October 1926 Air Union Blériot 155 crash
Encyclopedia
The October 1926 Air Union Blériot 155 crash happened on 2 October 1926 at Leigh, Kent
when Blériot 155
F-AICQ caught fire in mid-air and crashed while the pilot attempted to make an emergency landing at Penshurst Airfield
. Both members of crew and all five passengers were killed. This was the first in-flight fire occurring on an airliner.
F-AICQ Clement Ader
, c/n 1. The aircraft had been registered to Compagnie Air Union
in May 1926.
, Paris at 1:30 pm local time
(12:30 pm GMT) bound for Croydon Airport
. On board were the pilot and his mechanic, two male and three female passengers and 1800 pounds (816.5 kg) of cargo, consisting of motor spares and furs.
At 3:24 pm GMT, the pilot radioed ahead to Croydon "OK, passing over Tonbridge
. All well." At 3:27 pm, eye-witnesses reported seeing the aircraft with the port upper engine on fire. The fire was seen to spread to the wing and the aircraft changed direction, evidently heading for Penshurst Airfield
. Eyewitnesses described the tail of the aircraft sinking whilst the aircraft gained a little height. Then the aircraft rolled over and dived to the ground where the wreckage was consumed by fire. The aircraft crashed in the grounds of a house named Southwood, in Leigh, Kent
.
Three members of the public and a policeman
attempted to rescue the passengers and crew on board the aircraft. One female passenger was pulled from the wreckage but discovered to be dead. The pilot had been thrown clear in the crash and killed. The mechanic and the other four passengers were all killed instantly and trapped in the burning wreckage. During the rescue attempts, a petrol tank exploded and the wreckage was left to burn itself out.
The victims were removed to the coach-house of Southwood, where a temporary morgue was set up. The smouldering wreckage was guarded overnight by the local police and an official from the Air Ministry
arrived the next morning to begin his investigation into the crash. Around 6,000 sightseers came to see the wreckage, their presence causing congestion in the narrow lanes and necessitating the area being cordoned off so that the investigators could carry out their work and also to prevent contamination of the evidence.
The inquest was held on 5 October at The Priory, Hildenborough
. Representatives from British national newspapers attended, as well as those from elsewhere. Evidence heard covered two areas; the identity of the victims and the cause of the crash. The jury were informed that they might make any recommendations that they saw fit. A doctor gave evidence that all the victims had suffered multiple fractures, and that death would have occurred within a short time of the accident. The aircraft had been inspected before the flight, and a certificate issued by Bureau Veritas
showing that it was fit for flight. The pilot was experienced, with over 2,000 hours flying time, and had been in the employ of Air Union since 1920. He had made 61 return flights between Paris and London. On being questioned, Major Cooper of the Air Ministry stated that there had never been a previous case of an airliner catching fire in the air. The jury returned a verdict of "Accidental death" against all seven victims. The behaviour of the spectators was deplored by both jury and coroner.
Leigh, Kent
Leigh , historically spelled Lyghe, is a village and a civil parish located in the Sevenoaks district of Kent, England. It is located six miles south of Sevenoaks town and three miles west of Tonbridge....
when Blériot 155
Blériot 155
-References:* * *...
F-AICQ caught fire in mid-air and crashed while the pilot attempted to make an emergency landing at Penshurst Airfield
Penshurst Airfield
Penshurst Airfield was an airfield in operation between 1916–36 and 1940–46. Initially a military airfield, after the First World War it was used as an alternate destination to Croydon Airport, with some civil flying taking place...
. Both members of crew and all five passengers were killed. This was the first in-flight fire occurring on an airliner.
Aircraft
The accident aircraft was Blériot 155 registrationAircraft registration
An aircraft registration is a unique alphanumeric string that identifies a civil aircraft, in similar fashion to a licence plate on an automobile...
F-AICQ Clement Ader
Clément Ader
Clément Ader was a French inventor and engineer born in Muret, Haute Garonne, and is remembered primarily for his pioneering work in aviation.- The inventor :...
, c/n 1. The aircraft had been registered to Compagnie Air Union
Air Union
Air Union was a French airline established 1 January 1923 as the result of a merger between the airlines Compagnie des Messageries Aériennes and Compagnie des Grands Express Aériens...
in May 1926.
