Southampton – Sydney

The crew lost his orientation while flying by night in a sandstorm. Pilot decided to reduce his altitude to maintain a visual contact with the ground when the seaplane christened 'Calpurnia' hit the ground at full power and crashed. All four crew members were killed.

Flight / Schedule

Southampton – Sydney

Registration

G-AETW

MSN

S.839

Year of Manufacture

1937

Date

November 27, 1938 at 12:00 AM

Type

CRASH

Flight Type

Positioning

Flight Phase

Flight

Crash Site

Plain, Valley

Crash Location

Baghdad Baghdad (<U+0628><U+063A><U+062F><U+0627><U+062F>)

Region

Asia • Iraq

Crash Cause

Weather

Narrative Report

On November 27, 1938 at 12:00 AM, Southampton – Sydney experienced a crash involving Short S.23 Empire Flying Boat, operated by Imperial Airways, with the event recorded near Baghdad Baghdad (<U+0628><U+063A><U+062F><U+0627><U+062F>).

The flight was categorized as positioning and the reported phase was flight at a plain, valley crash site.

4 people were known to be on board, 4 fatalities were recorded, 0 survivors were identified or estimated. This corresponds to an estimated fatality rate of 100.0%.

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

The listed crash cause is weather. The crew lost his orientation while flying by night in a sandstorm. Pilot decided to reduce his altitude to maintain a visual contact with the ground when the seaplane christened 'Calpurnia' hit the ground at full power and crashed. All four crew members were killed.

Aircraft reference details include registration G-AETW, MSN S.839, year of manufacture 1937.

Fatalities

Total

4

Crew

4

Passengers

0

Other

0

Crash Summary

The crew lost his orientation while flying by night in a sandstorm. Pilot decided to reduce his altitude to maintain a visual contact with the ground when the seaplane christened 'Calpurnia' hit the ground at full power and crashed. All four crew members were killed.

Cause: Weather

Occupants & Outcome

Crew On Board

4

Passengers On Board

0

Estimated Survivors

0

Fatality Rate

100.0%

Known people on board: 4

Operational Details

Schedule / Flight

Southampton – Sydney

Flight Type

Positioning

Flight Phase

Flight

Crash Site

Plain, Valley

Region / Country

Asia • Iraq

Aircraft Details

Registration

G-AETW

MSN

S.839

Year of Manufacture

1937

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