ASN Wikibase Occurrence # 220531
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| Date: | Thursday 23 November 1916 |
| Time: | day |
| Type: | Royal Aircraft Factory B.E.12 |
| Owner/operator: | 17 (Reserve) Sqn RFC |
| Registration: | 6666 |
| MSN: | |
| Fatalities: | Fatalities: 1 / Occupants: 1 |
| Aircraft damage: | Destroyed |
| Location: | RFC Hounslow Heath, Hounslow, Middlesex -
 United Kingdom
|
| Phase: | Initial climb |
| Nature: | Military |
| Departure airport: | RFC Hounslow Heath, Hounslow, Middlesex |
| RFC Beddington Aerodrome, Croydon, Surrey | |
| Confidence Rating: |  Information is only available from news, social media or unofficial sources |
23.11.16: Royal Aircraft Factory B.E.12 No.6666, 17 (Reserve) Squadron, RFC Croydon, Surrey. Written off (destroyed) when stalled and crashed, shortly after take off, RFC Hounslow Heath, Hounslow. Middlesex. Pilot - 2nd Lt Robert Newport Dobbyn (aged 23) - was killed. According to a contemporary report in "Flight" magazine (November 30 1916 page 1050 - see link #3)
"Fatal Accident.
AT an inquest held by the Hounslow coroner on November 25th on Lieut. R. N. Dobbyn, R.F.C., the evidence showed that the machine piloted by the deceased turned too sharply when rising, and the machine dived to earth and took fire. A verdict of "Accidental Death" was returned."
According to the following extract from the pilot's biography (see link #5):
"Robert, known to his family and friends as Robin, was educated at Clifton College in Bristol, a school that had a progressive attitude to education in having a scientific rather than a classical curriculum and welcoming boys from all faiths and backgrounds. In December 1914, at the age of 21 he joined the University and Public Schools Battalion of the Royal Fusiliers as a private and saw service in the trenches before taking a commission in August 1916 and transferring to the Royal Flying Corps. His pilot’s training was at Beddington Aerodrome, later to become better known as Croydon Airport.
Robert died on 23 November 1916 while on a solo training flight. His flight plan was to land at Brooklands Aerodrome, and return to Beddington via Hounslow Heath Aerodrome, presumably to give him landing and take-off practice. Robert’s take off from Hounslow Heath started well but once at a height of seventy or eighty feet his plane went into a nose dive. The impact with the ground burst the petrol tank and the whole plane was soon alight. “Several officers from the adjacent aerodrome, who had observed the descent, hurried to the spot, and saw that the pilot was making frantic efforts to free himself from his seat. One after another they dashed into the flames in the hope of saving their comrade, only to be beaten back by the fierce heat, and one of the number was very badly burnt and had to be taken to hospital. At length a combined rush was made and the poor fellow was rescued from the burning wreckage, unconscious, and in a most pitiable condition. He was taken with all speed to the hospital, where he died almost immediately after his admission.” (Middlesex Chronicle, 26 Nov 1916.)
The Coroner’s enquiry heard that the most likely cause of the accident was that Robin had turned the plane downwind too soon after take-off causing the engine to stall or the plane to lose lift. A verdict was returned of accidental death through an error of judgement on Robert’s part probably due to his lack of experience. Robert’s senior officer, Captain Fuller, described Robert as a very reliable pilot, a capable man and one of the best pilots under instruction. Robert was buried with full military honours in the family graveyard adjoining Ballynakill House. His death left the family grief-stricken and with no male heir. Robert’s distant cousin and neighbour, Lieutenant Alexander Lee Dobbyn, attended the funeral. By a quirk of fate he had been awarded the Military Cross for conspicuous gallantry only a few days before"
Sources:
1. http://www.rcawsey.co.uk/Acc1916.htm
2. https://www.cwgc.org/find-war-dead/casualty/2909260/dobbyn,-robert-newport/
3. http://www.rafmuseumstoryvault.org.uk/archive/dobbyn-r.n.-robert-newport
4. https://www.flightglobal.com/pdfarchive/view/1916/1916%20-%201058.html?search=Dobbyn%20Robert%20Newport
5. https://pastonglass.wordpress.com/2015/08/04/a-cautionary-tale-updated-robert-newport-dobbyn/
6. http://www.waterfordtreasures.com/news/lieutenant-robert-newport-dobbyn
7. http://www.epsomandewellhistoryexplorer.org.uk/UPSMen.html#DobbynR
Media:
Lieut.Robert Newport Dobbyn,son of Waterford solicitor Robert Dobbyn & his wife Annette, resided at 11 Ballinakill House died on 23/11/1916. pic.twitter.com/emxq8SYVLG
— Waterford Treasures (@WFORD_Treasures) November 24, 2016
Revision history:
| Date/time | Contributor | Updates |
|---|---|---|
| 04-Jan-2019 20:23 | Dr. John Smith | Added |
| 13-Jan-2019 13:25 | stehlik49 | Updated [Operator, Embed code] |
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