ASN Wikibase Occurrence # 221505
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| Date: | Friday 4 May 1917 |
| Time: | 08:50 LT |
| Type: |  Royal Aircraft Factory B.E.2c |
| Owner/operator: | 18 (Reserve) Sqn RFC |
| Registration: | A9974 |
| MSN: | |
| Fatalities: | Fatalities: 1 / Occupants: 1 |
| Aircraft damage: | Destroyed |
| Location: | RFC Montrose, Forfarshire -
 United Kingdom
|
| Phase: | Approach |
| Nature: | Military |
| Departure airport: | RFC Montrose, Forfarshire |
| RFC Montrose, Forfarshire | |
| Confidence Rating: |  Information is only available from news, social media or unofficial sources |
4.5.17: Royal Aircraft Factory B.E.2c A9974, 18 (Reserve) Squadron, RFC Montrose. Written off (destroyed) when spun out of control, crashed and caught fire on impact, RFC Montrose, Forfarshire. Pilot - 2nd Lt David Victor Foot (aged 20, on attachment from 28th Battalion London Regiment (Artist's Rifles)) - was killed. According to the aircraft accident record card for B.E.2c A9974:
"Court of Inquiry 87/7954
7/5/17
Flying Accident. At a height of 100 feet, pilot banked the machine and got into a spinning nose dive. Machine burst into flames on striking ground. It was the opinion of the Court of Inquiry that the accident was due to an error of judgment on the part of the pilot, and no fault at all on the part of the machine."
According to a newspaper report ("Dundee Courier" 4 April 1917 - see link #4)
"Fireball plunge pilot remembered 100 years after his death near Montrose aerodrome
A young pilot who was killed in a fireball air plunge at Montrose is to be remembered 100 years after his death. David Victor Foot, also known as Foote, was burned to death at Montrose on May 4 1917 when his plane dived to the ground from 50 feet and burst into flames. The flames were so fierce that no assistance could be given to the airman whose B.E.2 two-seat biplane was completely consumed by the blaze at 8.50am.
The Court of Inquiry eventually put the accident down to “an error of judgement” on the part of Foot whose body was “terribly burned”. His death was recorded as fracture of the spine and it is believed he was already dead before the plane ignited in the vicinity of Montrose Aerodrome. He had only made his first solo flight the previous day.
Local historian Patrick Anderson from Letham recently researched the accident and tracked down Foot’s birth certificate to Bo’ness. The 24-year-old served in the ranks of the Artists Rifles before joining up to the Royal Flying Corps (RFC) as second lieutenant.
Mr Anderson said: “I started to do some research and found that he was listed on the War Graves index (CWGC) but not on the Scottish National War Memorial at Edinburgh Castle. David Victor Foot attended Linlithgow Academy and then Edinburgh Academy before serving in the ranks of the Artists Rifles and then he was commissioned on March 17 1917 as a second lieutenant in the Royal Flying Corps. It would appear he was posted to Turnhouse Aerodrome in Edinburgh and then posted to RFC Montrose.”
Mr Anderson submitted his file to Lt Col Roger J Binks who has now accepted Foot’s name as a casualty of war.
He said: “Like many others it would appear that if the serviceman does not serve overseas in a theatre of war they do not get any war medals. He is listed on several war memorials such as Bo’ness, Linlithgow Academy and Edinburgh Academy. I am so pleased that his name is now recorded on the main roll of honour.”
Sources:
1. http://www.rcawsey.co.uk/Acc1917.htm
2. https://www.cwgc.org/find-war-dead/casualty/664863/foot,-/
3. http://www.rafmuseumstoryvault.org.uk/archive/7000271049-foot-d.v.-david-victor
4. https://www.thecourier.co.uk/fp/news/local/angus-mearns/399362/fireball-plunge-pilot-remembered-100-years-after-his-death-near-montrose-aerodrome/
5. https://bwm.scot/royal-flying-corps/foot-david-victor/
6. https://www.london18.co.uk/ArtistsRifles/Artists1917May.shtml
Revision history:
| Date/time | Contributor | Updates |
|---|---|---|
| 03-Feb-2019 17:48 | Dr. John Smith | Added |
| 06-Feb-2019 16:23 | stehlik49 | Updated [Operator] |
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