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| Date: | Friday 15 March 1935 |
| Time: | |
| Type: | de Havilland DH.84 Dragon 1 |
| Owner/operator: | Misr Airlines |
| Registration: | SU-ABI |
| MSN: | 6031 |
| Fatalities: | Fatalities: 3 / Occupants: 6 |
| Other fatalities: | 0 |
| Aircraft damage: | Destroyed |
| Location: | 10 mi E of El Arish -
 Egypt
|
| Phase: | En route |
| Nature: | Passenger - Scheduled |
| Departure airport: | Port Said Airport, Port Said, Egypt (PSD/HEPS) |
| Lydda Airport, Lod, Palestine (TLV/LLBG) | |
| Confidence Rating: |  Information is only available from news, social media or unofficial sources |
Written off (damaged beyond repair) when crashed 10 miles West of El Arish, Egypt 15.3.35 after it was caught in a sandstorm which caused double engine failure, and the pilot attempted an emergency landing. The following from Flight, 21 March 1935:
"It is with the greatest regret that Flight has to record the death last Friday of Captain Hugh 'Tony' Spooner as the result of an accident ten miles west of El Arish, to a Misr-Airwork ‘Dragon’ which he was piloting. It is understood that the accident occurred in a very thick dust storm. One engine stopped, and with the other failing, a landing was attempted on the dunes near the coast.
Captain Spooner was chief pilot to Misr-Airwork and was highly experienced in the operation of the air lines started by that company in Egypt.
In 1929, with the late Captain Sparkes, he was instructor to the Montreal Flying Club, a position which he gave up three years ago to go to Egypt. He was undoubtedly very largely responsible for the success of the air lines in that country, and his likeable personality won for him the endearment of all those people, both Egyptian and other nationalities, who were connected with flying in that country.
To Mrs. Spooner, his wife, we offer our deepest sympathy. Incidentally, it is her wish that instead of Glenda Graham, the name by which she is so well known in Fleet Street, she shall in future only be referred to as Mrs. Spooner.
The accident occurred en route to Palestine. Two Swiss passengers, Col. Frey and Mr.Scamidheni, both of Basle and connected with the cement industry in Egypt, were also killed. Col. Cuthbertson, a retired Territorial officer and Mr. David Henderson, who is on the staff of the Iraq Petroleum Company, were injured.”
Of the six persons on board, two passengers and the pilot were killed. The other three passengers survived injured.
Crew and Passengers on board SU-ABI:
Captain Hugh "Tony" Spooner (36) killed (Pilot Officer, RAFO)
Col. Frey killed (Swiss national)
Ernst Schmidheiny, senior (63) killed (Swiss national, director of the ENCI factory in Maastricht, Netherlands)
David Hope Henderson (Iraqi Petroleum Company) injured
Col Cuthbertson (TAVR Retired) injured
Ernst Schmidheiny, junior (Swiss National, son of Ernst Schmidheiny) injured
Sources:
1. Jenaer Volksblatt 16 March 1935
2. http: https://air-britain.com/pdfs/production-lists/DH84.pdf
3. www.hdekker.info/Nieuwe%20map/1935.htm#15.03.1935
4. http://www.rcawsey.co.uk/Accmisc.htm
5. http://www.rafcommands.com/forum/showthread.php?17884-RAF-fatalities-1935
6. http://www.popularflying.com/Covers/38/
Revision history:
| Date/time | Contributor | Updates |
|---|---|---|
| 05-Jun-2012 12:38 | harro | Added |
| 11-Nov-2016 15:58 | TB | Updated [Aircraft type, Operator, Location, Country, Nature, Source, ] |
| 02-Oct-2017 19:48 | Dr. John Smith | Updated [Total fatalities, Total occupants, Location, Phase, Nature, Departure airport, Destination airport, Source, Narrative, ] |
| 14-Feb-2019 19:10 | Dr. John Smith | Updated [Time, Source, ] |
| 19-Mar-2020 17:00 | TB | Updated [Time, Location, Phase, Departure airport, Destination airport, Source, Narrative, ] |
| 19-Jun-2021 10:19 | Cobar | Updated [Phase, Departure airport, Destination airport, ] |
| 26-Oct-2022 23:34 | Dr. John Smith | Updated [Time, Location, Departure airport, Destination airport, Source, Narrative, Category, ] |
| 17-Aug-2024 06:18 | Anon. | Updated [Destination airport, Narrative, ] |
| 14-Jul-2025 18:51 | TB | Updated [Time, Location, Source, Narrative, ] |
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