Accident
On 2 October 1926, the aircraft departed Le Bourget AirportParis – Le Bourget Airport
Paris – Le Bourget Airport is an airport located in Le Bourget, Bonneuil-en-France, and Dugny, north-northeast of Paris, France. It is now used only for general aviation as well as air shows...
, Paris at 1:30 pm local time
UTC+1
UTC+01:00 is an identifier for a time offset from UTC of +01:00. In ISO 8601 the associated time would be written as .This time is used in:*Central European Time*West Africa Time*Western European Summer Time**British Summer Time**Irish Standard Time...
(12:30 pm GMT) bound for 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...
. On board were the pilot and his mechanic, two male and three female passengers and 1800 pounds (816.5 kg) of cargo, consisting of motor spares and furs.
At 3:24 pm GMT, the pilot radioed ahead to Croydon "OK, passing over Tonbridge
Tonbridge
Tonbridge is a market town in the English county of Kent, with a population of 30,340 in 2007. It is located on the River Medway, approximately 4 miles north of Tunbridge Wells, 12 miles south west of Maidstone and 29 miles south east of London...
. All well." At 3:27 pm, eye-witnesses reported seeing the aircraft with the port upper engine on fire. The fire was seen to spread to the wing and the aircraft changed direction, evidently heading for Penshurst Airfield
Penshurst Airfield
Penshurst Airfield was an airfield in operation between 1916–36 and 1940–46. Initially a military airfield, after the First World War it was used as an alternate destination to Croydon Airport, with some civil flying taking place...
. Eyewitnesses described the tail of the aircraft sinking whilst the aircraft gained a little height. Then the aircraft rolled over and dived to the ground where the wreckage was consumed by fire. The aircraft crashed in the grounds of a house named Southwood, in Leigh, Kent
Leigh, Kent
Leigh , historically spelled Lyghe, is a village and a civil parish located in the Sevenoaks district of Kent, England. It is located six miles south of Sevenoaks town and three miles west of Tonbridge....
.
Three members of the public and a policeman
Constable
A constable is a person holding a particular office, most commonly in law enforcement. The office of constable can vary significantly in different jurisdictions.-Etymology:...
attempted to rescue the passengers and crew on board the aircraft. One female passenger was pulled from the wreckage but discovered to be dead. The pilot had been thrown clear in the crash and killed. The mechanic and the other four passengers were all killed instantly and trapped in the burning wreckage. During the rescue attempts, a petrol tank exploded and the wreckage was left to burn itself out.
The victims were removed to the coach-house of Southwood, where a temporary morgue was set up. The smouldering wreckage was guarded overnight by the local police and an official from the Air Ministry
Air Ministry
The Air Ministry was a department of the British Government with the responsibility of managing the affairs of the Royal Air Force, that existed from 1918 to 1964...
arrived the next morning to begin his investigation into the crash. Around 6,000 sightseers came to see the wreckage, their presence causing congestion in the narrow lanes and necessitating the area being cordoned off so that the investigators could carry out their work and also to prevent contamination of the evidence.
The inquest was held on 5 October at The Priory, Hildenborough
Hildenborough
Hildenborough is a village and rural parish in the District of Tonbridge and Malling, Kent. It is two miles north-west of Tonbridge and five miles south-east of Sevenoaks...
. Representatives from British national newspapers attended, as well as those from elsewhere. Evidence heard covered two areas; the identity of the victims and the cause of the crash. The jury were informed that they might make any recommendations that they saw fit. A doctor gave evidence that all the victims had suffered multiple fractures, and that death would have occurred within a short time of the accident. The aircraft had been inspected before the flight, and a certificate issued by Bureau Veritas
Bureau Veritas
Bureau Veritas S.A. is a multinational company providing conformity assessment, certification and consulting services to industry, government and individuals. Originally formed in Antwerp in 1828 as Bureau de Renseignements pour les Assurances Maritimes , the Bureau Veritas name was adopted in 1829...
showing that it was fit for flight. The pilot was experienced, with over 2,000 hours flying time, and had been in the employ of Air Union since 1920. He had made 61 return flights between Paris and London. On being questioned, Major Cooper of the Air Ministry stated that there had never been a previous case of an airliner catching fire in the air. The jury returned a verdict of "Accidental death" against all seven victims. The behaviour of the spectators was deplored by both jury and coroner.
Casualties
| Nationality | Crew | Passengers | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
 English |
– | 5 | 5 |
 French |
2 | – | 2 |
| Total | 2 | 5 | 7 |