ASN Wikibase Occurrence # 191356
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| Date: | Thursday 28 March 1935 |
| Time: | day |
| Type: |  de Havilland DH.60M Moth |
| Owner/operator: | Brooklands Flying Club |
| Registration: | G-AALX |
| MSN: | 1410 |
| Fatalities: | Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 0 |
| Other fatalities: | 1 |
| Aircraft damage: | Minor |
| Location: | Croydon Airport, Croydon, Surrey -
 United Kingdom
|
| Phase: | Standing |
| Nature: | Private |
| Departure airport: | Croydon Airport, Croydon, Surrey (EGCR) |
DH.60M [Gipsy I] registered as G-AALX [C of R 2148] 6.9.29 to Airwork Ltd, Heston, Middlesex. C of A 2219 issued 27.9.29. Sold 1930 and re-registered [C of R 3075] 3.31 to Percival H Meadway, t/a West Kent School of Flying, West Malling; [renamed West Kent Aero Club later in 1931]. Registered [C of R 3417] 9.31 to John L Burgess, West Malling. Re-registered [C of R 3882] 7.32 to Maidstone Airport Ltd, t/a Maidstone Aero Club, West Malling.
Re-registered [C of R 4131] 1.33 to [Count] John E Johnston-Noad, t/a Maidstone Aero Club, West Malling. Re-registered [C of R 5055] 9.5.34 to Brooklands Flying Club Ltd, Brooklands, Weybridge, Surrey.
In its life time (1929-37) DH.60 Moth G-AALX was involved into two fatal accidents. The first accident occurred at Croydon on 28 March 1935. The pilot, Major Brian Stuart Benning, was swinging the propeller of G-AALX to start the engine. Seemingly there was no-one in the cockpit and the wheels of the Moth were not chocked. Thus, when the engine started, the Moth advanced and Major Benning failed to get out of the way. He was struck by the propeller. Seriously injured, he was taken to hospital where he died the next day. It appears that the aeroplane suffered no damage. According to a contemporary newspaper report into the incident ("Chelmsford Chronicle" - Friday 5 April 1935):
"WIRELESS EXPERT DEATH OF MAJOR B. S. BENNING.
Major Brian Stuart Benning, a highly skilled wireless engineer pilot, was struck by an aeroplane propeller at Croydon aerodrome, and died in Croydon Hospital the same night from injuries to his left arm and side.
Major Benning, who was 42, was trained originally for the sea as a cadet on H.M S. Conway, but decided instead to specialise as a wireless engineer. He had been with the Marconi Wireless Telegraph Company for about two years when war broke out. He entered the R.N.A.S. and became an expert balloonist. After acting as an instructor in free ballooning, he commanded kite balloon sections, and became an aeroplane pilot, serving as an instructor at Cranwell in 1916-17, and later in France.
Returning to civil life as a wireless engineer, he played an important part in developing communications in various parts of the world, notably in Chile, Mexico, India, and Greece. From 1925 to 1932 he was the Marconi company's special representative in Japan, where he equipped several broadcasting stations. He had for many years been engaged upon research and other work, and was extremely popular with the staff at the Chelmsford works. He took up flying again when he was 40, and quickly obtained his "A" licence.
Major Benning, who lived at Surbiton, leaves a widow and two children. He formerly resided at Fassett House, Great Baddow, until last year, when he moved to The Crescent, Surbiton. While at Great Baddow he was a popular member the British Legion and treasurer of the branch"
G-AALX was repaired and returned to service, but was written off in a fatal accident when it crashed into the sea off Shoreham, West Sussex on 24.9.37 (see separate entry)
Sources:
1. "Flight" Magazine April 4, 1935 at https://www.flightglobal.com/FlightPDFArchive/1935/1935%20-%200768.PDF [paywall]
2. Chelmsford Chronicle - Friday 5 April 1935
3. https://www.afleetingpeace.org/index.php/gb-registers-g-aa/g-aa-part-1?highlight=WyJnLWFhbHgiXQ==
4. http://www.rcawsey.co.uk/Acc1937.htm
5. http://www.rafcommands.com/forum/showthread.php?17884-RAF-fatalities-1935
6. https://ab-ix.co.uk/pdfs/dh60.pdf
7. http://sussexhistoryforum.co.uk/index.php?topic=15511.0
8. https://cwsprduksumbraco.blob.core.windows.net/g-info/HistoricalLedger/G-AALX.pdf
9. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Croydon_Airport#Expansion
History of this aircraft
Other occurrences involving this aircraft
| 24 September 1937 | G-AALX | Brooklands Flying Club | 0 | Sea off Shoreham Harbour, Shoreham-by-sea, West Sussex | |
w/o |
Location
Revision history:
| Date/time | Contributor | Updates |
|---|---|---|
| 15-Nov-2016 23:44 | Dr.John Smith | Added |
| 19-Nov-2016 16:41 | TB | Updated [Operator, Total fatalities, Other fatalities, Location, Departure airport, Source, Narrative] |
| 30-Sep-2017 20:01 | Dr. John Smith | Updated [Operator, Departure airport, Source, Narrative] |
| 29-Feb-2020 21:30 | Dr. John Smith | Updated [Source, Narrative] |
| 29-Feb-2020 21:41 | Dr. John Smith | Updated [Source] |
| 31-Oct-2023 19:48 | Dr. John Smith | Updated [[Source]] |
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