ASN Wikibase Occurrence # 211830
This information is added by users of ASN. Neither ASN nor the Flight Safety Foundation are responsible for the completeness or correctness of this information.
If you feel this information is incomplete or incorrect, you can submit corrected information.
| Date: | Thursday 9 December 1926 |
| Time: | day |
| Type: | Gloster Grebe Mk II |
| Owner/operator: | 25 Sqn RAF |
| Registration: | J73.. |
| MSN: | |
| Fatalities: | Fatalities: 1 / Occupants: 1 |
| Aircraft damage: | Destroyed |
| Location: | Terlingham Manor Farm, near RAF Hawkinge, Folkestone, Kent -
 United Kingdom
|
| Phase: | Take off |
| Nature: | Military |
| Departure airport: | RAF Hawkinge, Folkestone, Kent |
| Confidence Rating: |  Information is only available from news, social media or unofficial sources |
Gloster Grebe Mk.II, 25 Squadron, RAF Hawkinge: Written off (destroyed) 9/12/1926 when nose dived and crashed at Terlingham Manor Farm, Hawkinge, Kent, shortly after take off from RAF Hawkinge, Folkestone, Kent. Pilot and sole occupant - Flying Officer John Harry Campbell Purvis (aged 20) - was killed. According to a contemporary newspaper report, which reported on the inquest into the death of the pilot ("Folkestone, Hythe, Sandgate & Cheriton Herald" - Saturday 11 December 1926)
"FATAL AEROPLANE CRASH.
FLYING OFFICER KILLED AT HAWKINGE.
Farmer Burnt In Rescue Attempt.
Flying Officer John Harry Campbell Purvis, of the 25th Squadron, R.A.F., stationed at Hawkinge, was killed instantly in an aeroplane crash on Thursday morning. His machine, a single seater Gloster Grebe fighting ’plane nose dived from a low altitude on the edge of the aerodrome and after striking the ground with great force burst into flames. The deceased was the son of Major R. W. Purvis, a well known landowner, of Gilmerton, St. Andrews, Fife, and a nephew of Sir John Gilmour, Secretary for Scotland, and was twenty-one years of age. After the machine had crashed and caught fire Mr. Albert Daniels, of Terlingham Farm, and a young man named Thomas Carman, of Alkham, who was helping him, rushed to the wreckage and succeeded in extricating the pilot. Unfortunately this plucky effort was of no avail as the officer had been killed instantly by the crash. Mr. Daniels was burnt about the face and on the right hand, and subsequently received surgical treatment by members of the aerodrome staff. A fire picket from the aerodrome was rushed to the scene, but in spite of their efforts, the machine was reduced to a charred and tangled mass.
Mr. Daniels subsequently stated that the machine at one time appeared to be coming straight towards him, and he thought it would hit him. The heat given off by the burning mass was terrific. The accident occurred just after engaged on camera gun practice. Flying Officer Purvis, who was a very popular officer, was married about a year ago. This makes the eighty-third death in the R.A.F. this year through flying accidents, but there has not been a fatal accident at Hawkinge since September, 1925.
The East Kent Coroner (Mr. Rutley Mowll) held an inquest on Flying Officer Purvis at Hawkinge Aerodrome yesterday (Friday) afternoon. The Coroner, in outlining the facts to the jury, referred to Mr. Daniels's gallant effort to extricate the deceased from the machine, and said he was only sorry he could not have brought the pilot out.
F.-Lieut. J. E. Cox, Medical Officer at Hawkinge Aerodrome, identified the body. He said deceased had only been at Hawkinge a few months. Witness got to the scene of the crash two or three minutes after it had happened, just after 10 a.m. the previous day. The machine was about 200 yards away from the Aerodrome. The body had been extricated. He found deceased was quite dead. Death was to a fracture of the base of the skull. From the nature of the injuries witness thought the pilot must have been killed instantaneously.
