Miscellaneous accidents 1891 -1940

These accidents do not qualify for inclusion in the main lists. Some involve British casualties in foreign aircraft; others correct or clarify previously-published information on non-fatal accidents.

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10.12.1891 Gas balloon "Wanderer", E Mansfield
Balloon burst on ascent, Victoria Park, Bombay, India
Lt Edward Mansfield (26) killed (RNR)

1.10.1910 Farman
Midair collision with Antoinette, Milan, Italy
Capt Bertram Dickson injured; died 28.9.13
René Thomas injured in Antoinette

4.12.1910 Gas balloon
Came down near Kirkwall, Orkney on flight from Munich
Ernst Metzger (28) lost at sea
Hermann Distler survived
Hauptmann W Jördens survived

27.5.11 Sommer biplane
Failed to recover from dive, St Petersburg, Russia
Vladimir Smith (25) killed

11.10.13 Paterson pusher biplane No. 36, Paterson Aviation Syndicate
Crashed, Kimberley, South Africa
Edward Wallace Cheeseman (27) died 15.10.13
Lt Dunlop unhurt

14.7.16 B.E.12, CFS, Upavon
Forced landing; destroyed by fire
2Lt Henry Ralph Lumley (25) injured; died 11.3.18

26.10.16 Voisin LA 8523, 30 Sqn
Aeroplane accident at or near Kut, Mesopotamia
Capt Lawrence Hope King-Harman (27) killed
Lt Sydney Haywood (25) killed (pilot)

4.2.19 Camel N6824, Grand Fleet School of Air Gunnery and Fighting, Leuchars
Stalled and crashed after flat turn
2Lt Richard William Samuel Winter injured

30.4.19 Grigorovich M-16, Estonian Air Force
Crashed in sea on test flight, Tallinn, Estonia
Lt Charles Gerhardi (20) drowned (RAF instructor)

11.7.19 USD-9, USAS
Parachute demonstration; harness broke, McCook Field, Dayton, Ohio
Lt Robert Allan Caldwell DFC (21) killed (Canadian)

26.2.20 Avro, T K Wong Ltd, Kuala Lumpur
Spun on climbing turn, Kuala Lumpur racecourse, Malaya
Capt Leonard James Pugh killed
Lt Henry Frederick Osborne Farrell injured

28.6.20 Martinsyde F.4 Buzzard H7746
Rigger crushed when aeroplane fell off trestles, Martlesham Heath
Flt Sgt Charles Ernest de Viell (31) killed

16.8.20 Macchi M.9, Brazilian Naval Aviation
Crew drowned after forced landing, Lagoa dos Esteves, Içara, Brazil

Capt John William Pinder DFC (22) drowned
Lt Aliatar Martins (28) drowned

27.12.20 D.H.6 (G-EAMK), F H Solomon
Hit chimney after take-off and caught fire, Green Point, Cape Town, South Africa

Capt Alfred Stewart Hemming DFC (25) killed
Edith Neser (26) killed
Daniel Alexander Neser (3) killed
Mrs Magdalena Elizabeth Smuts killed

19.11.21 Bristol Fighter H1688, 24 Sqn, Kenley
Ditched in sea, near Victoria Pier, Folkestone
Lt James Milne Robb rescued

14.2.22 Bristol, Spanish Army
Stalled and crashed after take-off, Cuatro Vientos, Madrid, Spain
Herbert Brian Richardson MC (23) killed (pilot)
Percy Douglas Stert Milnes (23) killed
Frederick John Ortweiler MC (23) killed

8.7.22 Armstrong Whitworth F.K.8, Paraguayan Government
Hit by rebel bullet during bombing mission and caught fire, Cerro Leon, Paraguay
Capt Sidney Joseph Stewart (27) killed
Eugen Kuzmanic alias Francisco Cusmanich (29) killed

16.7.22 Bleriot-Spad 33 Berline F-FREI, Compagnie Française R.N.A.
Crashed after engine problems, Saverne, Alsace-Lorraine, France
Henri Louis killed (pilot)
Percy James Evans (39) killed
Harry Lionel Johnson (38) killed
John Robinson (29) killed
Joseph Donald Sagar (30) killed

10.1.23 Lioré et Olivier LeO H-13 F-AEIB, Aeronavale
Structural failure in flight, Mont Bordonne, near Ajaccio, Corsica
Desnoyelles killed (pilot)
Major Richard Griffith Bassett Jeffries DSO (47) killed
Mrs Grace Jeffries (43) killed
Alexander McMicking (65) killed
Melpell injured (wireless operator)

