ASN Wikibase Occurrence # 190565
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| Date: | Sunday 24 January 1937 |
| Time: | day |
| Type: | British Klemm BK.1 Eagle |
| Owner/operator: | Mary Bradford Shepherd |
| Registration: | VH-USI |
| MSN: | 25 |
| Fatalities: | Fatalities: 3 / Occupants: 3 |
| Aircraft damage: | Destroyed |
| Location: | Mascot, Sydney, NSW -
 Australia
|
| Phase: | Take off |
| Nature: | Private |
| Departure airport: | Mascot, Sydney, NSW (SYD/YSSY) |
| Confidence Rating: |  Information is only available from news, social media or unofficial sources |
c/no 25: Registered as G-ACTR [C of R 5117] 14.6.34 to British Klemm Aeroplane Co Ltd, Hanworth, Middlesex. Registration cancelled 9.34 as sold. C of A 4539 issued 4.10.34 to Adastra Airways Ltd, Sydney. Re-registered VH-USI [C of R 499] 14.12.34 to J.N. Lawrie, Gloucester, NSW. Sold 14.9.36 to Mrs F Shepherd [aka Ms May Bradford], Mascot, Sydney, NSW.
Departed Brisbane, Queensland 16.12.36 as an entrant in the 3 day South Australian Centenary Air Race from Brisbane to Adelaide, pilot was owner May Bradford. Race number 34, type listed as Klemm Eagle. Named 'The Golden Eagle'
Written off (destroyed) 24.1.37: Takeoff collision, destroyed by fire at Sydney Airport, Mascot, NSW. Pilot/owner Ms. May Bradford with two passengers had just lifted off the ground on takeoff when the Eagle's undercarriage struck the left wing of Desoutter VH-UEE which was taxying for departure. Both aircraft were conducting joy rides. The Desoutter pilot, George Hoskins, had stopped when he saw the Eagle approaching.
After impact the Eagle struck the ground, overturned and burst into a fierce fire. All 3 on board died. The Desoutter was badly damaged but the occupants escaped injury
According to a contemporary newspaper report (The Telegraph (Brisbane, Queensland) Monday 25 Jan 1937, Page 11 - see link #5)
"THREE INCINERATED IN PLANE SMASH
Airwoman's Son Sees Tragedy
SYDNEY, January 25.
Miss May Bradford (Mrs. Shepherd), the well-known Queensland airwoman, and two passengers whom she was taking for a flight across the Harbour, were incinerated at the Mascot aerodrome yesterday afternoon when Miss Bradford's plane crashed from 50 feet and burst into flames.
The other victims were: —
MISS HARRIET JANE COLEY, about 37, of Darlinghurst; and
MISS ELLEN LATIMER, about 35, of Point Piper.
The tragedy was witnessed by Mrs. Shepherd's 15 years old son. Miss Bradford was about to take her two passengers for a short flight across the harbour. The plane look off, rose 50 feet, and then plunged to the ground. It tore a wing from a stationary plane on the ground before bursting into flames. The heat was so intense that rescue was impossible".
Sources:
1. https://www.ab-ix.co.uk/pdfs/BK_BAMco.pdf
2. https://www.afleetingpeace.org/index.php/page-gb-registers-g-ac
3. https://www.goodall.com.au/australian-aviation/ba-eagle/baeagle.html
4. http://www.santafe.gov.ar/hemerotecadigital/diario/3143/
5. The Telegraph (Brisbane, Queensland) Monday 25 Jan 1937, Page 11:
https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/181354470?searchTerm=Shepherd
6. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sydney_Airport#1930%E2%80%931960
Revision history:
| Date/time | Contributor | Updates |
|---|---|---|
| 08-Oct-2016 19:48 | TB | Added |
| 08-Oct-2016 19:55 | TB | Updated [Operator, Other fatalities, Nature, Source, Narrative] |
| 17-Aug-2021 15:35 | Cobar | Updated [Aircraft type, Registration, Cn, Operator, Phase, Departure airport, Source, Narrative] |
| 07-Jun-2022 23:05 | Ron Averes | Updated [Location] |
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