Croydon - Rotterdam - Amsterdam

The aircraft departed Croydon Airport at 1043LT on a regular schedule service to Amsterdam with an intermediate stop in Rotterdam, carrying two passengers and one pilot. En route, the pilot encountered technical problems and diverted to Lympne Airport, Kent. After several repairs were made, he continued the flight with an unserviceable radio. While cruising over the North Sea (between The Channel and the North Sea), the pilot encountered foggy conditions when the aircraft crashed in unknown circumstances in the sea. As the aircraft failed to arrive in Rotterdam, SAR operations were initiated but no trace of the aircraft nor the three occupants was found. Crew: Adriaan Pijl, pilot. Passengers: Mr. W. J. van Hien, Mr. C. Modderman.

Flight / Schedule

Croydon - Rotterdam - Amsterdam

Aircraft

Fokker F3

Registration

H-NABS

MSN

1535

Year of Manufacture

1922

Date

April 24, 1924 at 02:00 PM

Type

CRASH

Flight Type

Scheduled Revenue Flight

Flight Phase

Flight

Crash Site

Lake, Sea, Ocean, River

Crash Location

North Sea All World

Region

World • World

Crash Cause

Technical failure

Narrative Report

On April 24, 1924 at 02:00 PM, Croydon - Rotterdam - Amsterdam experienced a crash involving Fokker F3, operated by KLM Royal Dutch Airlines - Koninklijke Luchtvaart Maatschappij, with the event recorded near North Sea All World.

The flight was categorized as scheduled revenue flight and the reported phase was flight at a lake, sea, ocean, river 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: 1, crew fatalities: 1, passengers on board: 2, passenger fatalities: 2, other fatalities: 0.

The listed crash cause is technical failure. The aircraft departed Croydon Airport at 1043LT on a regular schedule service to Amsterdam with an intermediate stop in Rotterdam, carrying two passengers and one pilot. En route, the pilot encountered technical problems and diverted to Lympne Airport, Kent. After several repairs were made, he continued the flight with an unserviceable radio. While cruising over the North Sea (between The Channel and the North Sea), the pilot encountered foggy conditions when the aircraft crashed in unknown circumstances in the sea. As the aircraft failed to arrive in Rotterdam, SAR operations were initiated but no trace of the aircraft nor the three occupants was found. Crew: Adriaan Pijl, pilot. Passengers: Mr. W. J. van Hien, Mr. C. Modderman.

Aircraft reference details include registration H-NABS, MSN 1535, year of manufacture 1922.

Fatalities

Total

3

Crew

1

Passengers

2

Other

0

Crash Summary

The aircraft departed Croydon Airport at 1043LT on a regular schedule service to Amsterdam with an intermediate stop in Rotterdam, carrying two passengers and one pilot. En route, the pilot encountered technical problems and diverted to Lympne Airport, Kent. After several repairs were made, he continued the flight with an unserviceable radio. While cruising over the North Sea (between The Channel and the North Sea), the pilot encountered foggy conditions when the aircraft crashed in unknown circumstances in the sea. As the aircraft failed to arrive in Rotterdam, SAR operations were initiated but no trace of the aircraft nor the three occupants was found. Crew: Adriaan Pijl, pilot. Passengers: Mr. W. J. van Hien, Mr. C. Modderman.

Cause: Technical failure

Occupants & Outcome

Crew On Board

1

Passengers On Board

2

Estimated Survivors

0

Fatality Rate

100.0%

Known people on board: 3

Operational Details

Schedule / Flight

Croydon - Rotterdam - Amsterdam

Flight Type

Scheduled Revenue Flight

Flight Phase

Flight

Crash Site

Lake, Sea, Ocean, River

Region / Country

World • World

Aircraft Details

Aircraft

Fokker F3

Registration

H-NABS

MSN

1535

Year of Manufacture

1922

Similar Plane Crashes

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May 21, 1921 at 01:45 PM

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May 17, 1922 at 02:30 PM

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The aircraft departed Rotterdam-Waalhaven Airport at 1214LT and the pilot landed at Calais where it stopped for about 45 minutes for weather improvement. While cruising over The Channel and approaching the English coast, the pilot encountered poor visibility due to fog and low clouds. He continued along the shore and arrived in Hythe, Kent, when the aircraft hit a tree and crashed in a field. All four occupants were rescued and one passenger was slightly injured. At the time of the accident, visibility did not exceed 75 yards. Crew: W. Warnaar, pilot.

November 17, 1922 at 12:00 AM

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July 17, 1923 at 12:00 AM

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On final approach to Croydon Airport, the engine lost power. The pilot increased power but the airplane continued to lose height then stalled and crashed in a field. On ground, it rolled for few dozen metres before hitting a bank and some concrete posts. While all four occupants were slightly injured, the aircraft was damaged beyond repair. The engine and some other parts were later used for another Fokker F3.