10.6.25 Gloster II J7505, A&AEE, Martlesham Heath
Crash landed following elevator flutter, Cranwell
Lawrence Lander (Larry) Carter (28) injured; died 27.9.26

21.7.25 Vimy J7445, 502 Sqn, Aldergrove
Crashed on take-off, Aldergrove
4 crew unhurt

12.8.27 Bryant Monoplane X-705 "Angel of Los Angeles"
Crashed, Montebello, Los Angeles
Arthur Vickers Rogers (29) killed (ex-RNAS)

23.9.27 Siskin IIIA J8055, School of Army Co-operation, Old Sarum
Hit tree on forced landing, Thurmaston, Leicester
Fg Off Gillan unhurt

16.8.28 Siskin IIIA J8640, 1 Sqn, Tangmere
Caught fire in flight, crashed and burnt out, Kew Gardens
Fg Off Leslie Clive Bennett baled out (New Zealander)

23.1.29 Liore et Olivier H-13 F-AEHK Air Union
Crashed on landing in mist, Antibes harbour, France
Dr John Follett Bullar (75) killed
Mrs Gertrude Elizabeth Bullar (69) killed
Marc Carriou injured (pilot)
Hostier injured (wireless operator)

20.6.29 Fokker Super Universal seaplane CF-AEX, Canadian Vickers
Hit HT wires over St Lawrence River, Montreal
C S Caldwell killed (pilot)
Hon John Cyril Carnegie Jervis (30) killed
Dr William Morris killed

6.1.30 Wackett Widgeon II, RAAF
Crashed in sea, Port Philip Bay, Victoria, Australia
Flt Lt Frederick Albert Briggs (30) killed
Capt the Hon Hugh Raufe Grosvenor (25) killed
LAC Donald Cameron Ewen (25) killed

25.7.30 Siskin III J7762, 3 FTS, Grantham
Overshot into trees on forced landing, Samlesbury, Lancs.
Plt Off L Hooper unhurt

13.10.30 DH.80A Puss Moth VH-UPC, Wings Ltd., Perth, WA
Crashed at Chidlow Hills, Darling Ranges, Western Australia
Charles Henry Fletcher Nesbit (32) killed (Fg Off, RAFO)
William Robert Bell (23) killed
Miss Haidee Rae (34) killed

5.5.31 DH.80A Puss Moth ZS-ACC, Glen L Bateman, Baragwanath
Crashed in Drakensberg mountains during storm, Mauba, near Van Reenen, Natal
Flt Lt Thomas Anthony Gladstone AFC (32) killed (RAFO)
Lt Cdr George Pearson Glen Kidston (32) killed

9.6.31 Avro 504N K1058, 2 FTS, Digby
Hit tree on forced landing, Hazelwood, near Duffield, Derbyshire
Fg Off Gordon Farley unhurt

1.7.31 Travel Air SA-6000-A CF-AIB, J H Maher
Fabric tore from wing during low pass, Hamilton, Ontario
Flt Lt Robert Miller Stirling AFC (38) killed (RAFO)
Charles L Daly, Jr killed
J H Maher, Jr killed
Harold Raine killed
Alfred Rodgers killed

5.11.31 Avro 504N J9707, Trg Base Leuchars
Crashed, Leuchars
Sub-Lt Stead injured

12.3.32 Junkers W.33fi CF-ASI, Canadian Airways
Flew into ground in snow, Kagainagami Lake, Northern Ontario
Fg Off Godfrey Webster Dean (34) killed (RAFO)

13.5.32 Bulldog IIA K1679, 23 Sqn, Kenley
Crashed and overturned, Hatfield, near Doncaster
Pilot unhurt

27.6.32 Bulldog IIA K1621, 32 Sqn, Kenley
Hit hedge on forced landing and overturned, Smockham Farm, Tunbridge Wells
Plt Off George Dunholme unhurt

13.7.32 Saunders-Roe A.7 Severn N240, 209 Sqn, Mount Batten
Forced landed with engine trouble and sank, off Larne, Antrim
8 rescued:
Flt Lt Dennis Caldwell Prance (senior pilot)
Fg Off Geoffrey Ivon Laurence Saye (second pilot)
Flt Lt Gilbert Edward Nicholetts AFC (engineer-officer)
Sgt Howes
Cpl Jones
Cpl W Lowry
LAC A Goode
LAC Warren

11.4.33 Flycatcher N9907, RAF, Leuchars
Collision with S1276 in formation loop, Guardbridge, Fife
Flt Lt Richard Rupert Nash baled out
Sgt Leslie Jack Dixon unhurt in S1276

