City of Liverpool (aircraft)
Encyclopedia
The City of Liverpool disaster was the fatal accident of an Armstrong Whitworth Argosy II
aeroplane flown by British
airline Imperial Airways
named City of Liverpool on 28 March 1933 near Dixmude, northern Belgium
after an onboard fire. At the time it was the deadliest accident in the history of British civil aviation. It has been suggested that this was the first airliner ever lost to sabotage, and in the immediate aftermath suspicion centred on one passenger, Dr. Albert Voss, who seemingly jumped from the aircraft before it crashed.
and then making the brief traverse over the Kent countryside to land at Croydon Airport
in Surrey, a journey that was estimated to take two hours from the aircraft's slightly delayed take-off just after 12:30pm.
While flying over the fields of northern Belgium, the aircraft was seen by onlookers on the ground to catch fire before losing altitude and plunging into the ground. As the aircraft began its descent, a passenger was seen to exit the aeroplane and fall to earth parachute-less. He was subsequently identified as Dr Albert Voss, a German
Jew who had emigrated to the United Kingdom
where he practised as a dentist in Manchester
. Just before crashing, at approximately 200 feet, the aircraft split in two and the two separate portions of the aeroplane impacted the ground separately, instantly killing all those still on board.
The subsequent investigation found that the fire had started towards the rear of the plane, in either the lavatory or the luggage area at the back of the cabin. No items recovered from the front portion of the aircraft after the crash showed any evidence of fire damage before the impact, nor was there any evidence of fire in the engines or fuel systems. The investigators narrowed the cause down to the firing of some combustible substance, either accidentally by a passenger or crew member or through vibration or some other natural occurrence, or deliberately by bombing.
At the inquest
into Voss's death at least one witness, Voss's estranged brother, accused him of being responsible, claiming that Voss's business trips to the continent to buy anaesthetics masked a lucrative sideline in drug smuggling, a rumour that had followed Voss for some time before his death and which had allegedly been the subject of investigations by the Metropolitan Police
. Voss's brother alleged that he and his partner (who was also travelling aboard the aircraft) were aware that the authorities were on to them, and that Voss sought to escape from the authorities by destroying the aircraft (using various flammable substances to which his job gave him easy access) he was travelling on and bailing out in the confused circumstances, hoping that in the confusion nobody would notice one less body than there should be. An autopsy of his corpse showed that, other than some minor burns, Voss was unharmed before he left the aircraft. The inquest jury eventually returned an open verdict
(a verdict that the jury has suspicions that the death may not be accidental but is unable on the evidence before them to come to an explicit conclusion that this is so), rather than the verdict of accidental death the coroner
attempted to direct them towards.
Armstrong Whitworth Argosy
-Video:*-References:NotesBibliography*Mondey, David, ed., The Complete Illustrated Encyclopedia of the World's Aircraft: Military and Civil Aviation From the Beginnings to the Present Day. Secaucus, New Jersey: Chartwell Books Inc., 1978, ISBN 0-89009-771-2....
aeroplane flown by British
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
airline Imperial Airways
Imperial Airways
Imperial Airways was the early British commercial long range air transport company, operating from 1924 to 1939 and serving parts of Europe but especially the Empire routes to South Africa, India and the Far East...
named City of Liverpool on 28 March 1933 near Dixmude, northern Belgium
Belgium
Belgium , officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a federal state in Western Europe. It is a founding member of the European Union and hosts the EU's headquarters, and those of several other major international organisations such as NATO.Belgium is also a member of, or affiliated to, many...
after an onboard fire. At the time it was the deadliest accident in the history of British civil aviation. It has been suggested that this was the first airliner ever lost to sabotage, and in the immediate aftermath suspicion centred on one passenger, Dr. Albert Voss, who seemingly jumped from the aircraft before it crashed.
Accident
The aircraft was employed on Imperial's regular London-Brussels-Cologne route, which it had plied for the previous five years. On this leg of the journey the plane was travelling from Brussels to London, which route would take it north from Brussels heading over Flanders Fields before crossing the coast for the 50-mile hop across the English ChannelEnglish Channel
The English Channel , often referred to simply as the Channel, is an arm of the Atlantic Ocean that separates southern England from northern France, and joins the North Sea to the Atlantic. It is about long and varies in width from at its widest to in the Strait of Dover...
and then making the brief traverse over the Kent countryside to land at Croydon Airport
Croydon Airport
Croydon Airport was an airport in South London which straddled the boundary between what are now the London boroughs of Croydon and Sutton. It was the main airport for London before it was replaced by Northolt Aerodrome, London Heathrow Airport and London Gatwick Airport...
in Surrey, a journey that was estimated to take two hours from the aircraft's slightly delayed take-off just after 12:30pm.
While flying over the fields of northern Belgium, the aircraft was seen by onlookers on the ground to catch fire before losing altitude and plunging into the ground. As the aircraft began its descent, a passenger was seen to exit the aeroplane and fall to earth parachute-less. He was subsequently identified as Dr Albert Voss, a German
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
Jew who had emigrated to the United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
where he practised as a dentist in Manchester
Manchester
Manchester is a city and metropolitan borough in Greater Manchester, England. According to the Office for National Statistics, the 2010 mid-year population estimate for Manchester was 498,800. Manchester lies within one of the UK's largest metropolitan areas, the metropolitan county of Greater...
. Just before crashing, at approximately 200 feet, the aircraft split in two and the two separate portions of the aeroplane impacted the ground separately, instantly killing all those still on board.
The subsequent investigation found that the fire had started towards the rear of the plane, in either the lavatory or the luggage area at the back of the cabin. No items recovered from the front portion of the aircraft after the crash showed any evidence of fire damage before the impact, nor was there any evidence of fire in the engines or fuel systems. The investigators narrowed the cause down to the firing of some combustible substance, either accidentally by a passenger or crew member or through vibration or some other natural occurrence, or deliberately by bombing.
At the inquest
Inquest
Inquests in England and Wales are held into sudden and unexplained deaths and also into the circumstances of discovery of a certain class of valuable artefacts known as "treasure trove"...
into Voss's death at least one witness, Voss's estranged brother, accused him of being responsible, claiming that Voss's business trips to the continent to buy anaesthetics masked a lucrative sideline in drug smuggling, a rumour that had followed Voss for some time before his death and which had allegedly been the subject of investigations by the Metropolitan Police
Metropolitan police
Metropolitan Police is a generic title for the municipal police force for a major metropolitan area, and it may be part of the official title of the force...
. Voss's brother alleged that he and his partner (who was also travelling aboard the aircraft) were aware that the authorities were on to them, and that Voss sought to escape from the authorities by destroying the aircraft (using various flammable substances to which his job gave him easy access) he was travelling on and bailing out in the confused circumstances, hoping that in the confusion nobody would notice one less body than there should be. An autopsy of his corpse showed that, other than some minor burns, Voss was unharmed before he left the aircraft. The inquest jury eventually returned an open verdict
Open verdict
The Open verdict is an option open to a Coroner's jury at an Inquest in the legal system of England and Wales. The verdict strictly means that the jury confirms that the death is suspicious but is unable to reach any of the other verdicts open to them...
(a verdict that the jury has suspicions that the death may not be accidental but is unable on the evidence before them to come to an explicit conclusion that this is so), rather than the verdict of accidental death the coroner
Coroner
A coroner is a government official who* Investigates human deaths* Determines cause of death* Issues death certificates* Maintains death records* Responds to deaths in mass disasters* Identifies unknown dead* Other functions depending on local laws...
attempted to direct them towards.