Croydon - Croydon

On July 13, 1928 at 12:00 AM, Croydon - Croydon experienced a crash involving Vickers Vulcan, operated by Imperial Airways, with the event recorded near Croydon Surrey.

The flight was categorized as test and the reported phase was takeoff (climb) at a airport (less than 10 km from airport) crash site.

6 people were known to be on board, 4 fatalities were recorded, 2 survivors were identified or estimated. This corresponds to an estimated fatality rate of 66.7%.

Crew on board: 1, crew fatalities: 0, passengers on board: 5, passenger fatalities: 4, other fatalities: 0.

The listed crash cause is technical failure. As the engine has been changed the day prior to the accident, the pilot was engaged in a test flight with an inspector of the Civil Aviation Authority. Due to the nature of the flight, four employees of Imperial Airways were authorized to take part of the flight. Shortly after takeoff, while climbing, the aircraft crashed into a market garden near Leigh Cottage on Woodcote Road, it was seen by residents flying low over the rooftops with the engine "evidently in difficulties". The accident occurred in a potato field located 3 miles south of the airport, in Purley. As the pilot was ejected on impact and was uninjured, he helped one of the passengers from the enclosed cabin free. Shortly later, the aircraft burst into flames and it was not possible to rescue the other passengers. The four passengers (two male and two females) were killed and later evidence was that at least one had died due to the impact and the others were unconscious before the fire.

Aircraft reference details include registration G-EBLB, MSN 9, year of manufacture 1925.

Geospatial coordinates for this crash are approximately 51.3734°, -0.1020°.