19.6.33 Audax K2034, 13 Sqn, Netheravon
Crashed on forced landing, Princetown, Devon; repaired
Plt Off Alfonso Rudolf Gordon Bax injured
AC C N John injured

5.7.33 DH.60G Moth VP-KAX, R Ussher, Nyeri, Kenya
Lost control in cloud and spun into hillside, near Mbeya, Tanganyika
Capt Richard Ussher (33) died 5.7.33 (suicide)
Mrs Ethel May Ussher killed

18.7.33 Atlas TM J9438, 5 FTS, Sealand
Hit telegraph wires on forced landing, Gelli Tarw Farm, Llwydcoed, Aberdare
Plt Off Lawrence unhurt

29.8.33 Fairey Gordon K1742, 40 Sqn, Abingdon
Hit fencing on forced landing, Gable End, Hayling Island
Sgt W D Evans injured
AC M A C White unhurt

4.9.33 Wapiti IIA J9486, 1 Sqn, Indian Air Force
Crashed during spin, Padidan, Sindh province, India
Plt Off Bhupender Singh (22) killed
Plt Off Amarinder Singh (22) killed

13.9.33 DH.60G Gipsy Moth G-ABPC, Plymouth Aero Club
Crashed, near Roborough; repaired
Joseph Paine injured

26.9.33 DH.84 Dragon ZS-AEF, The Aircraft Operating Co of South Africa, Johannesburg
Nose dived off steep turn and burned, Baragwanath, near Johannesburg, South Africa
Sir Kurt Michael Oppenheimer (41) killed
Major William John Charles Kennedy-Cochran-Patrick DSO MC (37) killed

26.9.33 Hart K2437, 33 Sqn, Bicester
Hit low ridge on forced landing in field in fog, near South Shields
Sgt F W Cook unhurt
LAC T Jones unhurt

18.11.33 Avro 626, Egyptian Army Air Force
Crashed landing in fog on delivery flight, near Blangy-sur-Bresle, France
Lt Fouad Abd al-Hamid Haggag killed (Egyptian)
Staff Sgt Shedi Doss killed (Egyptian)

1.6.34 Bulldog IIA K2487, 3 Sqn, Kenley
Wrecked on forced landing, Kingston Vale, Surrey
Plt Off William Daniel Disbrey unhurt

13.6.34 Cutty Sark S1575, Air Ministry
Wrecked on forced landing after take-off, near Cowes, IoW
Capt S D Scott unhurt (Saunders-Roe chief test pilot)
Mr William Mawson unhurt (mechanic)

6.9.34 Southampton II S1423, 210 Sqn, Pembroke Dock
Forced landed in rough seas and sank, 30m off St David's Head
6 crew rescued

15.11.34 DH.86 VH-USG "Adelaide", QANTAS
Spun and crashed on delivery flight from England, Barsdale Station, Queensland, Australia
Capt Archer Robert Prendergast (39) killed (Flt Lt, RAFO) (Lt, RN, Ret, S African)
Walter Valentine Creates (31) killed (first officer, Imperial Airways)
Francis Roberts Charlton (34) killed (flight engineer, Imperial Airways)
Emery Hugh Broadfoot (29) killed (Shell Oil Co rep, Australian)

18.11.34 DH.60M Moth VT-ABB, Bombay Flying Club
Crashed on approach, Juhu aerodrome, Bombay, India
Fg Off Alan Keith Hilton Binley (27) killed (RAFO) (New Zealander)
C W Ring injured

3.12.34 DH.60M Moth VT-ACE, Bengal Flying Club, Dum Dum
Crashed, Dum Dum, Calcutta, India
Major Henry Richard Caine Meade (44) killed (Asst Surveyor General of Calcutta)

8.1.35 Wapiti IIA J9738, 1 Sqn, Indian Air Force
Crashed into platoon of troops, near Karachi, India
15 killed
Fg Off Harish Chandra Sircar injured (pilot)
AC Abdul Salaam injured (observer)
11 injured on ground

15.3.35 DH.84 Dragon SU-ABI, Misr Airwork
Stalled after engine failure, 10m W of El Arish, Egypt
Capt Hugh Spooner (36) killed (Plt Off, RAFO)
Col Frey killed (Swiss)
Ernst Schmidheiny (63) killed (Swiss)
David Hope Henderson injured
Col Cuthbertson injured
Schmidheiny jnr injured (Swiss)

14.4.35 DH.60M Moth VT-AEI, Karachi Aero Club
Stalled on turn, near Karachi, India; repaired
Fg Off Kenneth Noel Smith (27) killed
Sqn Ldr Dr James Daly Leahy MC injured (pilot)

