George R. Hutchinson

Sikorsky S-38

Owned by the American Lt Colonel George R. Hutchinson, the seaplane was on its way from New York to London on a private and nonstop transatlantic flight with seven passengers and a crew of two on board. En route, the crew encountered snow falls and the aircraft was too heavy due to snow accumulation. The pilot attempted an emergency landing off the Greenland coast but after landing, the airplane struck an iceberg and was seriously damaged. Several distress calls were sent but the aircraft moved on rough seas. The aircraft was eventually localized by the crew of the British fishing trawler named 'Lord Talbot' on September 18, five days after the accident, some 40 miles southwest of Angmagssalik (Tasiilaq). All nine occupants were rescued and repatriated to Europe. Lt Colonel Hutchinson was travelling with his wife Blanche and his two girls, Kathryn (8) and Janet Lee (6). The aircraft was lost and abandoned as a wing was torn off. Crew: Lt Colonel George R. Hutchinson +1. Passengers: Blanche Hutchinson, Kathryn Hutchinson, Janet Lee Hutchinson, Peter Redpath, Joseph Ruff, Gerald Altfilisch, Norman Alley, American filmmaker.