ASN Wikibase Occurrence # 200851
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| Date: | Sunday 2 September 1934 |
| Time: | 18:00 LT |
| Type: |  de Havilland DH.60G Moth |
| Owner/operator: | Kent Flying Club |
| Registration: | G-AAEU |
| MSN: | 916 |
| Fatalities: | Fatalities: 2 / Occupants: 2 |
| Aircraft damage: | Destroyed |
| Location: | Adisham Downs, near Charing, Kent -
 United Kingdom
|
| Phase: | En route |
| Nature: | Private |
| Departure airport: | Berkesbourne Aerodrome, Canterbury, Kent |
DH.60G [Gipsy I] registered G-AAEU [C of R 1892] 21.2.29 to Miss Olive M. Tremayne-Miles, Badminton. Gloucestershire. C of A 1863 issued 21.3.29; delivered 6.4.29. Based at Filton and occasionally used by The Bristol & Wessex Aeroplane Club. Owner emigrated and Moth put up for sale by club 10.29; believed remained operated by Bristol & Wessex Aeroplane Club.
Registered [C of R 3004] 2.31 to Joseph L. Masheter, Blackpool, Lancashire. Registered [C of R 4593] 10.7.33 to Phillips & Powis Aircraft (Reading) Ltd, Woodley, Reading, Berkshire. Registered [C of R 4601] 19.7.33 to Robert Christian Ramsay, (as a replacement for G-AAWX) and operated by Kent Flying Club, Bekesbourne, Canterbury, Kent
Written off (destroyed) when stalled and crashed during aerial treasure hunt at Adisham Downs, near Charing, Kent 2.9.34; pilot Norman Ian Ramsay [owner's son, aged 19] and passenger John Wilfred James (aged 33) were killed. According to a local newspaper, which reported on the inquest into the deaths of the two persons on board ("Dover Express" - Friday 7 September 1934)
"AEROPLANE FATALITY AT NONINGTON.
AIR TREASURE HUNTS CRITICISED BY CORONER.
Mr. John Wilfrid James, son of the Hon. Mrs. Wilfrid James, of "Woodlands," Adisham, near Canterbury, and Mr. Norman Ian Ramsay, son of Mr. R. C. Ramsay, of "Howletts," Canterbury, were killed while taking part on Sunday in a "treasure hunt." near Aylesham. Mr. James was cousin of Lord Northbourne, and was aged 33. The inquest was held by the East Kent Coroner (Mr. R. Mowll) at the Sessions House, Wingham, on Tuesday. Mr. R. Lucy was foreman of the Jury.
Charles Sampson, "Woodlands," Adisham, chauffeur to the Hon. Mrs. Wilfrid James, identified the body of John W. James, who was aged 33 years. He was in business in Canterbury. Alexander Robert Ramsay, "Howletts," Bekesbourne, gave evidence of identification in the case of Norman Ian Ramsay, who was his brother, aged 19 years. The deceased had just left school and was going to read medicine at Cambridge in October. His actual hours flown were about forty, and on Sunday he was flying a Gipsy Moth biplane belonging to the Kent Flying Club.
The Coroner: The aircraft log book shows the total flying hours of this machine to be 220 hours since its last overhaul. A pilot's certificate and licence were issued by the Air Ministry to Ramsay on May 19th, 1933, and renewed on the corresponding date in 1934. The last medical examination was on May 14th this year, when the pilot was fit.
Dr. W. H. Nettelfield, Wingham, said that he received a telephone message about the crash at about 6 o'clock. He went to the scene at once and found James lying dead in a field at Ratling. His skull was fractured at the base and there was also a fracture of the cranium. These injuries were sufficient to be the cause of death. He also attended Ramsay, who was lying on the ground suffering from shock and bleeding from a wound in the perineum, as if he had been spiked by the fall. He also had dislocation of his left ankle joint. He was conscious and answered him. Dr. H. Treissman, house surgeon at the Kent and Canterbury Hospital, said that he went in the ambulance to the scene of the accident. Ramsay was admitted to the Hospital at 6.25 p.m. Everything possible was done but he died 10.30, the cause of death being shock and haemorrhage. The deceased gave no explanation of the accident.
Arnold Leslie Andress, 2, Bridge Road, Wembley, Middlesex, a master decorator, and a member of the Kent Flying Club, said that on Sunday he was taking part in what was known as an air treasure hunt. He was driving a car, which had a cloth on the bonnet bearing a number. The idea was that the plane had to spot the number on the car, note its position, and report it. The Coroner said that the size of the figures on the cloth (produced), which was similar to the one on the car driven by witness, was 11½ inches by 13 inches.