25.6.35 Hart K2456, 24 Sqn, Hendon
Hit tree descending in fog, Swannington, Leics.
Fg Off Morgan Smith injured
AVM Charles Stuart Burnett CBE DSO unhurt

2.7.35 Gordon K2699, 40 Sqn, Abingdon
Ditched, Bridlington Bay, off Skipsea
2 crew rescued

9.7.35 Tutor K4827, Cambridge UAS
Hit trees on forced landing after engine failure, Grimsbury, Banbury, Oxon
J F Fraser unhurt

19.8.35 Miles Hawk Major VP-KBL, A C Lewin, Njoro, Kenya
Wrecked in forced landing after engine failure on take-off, Tilesford, near Pershore
Brig-Gen Arthur Corrie Lewin CB CMG DSO injured
Mrs Norah Constance Lewin unhurt

25.8.35 DH.80A Puss Moth VT-ABU, Rajah IV Krishna Row (Rao), Madras
Crashed after wing broke off, Chowtapalem, near Nellore, Madras, India
Ernest Norman Victor Everett (28) killed (Fg Off, RAFO)
Hamilton John Carter (28) killed
Raja I V Krishna Rao killed

26.11.35 Hart K1440, 18 Sqn, Upper Heyford
Hit ditch and overturned on forced landing, Weedon Hill, near Aylesbury
Sgt Marriott unhurt
Cpl Horton unhurt

13.1.36 DH.85 Leopard Moth VR-SAM, Penang Flying Club
Crashed into sea in storm, off Teluk Kumbar, Penang
Richard Cobden Stiven (37) killed

4.4.36 Wapiti IIA K1144, 607 Sqn, Usworth
Overturned on forced landing in ploughed field, near Tunstall Hills, Sunderland
Flt Lt W C Singer unhurt
AC Frederick Anderson unhurt

22.4.36 Wallace I K5079, 503 Sqn, Waddington
Hit hedge on forced landing in snowstorm, Kingsbury, Middlesex
Plt Off Michael Philip Forte unhurt (AAF)

19.8.36 DH.60X Moth seaplane VR-SAH, Royal Singapore Flying Club
Crashed into the bridge of coastal steamer Silver Gull, Inner Roads, Singapore
Thomas Patrick Browne killed
J Sale injured (instructor)

11.9.36 Nieuport-Delage NiD.52, Escuadra Internacional, Spanish Republican Air Force
Shot down by Fiat CR.32, near Talavera de la Reina, Spain
Lt Brian Douglas Griffin (19) killed

11.9.36 Nieuport-Delage NiD.52, Escuadra Internacional, Spanish Republican Air Force
Shot down by Fiat CR.32, near Talavera de la Reina, Spain
Lt Claude Warsow (33) killed

22.9.36 Loire 46, Escuadra Internacional, Spanish Republican Air Force
Shot down by Fiat CR.32, near Talavera de la Reina, Spain
Lt Edward Gawin Downes Martin (27) killed

13.11.36 Fairey IIIF S1850
Crashed, Seggie Farm, between Guardbridge and Dairsie, Fife
Sub-Lt J H Barnes injured
Sgt Kirland injured

23.2.37 Audax K7379, RAF College, Cranwell
Overturned on forced landing, Wootton, Northants; repaired
Flt Cadet Thomas Arthur Francis Elsdon unhurt

25.4.37 DH.82A Tiger Moth VR-RAM, Perak Flying Club
Crashed, Kramat Pulai Mine, Perak, Malaya
Ronald Dacre Wilson (39) killed
Capt George Alexander Bentinck MC injured (pilot)

30.7.37 Audax K7487, 8 FTS, Montrose
Hit trees recovering from spin, Monikie, Angus
Act Plt Off H L Price unhurt
Plt Off H H Burnell unhurt

10.9.37 Koolhoven F.K.50 HB-AMO, Alpar
Crashed into mountain in fog, Kelleköpfli, near Waldenburg, Switzerland
Walter Eberschweiler killed (pilot)
Rev. Burnett Hillman Streeter (62) killed
Mrs Irene Louisa Streeter (54) killed
Hans Huggler injured (wireless operator)

24.1.38 Hart Trainer K4922, 5 FTS, Sealand
Overturned in forced landing on soft ground, Spout Farm, Ellesmere, Shropshire
Fg Off Patrick Edward Meagher injured
Plt Off Richard Julian Paget Prichard injured

