Narrative:
The Vickers 170 Vanguard was a 22-passenger twin-engined biplane. When it was handed over to Imperial Airways in 1925 it was described as the World's largest passenger aeroplane. The aircraft was withdrawn from its airline duties in October 1928 for modifications, probably to the tail. The airplane had been fitted with a new tail unit from a Vickers Virginia Mk X in an effort to eliminate control problems.
On 16 May 1929 the aircraft crashed and burned at Shepperton on the shores of the River Thames. Vickers Test Pilot Flight Lieutenant Edward Rodolph Clement "Tiny" Scholefield DCM, AFC, and his Mechanic S.W. Sherratt were killed. They were test flying the Vanguard airliner from Brooklands Aerodrome when control was lost and the aircraft nose-dived from 2000 feet into the ground. The tail unit apparently failed as a result of excessive rudder force.
Loss of control
» Test Flying Memorial website
» Flight, May 23, 1929
accident date: 16-05-1929
type: Vickers 170 Vanguard
registration: G-EBCP
| Status: | |
| Date: | Thursday 16 May 1929 |
| Type: |  Vickers 170 Vanguard |
| Operator: | Vickers-Armstrongs Ltd |
| Registration: | G-EBCP |
| MSN: | 170/1 |
| First flight: | 1923-07-18 (5 years 10 months) |
| Engines: | 2 Rolls-Royce Condor III |
| Crew: | Fatalities: 2 / Occupants: 2 |
| Passengers: | Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 0 |
| Total: | Fatalities: 2 / Occupants: 2 |
| Aircraft damage: | Damaged beyond repair |
| Location: | Shepperton ( United Kingdom)
|
| Phase: | En route (ENR) |
| Nature: | Test |
| Departure airport: | Brooklands Airport (EGLB), United Kingdom |
| Brooklands Airport (EGLB), United Kingdom |
The Vickers 170 Vanguard was a 22-passenger twin-engined biplane. When it was handed over to Imperial Airways in 1925 it was described as the World's largest passenger aeroplane. The aircraft was withdrawn from its airline duties in October 1928 for modifications, probably to the tail. The airplane had been fitted with a new tail unit from a Vickers Virginia Mk X in an effort to eliminate control problems.
On 16 May 1929 the aircraft crashed and burned at Shepperton on the shores of the River Thames. Vickers Test Pilot Flight Lieutenant Edward Rodolph Clement "Tiny" Scholefield DCM, AFC, and his Mechanic S.W. Sherratt were killed. They were test flying the Vanguard airliner from Brooklands Aerodrome when control was lost and the aircraft nose-dived from 2000 feet into the ground. The tail unit apparently failed as a result of excessive rudder force.
Classification:
Tail failure Loss of control
Sources:
» Well-Known Pilot's Death. Fatal Test Flight". News. The Times (45205). London. 17 May 1929. col E, p. 12.» Test Flying Memorial website
» Flight, May 23, 1929
Photos
accident date: 16-05-1929
type: Vickers 170 Vanguard
registration: G-EBCP
This information is not presented as the Flight Safety Foundation or the Aviation Safety Network’s opinion as to the cause of the accident. It is preliminary and is based on the facts as they are known at this time.
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