lympne – Shoreham
MSN:
D.24
YOM:
1930
Location:
Region:
Crew on board:
1
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
2
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
The airplane crashed for unknown reasons shortly after takeoff from Lympne Airport. All three occupants were injured.

Crash of a De Havilland DH.60G Moth in West Malling

Date & Time: Dec 8, 1934
Type of aircraft:
Registration:
G-AALJ
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
West Malling - West Malling
MSN:
1087
YOM:
1929
Region:
Crew on board:
1
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
1
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
The single engine airplane was engaged in a local training flight with one passenger and one pilot on board. While flying at low height, the airplane collided with a power line and crashed. Both occupants were injured.

Crash of a De Havilland DH.89 Dragon Rapide off Folkestone: 7 killed

Date & Time: Oct 2, 1934 at 1050 LT
Operator:
Registration:
G-ACPM
Flight Phase:
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Croydon – Paris
MSN:
6251
YOM:
1934
Location:
Region:
Crew on board:
1
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
6
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
7
Circumstances:
While overflying The Channel, the pilot encountered poor weather conditions with light rain and fog. He decided to return but due to low visibility and while cruising under VFR mode in IFR conditions, he was unable to distinguish the water surface and eventually lost control of the aircraft that crashed into the sea some five km off Folkestone. All seven occupants were killed. First accident involving a De Havilland DH.89 Dragon Rapide.
Crew:
Walter Robert Bannister, pilot.
Passengers:
Louis Beigneuxl,
Jean Louis Bordaz,
Miss Phyllis Budden,
Andrew McGregor Ritchie,
Albert Paul de Sanno,
Helene Slabodsky.
Probable cause:
UK Air Ministry attributed the cause of the accident to a lack of skill and knowledge in matters of navigation on the part of the pilot. Significantly, it was noted in the investigative report that he lacked both a navigator’s license and previous experience in instrument flying. Evidence indicated that the pilot had followed the coastline, remaining below the clouds, rather than proceeding on a direct compass course to his destination. Apparently losing sight of land while over the Channel, he may have turned back towards the west in order to once again make visual contact with the coast of England. It was theorized that while in a gradual descent through the mist he failed to distinguish the glassy surface of the water in time to avoid the accident. The crash was believed to have occurred fewer than 10 minutes after a second request from the pilot to Croydon Aerodrome for a position. However, the delay and ultimate failure to provide bearing information was not considered a contributing factor.

Crash of an Airspeed AS.5A Courier in Sevenoaks: 4 killed

Date & Time: Sep 29, 1934 at 1730 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
G-ACSY
Flight Phase:
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Heston – Paris
MSN:
16
YOM:
1934
Location:
Region:
Crew on board:
1
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
3
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
4
Captain / Total flying hours:
1500
Circumstances:
The aircraft took off at 1700LT on a scheduled international passenger flight to Paris-Le Bourget Airport. It flew into an isolated storm over north west Kent. An eyewitness reported seeing the aircraft emerge from the clouds in a vertical dive. The cloud base was at an altitude of 1,200 feet (370 m) and the hills around Shoreham reached an elevation of 600 feet (180 m). The aircraft crashed just north of Shoreham in Timberden Bottom, at the bottom of Cockerhurst Road. All four people on board were killed while two women walking in the vicinity of the accident were injured when they were struck by flying debris. some parts of the aircraft were found 66 feet (20 m) to the south west and 100 feet (30 m) west of the main wreckage. An eyewitness stated that he thought the pilot may have stalled trying to avoid high tension power lines. An inquest into the accident was held at Sevenoaks on 2 October. The victims were identified by documentation and personal belongings as they had received injuries which made visual identification "extremely difficult, if not impossible". Evidence was given that the aircraft was not operating anywhere near its maximum take-off weight of 4,000 pounds (1,800 kg) and that it had been airworthy on departure from Heston. The pilot was experienced. He was a former Royal Air Force pilot and had 1,500 hours flying time, of which 150 hours were on the Heston-Paris route.
Crew:
Ronald Maxwell Smith, pilot.