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Date: | Tuesday 19 April 1927 |
Time: | day |
Type: | Vickers Virginia Mk VI |
Owner/operator: | 9 Sqn RAF |
Registration: | J7714 |
MSN: | |
Fatalities: | Fatalities: 4 / Occupants: 4 |
Aircraft damage: | Destroyed |
Location: | RAF Eastchurch, Eastchurch, Isle of Sheppey, Kent -
United Kingdom
|
Phase: | Take off |
Nature: | Military |
Departure airport: | RAF Eastchurch, Eastchurch, Isle of Sheppey, Kent |
Destination airport: | |
Confidence Rating: | Information is only available from news, social media or unofficial sources |
Narrative:Vickers Virginia Mk.VI J7714, 9 Squadron, RAF Manston, Kent: Written off 19/4/1927 when crashed after hitting parked D.H.9A on take-off, RAF Eastchurch, Eastchurch, Isle of Sheppey, Kent. All four crew killed:
Flying Officer William James Kelly (aged 24) killed
Pilot Officer John Frederick Dowdeswell (aged 21) killed
Flight Sgt Albert George Alderton (Service Number 134932, aged 32) killed
AC.2 Everett Daniels (Service Number 157294, aged 25) killed
The Virginia collided with wing of stationary aircraft at Eastchurch, but continued its take-off, rose to 100 ft, then crashed and burst into flames. J7714 was the last Vickers Virginia Mk.VI to be operated by IX (9) Squadron, which had been taken on strength by the squadron in July 1926. The accident was debated in Parliament. According to "Hansard" the official record of debates in the House of Commons (see link #9):
"FATAL ACCIDENT (EASTCHURCH).
HC Deb 04 May 1927 vol 205 c1615 1615
Colonel DAY asked the Secretary of State for Air if he can state the result of the inquiry held on the accident at East-church with reference to the accident to the Vickers-Virginia night-bomber on 19th April, in which four lives were lost?
The SECRETARY of STATE for AIR (Sir Samuel Hoare) I am not prepared to publish the findings of Courts of Inquiry of this character and would remind the hon. Member of the terms of my reply to his question of the 6th April.
Colonel DAY Can the right hon. Gentleman say whether this pilot was used to a machine of such wide wing-spread as the Virginia?
Sir S. HOARE No, Sir; I am afraid I cannot give that answer."
Sources:
1. A Century of Air Warfare With Nine (IX) Squadron, RAF: Still Going Strong By Gordon Thorburn
2. IX (9) Squadron RAF ORB for 19/4/1927
3. PRO Kew File AIR29/588 Eastchurch Armament & Gunnery School ORB for 19/4/1927
4.
http://www.rcawsey.co.uk/Acc1929.htm 5.
http://www.rafcommands.com/forum/showthread.php?17307-RAF-fatalities-1927 6.
http://www.kenthistoryforum.co.uk/index.php?topic=18263.0 7.
http://www.rafcommands.com/forum/showthread.php?17307-RAF-fatalities-1927/page2 8.
https://www.facebook.com/manstonhistory/posts/2119299214972517 9.
https://api.parliament.uk/historic-hansard/commons/1927/may/04/fatal-accident-eastchurch Media:
Revision history:
Date/time | Contributor | Updates |
14-Jun-2018 00:34 |
Dr. John Smith |
Added |
10-Nov-2018 06:59 |
Nepa |
Updated [Operator, Embed code, Operator] |