G-ADYF

On September 15, 1936 at 12:00 AM, G-ADYF experienced a crash involving De Havilland DH.86 Express, operated by British Airways, with the event recorded near London-Gatwick West Sussex.

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

3 people were known to be on board, 3 fatalities were recorded, 0 survivors were identified or estimated. This corresponds to an estimated fatality rate of 100.0%.

Crew on board: 3, crew fatalities: 3, passengers on board: 0, passenger fatalities: 0, other fatalities: 0.

The listed crash cause is technical failure. The chief pilot of British Airways, Captain W. F. Anderson, and two members of the crew were killed when the four engine aircraft carrying the night mail to Germany crashed soon after taking off from Gatwick Airport. Until the inquest has been held and an investigation made, it is impossible to guess at the cause of this disaster, but there appears to be no doubt that the machine turned through 180 degrees immediately after leaving the airport, lost height, and hit a tree.

Aircraft reference details include registration G-ADYF, MSN 2347, year of manufacture 1936.

Geospatial coordinates for this crash are approximately 51.1564°, -0.1579°.