ASN Wikibase Occurrence # 25003
This information is added by users of ASN. Neither ASN nor the Flight Safety Foundation are responsible for the completeness or correctness of this information.
If you feel this information is incomplete or incorrect, you can submit corrected information.
| Date: | Saturday 3 November 1934 |
| Time: | day |
| Type: |  de Havilland DH.60 Moth |
| Owner/operator: | Nottingham Flying Club Ltd |
| Registration: | G-EBXG |
| MSN: | 615 |
| Fatalities: | Fatalities: 2 / Occupants: 2 |
| Aircraft damage: | Destroyed |
| Location: | Chilwell Manor Golf Course, Meadow Lane, Beeston, Nottinghamshire -
 United Kingdom
|
| Phase: | Manoeuvring (airshow, firefighting, ag.ops.) |
| Nature: | Private |
| Departure airport: | Tollerton Airfield, Nottinghamshire |
DH.60X [Cirrus II] registered G-EBXG [C of R 1605] 4.4.28 to The De Havilland Aircraft Co Ltd, Stag Lane, Edgware, Middlesex, and used as a demonstrator. C of A 1356 issued 18.4.28. Re-registered [C of R 1819] 23.11.28 to Handley Page Ltd, Cricklewood, London for trials with automatic wing slots (known as auto-slots) to improve low-speed characteristics. This became a standard "optional extra" on Moths.
Re-registered [C of R 2416] 2.2.30 to Michael D Llewellyn Scott, Skegness, Lincolnshire. In 1930, after competing in the King's Cup (race number '100'), he crashed near Skegness when the wheels of his D.H.60X Moth G-EBXG caught a wire fence. Scott jumped clear, but his mechanic (Howard), who was still strapped in, was 'injured about the head'.
Re-registered [C of R 2864] 26.10.30 to National Flying Services Ltd, Hanworth; operated [in 1933] by Nottingham Aero Club, Tollerton. Club bought out 28.3.34 and re-registered 20.4.34 to Nottingham Flying Club Ltd, Tollerton.
Written off when crashed and destroyed by fire at Chilwell Manor Golf Course, Meadow Lane, Beeston, Nottinghamshire, 3.11.34 after wing failed during looping aerobatics; both persons on board - Flying Officer Philip S. Rook (passenger) & Pilot Officer Alan C Grant-Dalton (pilot) (both aged 24) - were killed. The crash site has been identified as in the vicinity of Ladybridge Close, Attenborough in the field that adjoins Chilwell Manor Golf Course.
People finding any wreckage were instructed to hand it in at Beeston Police Station. The package of confetti was found near the plane.
As reported in the Christchurch Star, 18 December 1934, Page 5:
"WEDDING TRAGEDY.
Two Guests Killed in Plane Accident.
BRIDAL PARTY SEES CRASH.
(Special to the “Star.”)
LONDON, November 5.
Two guests flying to a wedding with the intention of scattering confetti from the air over the bridal couple crashed and were killed at Chilwell, Nottinghamshire, a quarter of a mile from the church in which the wedding ceremony had taken place. A shower of confetti flew into the as the aeroplane hits the ground. The victims of the tragedy were Mr A. C. Grant-Dalton, who was piloting, and Philip S. Rook. Both were pilot officers of the 501st (County of Nottingham) Bomber Squadron, Auxiliary Air Force. They were flying a hired civil machine.
Ten minutes after leaving Tollerton Aerodrome for Attenborough, the scene of the wedding, the aeroplane appeared to lose a wing and fell into a field alongside Chilwell Manor golf course. It immediately burst into flames. The of the two men were badly injured. The wedding was that of Mr John Soar and Miss Janet Doreen Smith, of Beeston, and the ceremony had already taken place when the crash occurred. The wedding party had adjourned to a nearby house and saw the approach of the aeroplane, which they expected to fly over and drop confetti and possibly a pair of shoes.
Next, they were horrified to see the machine nose-dive. Mr J. Lee the golf club professional, saw the machine crash, and he and other players ran to the wreckage, but were unable to do anything owing to the flames. Mr J. E. Coogan, of Sunnydale, Long Eaton, stated that his little girl ran into the house and said that an aeroplane was breaking up in the sky. Mr W. Challis. of Sherwood, said:
"I heard a noise as if an aeroplane were backfiring. The next moment the machine dived and struck a calf and killed it. One of the occupants of the aeroplane appeared to be strapped in, and it was impossible to reach him. It seemed as if his companion had made an effort to get out as it was falling, for he was partly clear."
Mr Grant-Dalton, whose home was in South Africa, was articled to a firm of chartered accountants in Nottingham, and was a nephew of Captain A. S. Bright, a member of Nottingham Aero Club. Mr Rook, who was twenty-four, was the eldest son of the late Mr Spencer Rook, of Nottingham, and Mrs Rook, of Crawley Downs, Sussex.
He was unmarried and was educated at Brightton College. He was a. nephew of Colonel V. R. Rook, of Nottingham, with whom he was associated in business. Both men had been reserve officers with the 504th Squadron for just over two years, and had done a good deal of flying".
The plane had folding wings so that it could be stored in a smaller hangar. It had been checked before take-off and was supposed to be in good order. A verdict of accidental death was recorded by the coroner. Parachutes were not compulsory in private planes in 1934. On this occasion they would have saved the crew.
Registration G-EBXG cancelled 9.12.34 due to "destruction of aircraft".
Sources:
1. Christchurch Star, 18 December 1934, Page 5: https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/TS19341218.2.54
2. https://nottinghamlocalnews.com/beeston-history-aeroplane-crash/
3. http://www.airhistory.org.uk/gy/reg_G-E4.html
4. https://www.baaa-acro.com/crash/crash-de-havilland-dh60x-moth-chilwell-2-killed
5. http://www.ab-ix.co.uk/dh60.pdf
6. http://www.rcawsey.co.uk/Acc1934.htm
7. https://www.afleetingpeace.org/index.php/page-great-bitain-registers-g-eb/g-eb-part-2?highlight=WyJnLWVieGciXQ==
8. 1930 Kings Cup Air Race: https://www.afleetingpeace.org/index.php/pioneering-women/kings-cup-1930?highlight=WyJnLWVieGciXQ==
9. https://publicapps.caa.co.uk/docs/HistoricalMaterial/G-EBXG.pdf
10. http://www.airhistory.org.uk/dh/p006.html
11. https://www.chilwellmanorgolfclub.co.uk/the-early-years
.
Location
Revision history:
| Date/time | Contributor | Updates |
|---|---|---|
| 27-Sep-2008 01:00 | ASN archive | Added |
| 06-Jan-2014 23:27 | Dr. John Smith | Updated [Cn, Operator, Total fatalities, Total occupants, Other fatalities, Location, Phase, Nature, Departure airport, Source, Damage, Narrative] |
| 24-Aug-2017 14:06 | Dr. John Smith | Updated [Time, Location, Source, Narrative] |
| 23-Oct-2020 09:46 | Sergey L. | Updated [Source] |
| 05-Nov-2023 17:41 | Dr. John Smith | Updated [Source, Narrative, Category] |
| 06-Nov-2023 07:10 | Dr. John Smith | Updated [Source, Narrative] |
Corrections or additions? ... Edit this accident description
The Aviation Safety Network is an exclusive service provided by:
Quick Links:
| ASN Home | Send Correction / Feedback |
| FSF Home | Disclaimer | Copyright |
| Contact Us | Privacy Policy |
| Press / Media |
CONNECT WITH US:
©2024 Flight Safety Foundation