Date:	Friday 19 August 1927
Time:	12:15 LT
Type:	Vickers Virginia Mk VI
Owner/operator:	58 Sqn RAF
Registration:	J7418
MSN:
Fatalities:	Fatalities: 1 / Occupants: 4
Aircraft damage:	Destroyed
Location:	Strood Lane, Broadbridge Heath, near Horsham, West Sussex -   United Kingdom
Phase:	En route
Nature:	Military
Departure airport:	RAF Worthy Down, Winchester, Hampshire
Destination airport:
Confidence Rating:	Information is only available from news, social media or unofficial sources

Narrative:
Vickers Virginia, 58 Squadron, RAF: Written off (damaged beyond repair) 19 August 1927 when wrecked in a forced landing at Broadbridge Heath, near Horsham, West Sussex while on a flight from RAF Worthy Down, Winchester, Hampshire. One of the crew was killed, the other three survived. According to a contemporary newspaper report ("Hampshire Advertiser" - Saturday 28 August 1926

"OFFICER KILLED NEAR WINCHESTER.
Spin While Flying Low.
EYE WITNESS'S STORY.

The tragic sequence of aeroplane accidents, involving loss of life during the last few weeks was extended this week by a mishap to a bombing machine of the R.A.F. camp at Worthy Down, near Winchester, in which a young 21 years-old pilot officer attached to the Bombing Squadron was killed.

The victim was Flying-Officer Hugh James Fitzgerald Kempthorne, a native of Barry, Glamorgan, who only recently passed out from being a cadet. The fatal flight was the first in winch the young officer had been in sole charge of a machine, and was undertaken in order that he might qualify to take passengers, for it is necessary to have had experience of solo flying.

The machine involved was a Vickers' "Virginia" bomber, and was one of the latest macines at the camp. It represented most of the modern improvements in aircraft, and the type was first flown about a year ago. "The machine had been at Worthy Down for about three months, and was usually devoted to the personal use of Squadron-Leader Longton.

THE INQUEST.
The inquest was held by the Wincheser County Coroner, Mr. H. T. Woodham, on Tuesday, in one of the wards in the sick quarters at the Worthy Down Camp.

Evidence having been given, the Coroner said that the deceased met his death from injuries received in the crash of the aeroplane, but as to the which occasioned the accident, it was more a matter for the Royal Air Force to inquire onto than himself. He concluded by expressing his sorrow that after the lapse of so many years there should have been a fatality of this kind in the camp. In view of the large number of similar accidents lately, he thought that the camp had been fortunate in that they had escaped such an accident for so many years.

A verdict of "accidental death" was recorded.

Crew:
Sergeant Pilot Alyer, RAF
Pilot Officer Rex Oliver Oxley Taylor, RAF (Service Number 22092)
Flying Officer Hugh Jones Fitzgerald Kempthorne, RAF - killed
Plus one other, not named

Note: Not 100% confirmed that the aircraft involved was J7418. However, Royal Air Force Aircraft J1-J9999 (and WW1 Survivors) by Dennis Thompson (Air Britain, 1987 p 47) lists the following...

Vickers Virginia Mk.V J7418 Taken On Charge 29.11.24; 7 Squadron 1.25. Returned to manufacturers and Converted to Mk VI. Taken On Charge 23.2.26. To Manufacturers for parachute mods. To 58 Squadron 6.26; Crashed and Written Off Charge (date not recorded); All other Virginias seem to have continuous histories throughout 1926.

1. Royal Air Force Aircraft J1-J9999 (and WW1 Survivors) by Dennis Thompson (Air Britain, 1987 p 47)
2. Evening Telegraph - Friday 19 August 1927
3. West Sussex County Times - Saturday 27 August 1927
4. Western Mail - Wednesday 25 August 1926
5. Gloucester Citizen - Wednesday 25 August 1926
6. Evesham Standard & West Midland Observer - Saturday 28 August 1926
7. Hampshire Advertiser - Saturday 28 August 1926
8. Western Mail - Wednesday 25 August 1926
9. https://sussexhistoryforum.co.uk/index.php?topic=18999.0
10. https://www.baaa-acro.com/crash/crash-vickers-108-virginia-vi-horsham
11. http://sussexhistoryforum.co.uk/index.php?topic=5215.0
12. http://www.rcawsey.co.uk/Acc1929.htm
13. https://www.key.aero/forum/historic-aviation/128946-handley-page-0-400-crash-in-sussex
14. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Broadbridge_Heath

Date/time	Contributor	Updates
17-Feb-2020 23:02	Dr. John Smith	Added
17-Feb-2020 23:18	Dr. John Smith	Updated [Aircraft type, Registration, Source, Narrative]
18-Feb-2020 11:45	Iwosh	Updated [Operator, Operator]