Croydon - Brussels
Flight / Schedule
Croydon - Brussels
Aircraft
De Havilland DH.4Registration
O-BAIN
MSN
H5915
Year of Manufacture
1920
Date
January 25, 1921 at 02:33 PM
Type
CRASHFlight Type
Cargo
Flight Phase
Flight
Crash Site
Plain, Valley
Crash Location
Folkestone Kent
Region
Europe • United Kingdom
Coordinates
51.0831°, 1.1820°
Crash Cause
Human factor
Narrative Report
On January 25, 1921 at 02:33 PM, Croydon - Brussels experienced a crash involving De Havilland DH.4, operated by Syndicat National pour l'Etude du Transport Aérien - SNETA, with the event recorded near Folkestone Kent.
The flight was categorized as cargo and the reported phase was flight at a plain, valley crash site.
1 people were known to be on board, 1 fatalities were recorded, 0 survivors were identified or estimated. This corresponds to an estimated fatality rate of 100.0%.
Crew on board: 1, crew fatalities: 1, passengers on board: 0, passenger fatalities: 0, other fatalities: 0.
The listed crash cause is human factor. The pilot Prosper Georges was performing a cargo flight from Croydon to Brussels on behalf of SNETA, the Syndicat National pour l'Étude du Transport Aérien. The aircraft departed Croydon Airport at 1343LT and continued towards the east. While approaching The Channel, the visibility dropped due to mist and the pilot decided to return. During the last turn, the aircraft hit a hill near the pub called 'The Valiant Sailor' and crashed. The pilot was seriously injured and died from his injuries three days later.
Aircraft reference details include registration O-BAIN, MSN H5915, year of manufacture 1920.
Geospatial coordinates for this crash are approximately 51.0831°, 1.1820°.
Fatalities
Total
1
Crew
1
Passengers
0
Other
0
Crash Summary
The pilot Prosper Georges was performing a cargo flight from Croydon to Brussels on behalf of SNETA, the Syndicat National pour l'Étude du Transport Aérien. The aircraft departed Croydon Airport at 1343LT and continued towards the east. While approaching The Channel, the visibility dropped due to mist and the pilot decided to return. During the last turn, the aircraft hit a hill near the pub called 'The Valiant Sailor' and crashed. The pilot was seriously injured and died from his injuries three days later.
Cause: Human factor
Occupants & Outcome
Crew On Board
1
Passengers On Board
0
Estimated Survivors
0
Fatality Rate
100.0%
Known people on board: 1
Operational Details
Schedule / Flight
Croydon - Brussels
Flight Type
Cargo
Flight Phase
Flight
Crash Site
Plain, Valley
Region / Country
Europe • United Kingdom
Aircraft Details
Similar Plane Crashes
United States Signal Corps - USSC
De Havilland DH.4
The single engine airplane departed Dayton-McCook Field for a local test flight. Shortly after takeoff, the aircraft stalled and crashed, killing both occupants. Crew: Maj Oscar Brindley, Lt Col Henry Damm.
Handley Page Aircraft Company Ltd
Handley Page V/1500
Assembled at Cricklewood Airfield in May 1918, the aircraft departed Cricklewood for its 13th test flight, carrying six crew members. Shortly after takeoff, while climbing to a height of about 700-800 feet, all four engines stopped. The pilot elected to return for an emergency landing when the aircraft stalled and crashed in a field located in front of 21 Garrick Avenue in Golders Green, bursting into flames. Colonel Ogilvie, who was seating in the tail gunner position at the back of the plane, survived, while all five other occupants were killed. Crew: Cpt Vernon Earl George Busby, pilot, † Mr. Bertram G. Cooper, † Mr. R. P. Cooper, † Mr. W. H. Hathaway, † Mr. J. W. Windebank, † Colonel Ogilvie.
United States Signal Corps - USSC
De Havilland DH.4
Lt. Frank Stuart Patterson, son and nephew of the co-founders of National Cash Register, is killed in the crash of his DH.4M, AS-32098, at Wilbur Wright Field during a flight test of a new mechanism for synchronizing machine gun and propeller, when a tie rod breaks during a dive from 15,000 feet (4,600 m), causing the wings to separate from the aircraft. Wishing to recognize the contributions of the Patterson family (owners of NCR) the area of Wright Field east of Huffman Dam (including Wilbur Wright Field, Fairfield Air Depot, and the Huffman Prairie) is renamed Patterson Field on 6 July 1931, in honor of Lt. Patterson.
Marine Aeroplane Depot
Fairey III
The pilot departed Isle of Grain on a delivery flight to Glasgow-Renfrew Airport. On approach to RAF Usworth (RAF Hylton), he elected to make a go-around when the aircraft lost height and crashed. The aircraft was destroyed and the pilot, Captain Arthur Leslie Simms, was killed.
Royal Air Force - RAF
De Havilland DH.6
The crew was completing a local training flight at RAF Seaton Carew when the aircraft entered a spin and crashed in a field, bursting into flames. Both occupants were killed. Crew: Cpt Charles David Danby, pilot, 1st Class E. A. Bannister, mechanic.
Royal Air Force - RAF
Handley Page H.P.12
The aircraft departed Castle Bromwich for a test flight, carrying five engineers and two crew members. En route, the twin engine aircraft suffered technical problems with a wing, lost height and crashed in a field located in Maxstoke. The aircraft was destroyed and all seven occupants were killed. Crew: Lt Robert Edward Macbeth, Lt Frederick James Bravery, 1st Air Mechanic James Benjamn May, 2nd Air Mechanic Albert J. Winrow, 2nd Air Mechanic H. Simmonds, 3rd Air Mechanic Charles William Offord, 3rd George Greenland.