ASN Wikibase Occurrence # 24822
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| Date: | Tuesday 3 October 1922 |
| Time: | day |
| Type: |  Avro 504K |
| Owner/operator: | Evan Williams |
| Registration: | G-EAWK |
| MSN: | E3671 |
| Fatalities: | Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 3 |
| Aircraft damage: | Destroyed |
| Location: | Swansea Bay, off Blackpill, South Glamorgan -
 United Kingdom
|
| Phase: | En route |
| Nature: | Passenger - Non-Scheduled/charter/Air Taxi |
| Departure airport: | Swansea, South Glamorgan |
| Confidence Rating: |  Information is only available from news, social media or unofficial sources |
Ex-RAF Avro 504K E3671 (former RAF serial used on the CAA documentation in lieu of any official constructors number). First civil registered 07.03.21 as G-EAWK to the Welsh Aviation Co Ltd. Sold on and re-registered 12.4.22 to Evan Williams, Neath. According to The Aeroplane Feb 22 1922, the reason for the sale was that the operating company had gone bankrupt, quote:
"To satisfy an execution issued by the bailiff against the Welsh Aviation Co. Ltd., four Avro aeroplanes were offered for sale at a public auction at Swansea on Wednesday. The machines went very cheaply. Three with 120-h.p. Le Rhone engines fetched £50, £40, and £30, respectively, and one with 80-h p. Renault engine was knocked down at £12 10s. They were all purchased by the same buyer, Mr. Evan Williams, a turf accountant of Neath."
Written off 03.10.22 when crashed into the sea at Swansea Bay, off Blackpill*, South Glamorgan, whilst giving an air experience flight (="joyride"). All three persons on board were killed. According to a contemporary newspaper report ("Gloucester Citizen" - Saturday 7 October 1922), which reported on the inquest into the three persons killed:
"Swansea Aeroplane Tragedy.
WITNESS WHO REFUSED A TRIP.
A verdict that death was due to asphyxiation through drowning was recorded at the inquest at Swansea on Evan Williams, aged 43, commission agent, of Blackpill, Neath; Frederick Percival Bush, aged 23, air pilot of Swansea; and Sergeant-Major John Stanley Hudson Biggins, aged 36, of the R.A.S.C.. also Swansea, the three victims of the aeroplane accident over Swansea Bay. After being up for a trip the machine was preparing to alight when it nose-dived into the bay, all three men being drowned.
Jack Thomas, of Neath, said he was in charge of the motor-car that brought Evan Williams to Swansea. Williams asked Bush to take him and friend for a flight. Witness was asked to go up, but declined. There were no straps on the machine. Consequently no one was strapped in. On returning from the flight after half hour, said witness, the machine was too high to effect a landing at the ordinary spot, and it returned to a lower altitude. He believed that when banking the machine nose-dived into the water two hundred yards from shore. The machine might have side-slipped. John Marshall, the Cabin Aeroplane Depot. Swansea, said that the machine had been thoroughly overhauled and was in proper order. Witness said he could only guess the pilot lost control of the machine. The Coroner said the cause would more or less always remain a mystery."
*Blackpill is a suburban area of Swansea, Wales. It is located beside Swansea Bay, about 3 miles (4.8 km) south west of the city centre.
Registration G-EAWI cancelled 3.10.22 due to "destruction or permanent withdrawl from use of aircraft"
Sources:
1. http://afleetingpeace.org/index.php/aeroplanes/15-aeroplanes/81-register-gb-g-eb
2. https://cwsprduksumbraco.blob.core.windows.net/g-info/HistoricalLedger/G-EAWK.pdf
3. http://www.airhistory.org.uk/gy/reg_G-E1.html
4. National Archives (PRO Kew) File AVIA 5/4/C61: http://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/details/r/C6576529
5. http://www.afleetingpeace.org/index.php/business-pleasure/joyriding-companies
6. https://www.baaa-acro.com/crash/crash-avro-504k-swansea
7. http://www.rcawsey.co.uk/Accb1929.htm
8. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Blackpill
Revision history:
| Date/time | Contributor | Updates |
|---|---|---|
| 27-Sep-2008 01:00 | ASN archive | Added |
| 19-Dec-2013 01:28 | Dr. John Smith | Updated [Aircraft type, Cn, Operator, Total fatalities, Total occupants, Other fatalities, Location, Phase, Nature, Departure airport, Source, Damage, Narrative] |
| 14-Mar-2020 22:17 | Dr. John Smith | Updated [Time, Total occupants, Source, Narrative] |
| 14-Mar-2020 22:26 | Dr. John Smith | Updated [Location, Source, Narrative] |
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