Pilot Sergt. F. C. Stanford, of the 25th Squadron, said before the accident he had been working with the deceased in camera gun practice. Witness completed his film and signalled to that effect. They were then both going to land. They both began to descend, and as he (witness) was gliding in to land he saw deceased in front of him. Witness thought he was going to land there and then, but he apparently changed his mind and turned to the left. This turn took him off the aeroplane over some trees. That was the last he saw of deceased's machine, as he (witness) then landed. As he was taxiing towards the sheds he looked round and saw a cloud of smoke going up. When deceased turned he seemed to be about 50ft. up. He thought deceased believed he had sufficient height to do a complete turn, but he was too near the ground to do so. Deceased might have deflected his machine off the Aerodrome to give witness an opportunity of landing. He broke away from deceased at a height of 2,000 ft., and they came down independently.
Mr. Albert Daniels, of Terlingham Farm, Hawkinge, whose head and right hand were swathed in bandages, said he was cutting wood down in a copse adjoining the aerodrome, with a lad named Carman when he saw an aeroplane coming right over his head at a very low altitude. The machine was climbing, and when it got about a hundred yards away the pilot made a sharp turn to the right, and then nose dived to the ground from a height of about 75 feet. The ’plane struck the ground about fifteen yards from where he was standing. It turned over on its back and immediately burst into flames. Witness rushed to the machine, and with the assistance of Carman tried to get the pilot who was strapped in, out. After removing some of the wreckage he was able to cut the strap. He sustained burns to his face and the right hand. When deceased made the turn the engine was full on. When he first saw deceased’s machine it was very low.
The Coroner said they all very much appreciated Mr. Daniels’s gallant efforts, and trusted he would get over his burns all right.
Thos. Carman, aged 19, of Upper Standing, Alkham, also gave evidence.
Sergeant J. S. A. Bance said he saw the machine nose dive after making one turn.
Flight Sergeant A. Springate said he examined the engine of the machine before deceased took off, and it was then O.K. There was no failure on the part of the engine."
Flying Officer L. A. Walsh said deceased had flown one hundred and forty hours with this particular machine. He was an experienced and very good pilot, but very erratic. He thought deceased must have stalled the machine. By that he meant in the turn deceased lost complete flying speed. The machine was being examined by the Air Inspection Dept.
The Coroner: Is there any way of preventing these fires when a crash takes place?
Witness : This is only the second machine of this kind which has caught fire since it has been adopted by the R.A.F.
You mean to say it is unusual for a Grebe to catch fire?—
Yes.
The jury returned a verdict of "Accidental Death." The Foreman (Mr. H. Kettle) said the jury desired to express sympathy with the deceased’s relatives and the members of the Squadron. They hoped the Air Ministry would officially recognise the plucky efforts of Mr. Daniels to extricate the pilot.
Sources:
1. http://www.rcawsey.co.uk/Acc1929.htm
2. http://www.rafcommands.com/forum/showthread.php?17306-RAF-fatalities-1926
3. http://sussexhistoryforum.co.uk/index.php?topic=7787.0
4. http://sussexhistoryforum.co.uk/index.php?topic=7788.0
5. Folkestone, Hythe, Sandgate & Cheriton Herald - Saturday 18 December 1926 (Report on pilot's funeral)
Revision history:
| Date/time | Contributor | Updates |
|---|---|---|
| 02-Jun-2018 23:55 | Dr. John Smith | Added |
| 08-Oct-2018 17:48 | Nepa | Updated [Operator, Operator] |
| 17-Feb-2020 03:48 | Dr. John Smith | Updated [Registration, Source, Narrative] |
Corrections or additions? ... Edit this accident description
The Aviation Safety Network is an exclusive service provided by:
Quick Links:
| ASN Home | Send Correction / Feedback |
| FSF Home | Disclaimer | Copyright |
| Contact Us | Privacy Policy |
| Press / Media |
CONNECT WITH US:
©2024 Flight Safety Foundation