The Coroner: Were there many cars taking part in the game? Witness: There were probably forty bearing numbers taking part, and the game was for the aeroplane to locate the cars. Two planes were taking part. If one machine found us, we gained points and if the other we lost them. Witness, continuing his evidence, said that he was driving his car near to the place of the crash, and could tell that the plane had seen them, as it was circling round, to read their number. He did not see the first circle, but the plane came into view on witness's right and did a right-hand turn, which brought it over the top of them. The pilot then made a large left-hand circle, which brought him towards the car, and closed his throttle a fraction to reduce speed. The aeroplane gradually came down to about 200 to 250 feet, at which height the pilot immediately straightened out, but as he did so the nose dropped and the machine went into complete right-hand spin. Ramsay tried to straighten out with full throttle but did not get sufficient height to clear the ground, which he hit at 30 degrees. Witness immediately rushed over to the plane with Mr. Reid, who was in the car with him, and they got Ramsay out. James, they found right under the machine, he just groaned and was dead.
The Coroner. It seems from what you have said that in coming down to spot the number on the top of your bonnet they lost flying speed. This the pilot tried to rectify, but was too near the ground and so crashed Do you think the machine was at fault all? No, the machine was perfect. The coroner: Have you taken part in any of these treasure hunts before No. The Coroner. What I have been wondering is "is it really worth it?" Witness: That's difficult to say. We all have our likes and dislikes. The Coroner: It's almost part of the game that the aeroplane should come down very low. The plane has to come low in order to read the number? Yes. The Coroner: There is great risk of people in the aeroplane losing their lives, as in this case. What about the general Public?
John Antony Reid, la, New Covenant Place. Rochester, a 17 years old aircraft apprentice, corroborated the evidence of the previous witness. The Coroner: You are pretty enthusiastic, I expect, on flying. Is it a well known practice for these flying clubs to have treasure hunts? I think they do have. The Coroner. Over public places? Yes, I think so.
John Howard Barrincor, Patrixbourne, a Flight-Lieutenant in the RAF Reserve, said he was employed by the Kent Flying Club, as instructor. The deceased pilot, Ramsay, was above the average as pilots go and he had done 11½ hours dual instruction and 28½ hours solo flying. The Coroner: Has the machine been overhauled recently? Yes sir, every day. The Coroner: Yes, but there is a thorough overhaul periodically, isn't there It was reconditioned in February last. The Coroner: Was there any fault in this machine including the engine? None whatsoever. The Coroner: What do you say, having heard the evidence, was the cause of this fatality? Witness: I should say the machine stalled and went into a spin. The pilot adopted the correct procedure to rectify it, but struck the ground before the machine got out of the resulting dive. The coroner: It looks as if there were no fault on the part of anyone. That will not do, you know. I want you to explain how it was that those two lives were lost. What was the cause of their deaths? Witness: An error of judgment. The Coroner: Yes, I have heard that before. What was the error of judgment Witness: Stalling. The Coroner: What was that Losing flying speed. The Coroner: And that was through flying too low, wasn't it? Witness: By evidence. Yes. The Coroner: What about this business of a treasure hunt. Are they fairly common in flying clubs? I believe they are organised. I have taken part in one here before. It was not a flying club treasure hunt; it was a hospital treasure hunt for motor cars and not aircraft. The planes were a very minor part.
The Coroner: I don't want to put you in a difficult position with your Club, but I am entitled to know, on behalf of the public, whether it is considered desirable that these planes should take part in these treasure hunts, involving low flying which, in this particular case, has meant the death of two young men. Witness: If the rules are complied with there is no need for low flying and there should be no danger. The Coroner: You say there is no danger in trying to read a number 11 inches long. Witness: Observers are supplied with prismatic glasses enabling them to read at a thousand feet. Without the glasses the number could be read from five to six hundred feet. I personally handed over the glasses before the plane left, to Mr. James. The Coroner: I think you found afterwards that he had not taken them with him? Yes. The Coroner: So, they went up as far as you know without any glasses? It seems so. The Coroner: In a civilian flying club, as you know, you cannot have the same discipline as in the service. They would insist on every man taking his glasses with him. Witness: There are very strict rules at the club about low flying and as far as possible they are enforced. The Coroner: I would like to suggest the undesirability of treasure hunts. It seems to me, that although you may have strict rules that people are not to fly low, it is a very tempting thing to do. Witness: If they are found out they are rebuked. There is a club rule that members caught flying low will be required to resign and this has been enforced before now. The Coroner: Did you warn the pilot? Witness: I told him not to fly low and to avoid villages and farms and to pay attention to the aircraft and leave the observing to Mr. James.