31.1.38 B.A. Swallow VR-SAL, E Newbold, Penang
Crashed in sea after hitting car and spectators while low-flying over the Esplanade, Penang
Soo Hoo Kok Yean (5) died
Foo Chean Soon (7) died
Koo Keng Hoo died
Eric Newbold OBE unhurt; died 31.1.38 at Eastern Smelting Works, Penang (pilot, suicide)

24.2.38 Vultee V-1 NC14250, Examiner Printing Co.
Crashed landing in fog, San Simeon, California
Thomas J Chester (Tex) Phillips (34) killed (pilot)
Rt Hon Terence Conyngham, Baron Plunket (38) killed
Rt Hon Dorothé Mabel, Baroness Plunket (38) killed
James Lawrence injured

6.6.38 Airspeed Envoy 256, SAAF
Crashed, 20m N of Limpopo River on Rhodesia/Transvaal border
Capt A C Koch (25) killed
Plt Off Rodney Moseby (20) killed
Sgt Marais Pierre le Roux killed
Cpl Raymond Boxshall (22) killed
AC Robert Pring killed
Patrick Bowden Peters (28) killed

8.6.38 DH.85 Leopard Moth VP-KBE, Wilson Airways
Crashed, near Mjori Nuande Mbuga, Singida, Tanganyika
W M Bawden killed (pilot, South African)
Bernard Dearman Burtt (35) killed
Charles Francis Massy Swynnerton CMG (60) killed

18.7.38 Hillson Praga VR-SAT, Wearne's Air Services
Crashed after entrance hatch opened in flight, near Singapore Airport
Capt Rodney Beresford (41) died 22.2.39 (Flt Lt, RAFO)

1.2.39 Hawker Hartbees 850, SAAF
Crashed during display, Mossel Bay, Western Cape, South Africa
Flt Lt Douglas Pringle Frost (25) killed (RAF, South African)
Air Mechanic Willem Petrus Jacobus Benade (22) killed (36) killed

8.5.39 Tiger Moth VR-RAN, Kuala Lumpur Flying Club
Crashed and burnt out in jungle, near Ginting Peras, central Malaya
Ernest Littleton Hay (36) killed

9.5.39 DH.80A Puss Moth G-AAXO or G-AAZX, C L Air Surveys
Pilot electrocuted while working on aircraft in hangar, Newcastle
Fg Off William Lee Mayo (28) killed (RAFO)

1.3.40 Handley Page HP.42E G-AAGX "Hannibal", BOAC
Missing, Gulf of Oman
Capt Noel Townsend (27) killed
Cecil James Walsh (34) killed (First Officer)
Angus Hamish Hunter Tidbury (25) killed (Radio Officer)
Charles Arthur Frederick Steventon (28) killed (Steward)
Gp Capt Harold Alfred Whistler DSO DFC (43) killed (Chief of Staff RAF India)
Capt Alf Bryn (43) killed (Norwegian)
WO1 Henry Hutchison killed
Rao Bahadur Sir Arogyaswami Thamaraiselvam Pannirselvam (51) killed (Indian)

22.4.40 Lockheed 14 Super Electra G-AFKD "Loch Invar", BOAC
Crashed, Beinn Uird, Rowardennan
Cdr Douglas Stanley King (33) killed (ATA)
Fg Off Derek Ernest Eveleigh (24) killed
John William Elliott (36) killed

3.5.40 DH.89A Dragon Rapide VR-SAV "Governor Raffles", Wearne's Air Service Ltd, Singapore
Crashed in thunderstorm, Waterfall Estate, near Rawang, 20m N of Kuala Lumpur, Malaya
Capt George McCausland killed
John Samuel Radford (36) killed
Herbert Charles Pinching (51) killed

23.5.40 Armstrong Whitworth Ensign G-ADSZ "Elysean", BOAC
Strafed on the ground by Bf 109, Merville, France
Capt John Matthew Hampden Hoare (33) killed

23.5.40 Savoia-Marchetti SM.73P OO-AGS, 271 Sqn, Doncaster
Attacked by Bf 109 and crashed, near Saint Pol, Pas-de-Calais, France
Plt Off John Robertson McLaren (26) killed
Sgt Victor Moreau (27) killed (pilot, Belgian)
Armand Peeters survived (flight engineer, Belgian)

20.8.40 Avro 640 Cadet VR-RAJ, Perak Flying Club, Ipoh
Hit Volunteer Force section while low-flying, Ipoh, Malaya
Marshall Porter Croxford killed (South African)
Kunchi Raman killed
Gurnam Singh died 21.8.40
Capt George Alexander Bentinck MC injured (pilot)
Edgar Franceys Allen injured (passenger)
Veerappan injured



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Page last updated 25 Jan 2024