Date:	Thursday 21 September 1916
Time:	day
Type:	Avro 521
Owner/operator:	CFS RFC
Registration:	7520
MSN:	521/1
Fatalities:	Fatalities: 1 / Occupants: 1
Aircraft damage:	Destroyed
Location:	RFC Fort Rowner, Gosport, Hampshire -   United Kingdom
Phase:	Approach
Nature:	Test
Departure airport:	RFC Upavon, Wiltshire
Destination airport:	RFC Fort Rowner, Gosport, Hampshire
Confidence Rating:	Information is only available from news, social media or unofficial sources

Narrative:
21.9.16: Avro 521 No.7520, CFS, RFC Upavon. Written off when Crashed at Upavon, Salisbury Plain, Wiltshire. Aircraft was reported spinning into the ground from 1,500ft on approach to RFC Fort Rowner, Gosport, Hampshire. Pilot - Lt William Hubert Stuart Garnett (aged 35) - was killed. WILTSHIRE TIMES AND TROWBRIDGE ADVERTISER - SATURDAY KNOWN 30TH SEPTEMBER 1916 UPAVON. FLYING OFFICER’S FATAL FAINT. On Friday afternoon an inquest was held on the body of Lieutenant William Hubert Stewart Garnett, 34, Royal Flying Corps, who was killed by falling with his machine on the previous day. He had been living at Charlton Manor, near Pewsey. Lieutenant H. K. Simpson, R.F.C., said deceased was flying a new type of machine, which was dual controlled. The machine was in perfect order. The deceased went up flrst with witness and afterwards made a solo flight. The deceased was an expert flier, and had flown several types of machines. He had actually flown 55 hours. The weather was good. Witness thought deceased must have had some kind of illness and fallen on the "joy stick,” thus causing the machine to nose dive. Medical evidence showed that deceased was subject to fainting fits. The verdict was "Accidental death from the fall of an aeroplane, deceased having probably lost control daring attack of fainting.”

The Avro 521 was a British two-seat fighter first flown in late 1915, based on the 504. Only a prototype of the Avro 521 was built. It was powered by a 110 hp (80 kW) Clerget engine, with provision for a .303 in (7.7 mm) Lewis Gun in the rear cockpit. The prototype underwent trials with the RFC in early 1916, and 25 aircraft were subsequently ordered. However, this contract was cancelled, and there is no evidence of any other Avro 521 being built. The prototype crashed on 21 September 1916, killing the pilot, Lieutenant W.H.S. Garnett. Testing of prototype which had proved longitudinally unstable and unpleasant to fly.

According to the aircraft record card for Avro 521 No.7520:

"Court of Inquiry 87/8625
23/9/1916
Pilot Killed in flying accident. The Court are of the opinion that the machine was in perfect flying condition, and that the pilot lost control of the aircraft for reasons unknown"

He had transferred to the C.F.S. at Upavon on 7 January 1916, where he obtained his pilot's certificate and was employed as a Test Pilot for experimental purposes from 10 May 1916.

He was killed whilst flying Avro 521 No. 7520 (the only one ever built) on 21 September 1916. The fatal crash occurred at RFC Fort Rowner, Gosport, Hampshire. Purpose of test flight: Testing of prototype which had proved longitudinally unstable and unpleasant to fly. Crew Fatalities: Lieut.W.H.S.Garnett.

1. William Green and Gordon Swanborough. The Complete Book of Fighters. Colour Library Direct, Godalming, UK: 1994. ISBN 1-85833-777-1.
2. Jackson, A.J. Avro Aircraft since 1908. London:Putnam, 1990. ISBN 0-85177-834-8.
3. http://www.rcawsey.co.uk/Acc1916.htm
4. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Avro_521
5. https://www.cwgc.org/find-war-dead/casualty/406256/garnett,-/
6. http://www.rafmuseumstoryvault.org.uk/archive/garnett-w.h.s.-william-herbert-stuart
7. https://www.flightglobal.com/pdfarchive/view/1916/1916%20-%200844.html?search=William%20Hubert%20Stuart%20Garnett
8. http://www.isle-of-wight-memorials.org.uk/people_g/garnett_whs.html
9. http://history.hampsteadparishchurch.org.uk/mon_info/war_wm_030.php
10. https://www.greatwarforum.org/topic/194663-lt-w-h-s-garnett-rfc/

Date/time	Contributor	Updates
29-Dec-2018 20:06	Dr. John Smith	Added
29-Dec-2018 20:19	Dr. John Smith	Updated [Narrative]
23-Jan-2019 09:08	stehlik49	Updated [Operator]
03-Jan-2022 12:44	SNEW	Updated [Narrative]