ASN Wikibase Occurrence # 233013
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| Date: | Thursday 30 September 1926 |
| Time: | day |
| Type: | Hawker Woodcock Mk II |
| Owner/operator: | 17 Sqn RAF |
| Registration: | J7514? |
| MSN: | |
| Fatalities: | Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 1 |
| Aircraft damage: | Destroyed |
| Location: | English Channel, off St. Leonards-on-Sea, near Hastings, East Sussex -
 United Kingdom
|
| Phase: | En route |
| Nature: | Military |
| Departure airport: | RAF Hawkinge, Folkestone, Kent |
| Confidence Rating: |  Information is only available from news, social media or unofficial sources |
Hawker Woodcock Mk.II, J7514?*,17 Squadron, RAF: Written off (destroyed) 30 September 1926 when ditched (force landed) into the English Channel, off St. Leonards-on-Sea, near Hastings, East Sussex. Pilot survived and was rescued. The first known report of this incident was on the same day that it happened ("Hull Daily Mail" - Thursday 30 September 1926):
"NOT INTENDED BUT PERFECT
AEROPLANE DESCENDS UPON WATER
Folkestone - Thursday.
A Flight Sergeant who set out in his machine from Hawkinge, near Folkestone, this morning, concluded his outing in a fishing boat, having had to abandon the aeroplane after a forced descent upon the sea. Incidentally, he demonstrated the ability of an ordinary aeroplane, unequipped with floats, to make a perfect descent upon water in an emergency.
It was a single seater of the Hawker type and it fell into the sea off St Leonard's in full view of many people who were parading on the front. The machine was piloted by flight sergeant Payne who, accompanied by another machine, was engaged in formation flying. The machines passed over Hastings at a fair height and when off St Leonard's Sergeant Payne was forced to come down, his machine having developed engine trouble. He made a perfect descent upon the sea, though the undercarriage and wings were slightly damaged. The pilot escaped uninjured and was brought ashore in a fishing boat. The aeroplane was later towed ashore."
A later report adds details ("Folkestone, Hythe, Sandgate & Cheriton Herald" - Saturday 02 October 1926):
"AEROPLANE IN THE SEA.
A single seater aeroplane belonging to 17th Squadron, R.A.F., stationed at Hawkinge, and piloted by Flight Sergeant Payne, fell into the sea off St. Leonards, near Hastings, on Thursday"[30 September 1926]. "The pilot was attempting to rise when the machine nose dived from a height of about fifty feet. Sergeant Payne was thrown clear and picked up unhurt by a motor boat which put off from the beach, and the ’plane was salvaged later. The fore part of the machine was considerably damaged."
Crew of Hawker Woodcock
Flight Sergeant Alfred Alexander Payne (Pilot, Service Number 91018, aged 25) - survived, injured, rescued.
*NOTE: Not 100% confirmed if the aircraft involved in the above accident was J7514, but a Hawker Woodcock with this serial was delivered to 17 Squadron at RAF Hawkinge in August 1926, and its ultimate fate is not known. Brief history of J7514: first flown 18 May 1925, delivered to 3 Squadron 3 June 1925. Transferred to 17 Squadron August 1926. No records after this date.
Sources:
1. Hastings and St Leonards Observer - Saturday 02 October 1926
2. Royal Air Force Aircraft J1-J9999 (and WW1 Survivors) by Dennis Thompson (Air Britain, 1988 p 50)
3. http://sussexhistoryforum.co.uk/index.php?topic=7797.0
4. http://www.rafcommands.com/forum/showthread.php?17603-A-Real-Payne/page2
5. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hawker_Woodcock
4. http://forum.12oclockhigh.net/showthread.php?t=27548
Revision history:
| Date/time | Contributor | Updates |
|---|---|---|
| 17-Feb-2020 13:57 | Dr. John Smith | Added |
| 17-Feb-2020 14:30 | Dr. John Smith | Updated [Registration, Source, Narrative] |
| 17-Feb-2020 14:31 | Dr. John Smith | Updated [Registration, Narrative] |
| 17-Feb-2020 14:32 | Dr. John Smith | Updated [Source] |
| 17-Feb-2020 14:32 | Dr. John Smith | Updated [Aircraft type] |
| 17-Feb-2020 14:34 | Dr. John Smith | Updated [Source, Narrative] |
| 18-Feb-2020 11:47 | Iwosh | Updated [Operator, Operator] |
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