Date:	Friday 11 October 1929
Time:	day
Type:	Armstrong Whitworth Siskin Mk IIIA
Owner/operator:	29 Sqn RAF
Registration:
MSN:
Fatalities:	Fatalities: 1 / Occupants: 1
Other fatalities:	0
Aircraft damage:	Destroyed
Location:	Brough Aerodrome, Brough, East Yorkshire, England -   United Kingdom
Phase:	Manoeuvring (airshow, firefighting, ag.ops.)
Nature:	Military
Departure airport:	Brough Aerodrome, Brough, East Yorkshire (EGNB)
Destination airport:

Narrative:
Armstrong Whitworth Sikin Mk. IIIA, 29 Squadron, RAF North Weald, Essex: On 9th October 1929 nine aircraft from 29 Squadron based at North Weald airfield flew to Brough airfield prior to a flying display being held the following day at Hedon, they used Brough as their base for a couple of days. During the morning of 10th October 1929 the nine aircraft flew over to Hedon airfield and during the afternoon the nine pilots flew for Hull Civic Week before returning to Brough that day.

On 11th October 1929 this specific aircraft took off from Brough and was making a low pass of the airfield when a wing dropped as it was flying over the aircraft factory. Unfortunately, the aircraft struck the building, crashed and caught fire. Sadly, the pilot was killed.

According to an eyewitness report at the inquest into the death of the pilot: "It appears that he got into a bump and one wing dropped onto the shed as he was passing over it; the machine burst into flames as it fell.”

Pilot - Flying Officer John Clarke RAF, aged 24. Buried St Andrew's Church, Cranwell, Lincolnshire.

John Clarke was born 8th July 1905 at Dalston, Cumberland. While buried at Cranwell on 15th October 1929 he is also commemorated on a plaque within Magdalen Laver church, Essex.

1. http://www.rcawsey.co.uk/Acc1929.htm
2. http://www.rafcommands.com/forum/showthread.php?17392-RAF-fatalities-1929
3. https://www.yorkshire-aircraft.co.uk/aircraft/yorkshire/york20/11oct29.html
4. National Archives (PRO Kew) 29 Squadron ORB for 1 May 1916 to 31 August 1939: File AIR 27/341/1 at https://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/details/r/D8410383
5. "The Times" newspaper (London) 12 October 1929
6. (paywall) http://www.flightglobal.com/PDFArchive/View/1929/1929-1%20-%201385.html?search=killed 1929 Clarke
7. https://forum.rafcommands.com/forum/pre-world-war-ii-forum/658-f-o-john-clark-e-killed-11-10-1929?692-F-O-John-Clark(e)-killed-11-10-1929=#post35699
8. https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/181270384/john-clarke
9. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brough_Aerodrome#History

Date/time	Contributor	Updates
22-Jun-2018 23:37	Dr. John Smith	Added
08-Oct-2018 18:14	Nepa	Updated [Operator, Operator, ]
19-May-2024 09:33	Nepa	Updated [Location, Narrative, Operator, ]
26-Jul-2025 17:06	Dr. John Smith	Updated [Source, Narrative, Category, ]