Accident Hawker Fury Mk I K8271,
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ASN Wikibase Occurrence # 68780
 
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Date:Saturday 10 December 1938
Time:09:00 LT
Type:Silhouette image of generic hafu model; specific model in this crash may look slightly different    
Hawker Fury Mk I
Owner/operator:9 FTS RAF
Registration: K8271
MSN:
Fatalities:Fatalities: 1 / Occupants: 1
Aircraft damage: Destroyed
Location:Off Chesil Bank, near Langton Herring, Dorset -   United Kingdom
Phase: Manoeuvring (airshow, firefighting, ag.ops.)
Nature:Military
Departure airport:RAF Hullavington, Chippenham, Wiltshire
Destination airport:
Confidence Rating: Information is only available from news, social media or unofficial sources
Narrative:
Destroyed 10/12/38 when hit shore while recovering from dive on target. Crashed Off Chesil Bank, near Langton Herring, Dorset. Pilot: Corporal John Robert Daniel RAF (aged 22) killed (reportedly death by drowning). According to a contemporary newspaper report ("Western Daily Press" - Monday 12 December 1938)

"BOMBER CRASHES IN SEA.
Pilot Drowned Off Dorset Coast.

A single-seater bombing 'plane crashed into the sea at Langton Herring, Dorset, just before 9 a.m. on Saturday. The machine, which fell in the Fleet, a stretch of water at Chesil Beach, sank almost at once and the pilot was drowned. Fishermen and others in fast motorboats rushed to the spot and searched the water, but failed to locate the machine. R.A.F. men also joined in the search. An eye-witness said that at the time half a gale was blowing and the machine got into difficulties. Suddenly it dived, struck the water, and disappeared.

Later the wreckage of the machine was washed up on the beach, and the body of the pilot, No. 566250, Corporal John Robert Daniel, was recovered. The machine belonged to No. 9 Flying Training School, Hullavington, Wilts., and had gone to the Chesil Bank Ranges on a practice flight."

A further newspaper report covered the inquest into the death of the pilot ("Dundee Courier - Wednesday 14 December 1938)

"EAGER AIRMAN DIVED TOO LOW.
BOMBING RANGE DANGER DENIED.

Corporal John Robert Daniell (sic) , R.A.F., Warmwell, Dorset, victim of a crash at Chesil beacon bombing range on December 10, lost his life because, anxious to make a good score, he dived too near the target and hit the beach.

This was the opinion given at the inquest at Weymouth yesterday by Pilot Sergeant Robert Whitworth Brown, who said he hoisted a black flag after one dive to warn Daniell that he was flying below 200 feet. Daniell, aged 22, was described as a pupil above the average.

Answering the father, Mr H. B. Daniell, Primrose Hill, Manwood Avenue, Canterbury, Squadron-Leader King-Lewis said, "There have been rumours that it is a dangerous spot, but they are entirely unfounded."

The verdict was death by misadventure."

(Pilot Buried at Hackington (St. Stephen) Churchyard, Canterbury)"

Sources:

1. Air Britain The K File The RAF of the 1930s
2. http://www.rcawsey.co.uk/Acc1939.htm
3. http://sussexhistoryforum.co.uk/index.php?topic=9331.0;wap2
4. http://www.kenthistoryforum.co.uk/index.php?topic=4308.0
5. The Times, Monday, Dec 12, 1938; page 11
6. http://dorset.hampshireairfields.co.uk/dorcrash.html

Revision history:

Date/timeContributorUpdates
10-Oct-2009 21:33 JINX Added
28-Feb-2018 17:17 Dr. John Smith Updated [Time, Departure airport, Source, Narrative]
03-Nov-2018 19:58 Nepa Updated [Operator, Operator]

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