The Coroner: I appreciate that in this case there was a great temptation to come down low which rather emphasises my suggestion that this is not a very safe practice. I think you should put to the flying club that is most undesirable to have these treasure hunts. It is a danger to other people besides themselves. Witness: Personally, I don't think there will be any more with aeroplanes. The Coroner: I am very glad to hear you say so.
A Juryman: If they could read the number from 500 feet why come down to 250 feet? Another Juryman: I have been on a building in New York just over 600 feet high and it's all you can do to see people moving about. I think 500 feet must be exaggerated. The Coroner: I don't think the witness meant to exaggerate, but it struck me he must have very good long-distance sight.
Raymond Turner, 2, Station Cottages, Adisham Road, Ratling, a miner at Snowdown Colliery, said he heard a thud and looking out of the window he could just see the tail of the plane that had crashed. He went out and tried to render help. The pilot said "Mind my legs."
P.C. Wood (K.C.C. Wingham) said that shortly before 6 p.m. on Sunday he heard a plane flying very low. He looked out of his window which overlooks the Staple Road and saw a red aeroplane which apparently had just cleared the top of Blackney Hill. It flew in the direction of Adisham. P.C. Reid (Aylesham) said that the place where the crash took place was about 40 yards south of the Adisham—Aylesham road in field, about quarter of a mile from Adisham Station.
The coroner, summing up, said he thought the verdict should be that these men met their death by misadventure. He knew their feelings would be of sympathy to Mrs. Wilfrid James and members of the family so highly respected as they had been for generations past, and to Mr. Ramsay and his family in the very great grief that had come upon them. This fatality had meant the greatest sorrow in both of these households. The next thing he wanted to say was that none of them wanted to discourage civil aviation, it no doubt had its uses and they appreciated that Mr. Ramsay's family were taking a prominent and useful part in promoting it, but he was not all favourably impressed with this business of treasure hunting with aircraft. It seemed to him that it was asking for trouble, dangerous not only to the actual aviators, but it was a danger to the public at large that these competitions should be fostered. He was very glad to hear Mr. Ballinger say he did not think they would have any more treasure hunts at the Kent Flying Club. He could not help thinking the game was not worth the candle. The risks were too great to run and it was a great temptation to a boy of 19, as this pilot was, to fly low in order to read the number on the cars.
The jury returned a verdict of misadventure and expressed their sympathy with the relatives of the two men".
Registration G-AAEU cancelled by/on 31.12.34
Adisham (formerly Adesham) is a village and civil parish in the English county of Kent. The village centre, six miles south-east of Canterbury is on the B2046 road between Wingham and Barham. Some contemporary press reports give the crash location as "Nonington", which is approx. three miles to the south east.
Sources:
1. Dover Express - Friday 7 September 1934
2. https://cwsprduksumbraco.blob.core.windows.net/g-info/HistoricalLedger/G-AAEU.pdf
3. http://www.airhistory.org.uk/gy/reg_G-A.html
4. http://www.airhistory.org.uk/dh/p009.html
5. http://www.rcawsey.co.uk/Acc1934.htm
6. https://ab-ix.co.uk/pdfs/dh60.pdf
7. http://sussexhistoryforum.co.uk/index.php?topic=4411.0
8. https://www.baaa-acro.com/crash/crash-de-havilland-dh60g-moth-adisham-2-killed
9. https://www.afleetingpeace.org/index.php/gb-registers-g-aa/g-aa-part-1?highlight=WyJnLWFhZHAiXQ==
10. http://www.rcawsey.co.uk/Accb1934.htm
11. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Adisham
Location
Revision history:
| Date/time | Contributor | Updates |
|---|---|---|
| 03-Nov-2017 20:20 | Dr. John Smith | Added |
| 03-Nov-2017 20:21 | Dr. John Smith | Updated [Narrative] |
| 03-Nov-2017 20:21 | Dr. John Smith | Updated [Narrative] |
| 03-Nov-2017 20:22 | Dr. John Smith | Updated [Departure airport] |
| 03-Mar-2020 22:52 | Dr. John Smith | Updated [Time, Source, Narrative] |
| 07-Nov-2023 08:11 | Dr. John Smith | Updated [Operator, Source, Narrative, Category] |
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