London – Bordeaux – Lagos

On January 11, 1947 at 05:30 PM, London – Bordeaux – Lagos experienced a crash involving Douglas C-47 Skytrain (DC-3), operated by British Overseas Airways Corporation - BOAC, with the event recorded near Stowting Kent.

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

16 people were known to be on board, 8 fatalities were recorded, 8 survivors were identified or estimated. This corresponds to an estimated fatality rate of 50.0%.

Crew on board: 5, crew fatalities: 4, passengers on board: 11, passenger fatalities: 4, other fatalities: 0.

The listed crash cause is technical failure. The aircraft left London at 0930LT on a flight to Lagos with an ETA at 1400LT in Bordeaux, an intermediate stop. While descending to Bordeaux-Mérignac Airport, the crew encountered poor weather conditions and decided not to land. The captain diverted to Paris-Le Bourget instead Toulouse but was unable to land, because the weather was poor. He elected to divert to Cormeilles-en-Vexin but again, landing was impossible. He finally decided to return to London but while overflying Kent, fuel exhausted and the crew was forced to make an emergency landing. The aircraft crashed in a field located in Stowting and was destroyed. Four crew members and four passengers were killed.

Aircraft reference details include registration G-AGJX, MSN 12014, year of manufacture 1944.

Geospatial coordinates for this crash are approximately 51.1345°, 1.0322°.