Date:	Friday 14 April 1950
Time:	day
Type:	Newbury AP.4 EoN Mk 2
Owner/operator:	Elliots of Newbury Ltd
Registration:	G-AKBC
MSN:	EoN/1
Fatalities:	Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 0
Aircraft damage:	Destroyed
Location:	Lympne Airport, Lympne, Kent -   United Kingdom
Phase:	Take off
Nature:	Private
Departure airport:	Lympne Airport, Lympne, Kent (EGMK)
Destination airport:
Confidence Rating:	Information is only available from news, social media or unofficial sources

Narrative:
Elliotts of Newbury were experienced wartime glider manufacturers but at the end of World War II decided to venture into the design and production of powered aircraft. The result was the EoN A.P.4 (more commonly called the Newbury Eon, a wooden four-seat monoplane with a fixed tricycle landing gear. The design had been carried out by Aviation and Engineering Products Ltd of Feltham, Middlesex. The prototype Eon 1 registered G-AKBC powered by a 100 hp (75 kW) Blackburn Cirrus Minor engine first flew at Welford, Berkshire, on 8 August 1947.

After initial testing was completed, the prototype was modified to reflect the planned production version. The main changes were a new engine, a de Havilland Gipsy Major of 145 hp (108 kW), and a lengthened nose-wheel leg. The modified aircraft was redesignated the Eon 2.

The company decided not enter production and it continued as a glider manufacturer. The sole completed Eon aircraft was used as a glider-tug to demonstrate the company's gliders. The aircraft met its end at Lympne airfield, Kent, on 14 April 1950, when, with a glider attached the pilot started the aircraft by swinging the propeller with the aircraft's wheels not secured by chocks. The engine started, and the craft moved forward; the pilotless aircraft and the glider were damaged as the aircraft passed through a boundary hedge. The glider pilot had also abandoned his cockpit when he realised what was happening."

I would imagine that the pilot of the AP.4 had some explaining to do, initially to the glider pilot and then to the company when he got back to the factory!

First civil registered (C of R 11765/1; C of A9694) on 11-7-47 to Elliots of Newbury Ltd., Albert Works, Newbury, Berkshire. C of R later changed to R79/1. Crashed 14-4-50 as per the above, and registration G-AKBC cancelled belatedly 12-2-60 due to "destruction or permanent withdrawl from use of aircraft"

1. Jackson, A.J. (1974). British Civil Aircraft since 1919 - Volume 3. Putnam & Company Limited. ISBN 0-370-10014-X.
2. Jerram, Mike (August 1986). "For Business and Pleasure—No 2: Newbury Eon". Aeroplane Monthly. Vol. 14 no. 8. pp. 438–441. ISSN 0143-7240.
3. Philpott, Brian (December 1969). "Newbury Eon". Air Pictorial. Vol. 31 no. 12. pp. 456–457.
4. The Illustrated Encyclopedia of Aircraft (Part Work 1982–1985), 1985, Orbis Publishing
5. "Progress with the Newbury Eon". Flight. 30 October 1947. p. 497.
6. Flight magazine, issue dated 27 April 1950: https://www.flightglobal.com/pdfarchive/view/1950/1950%20-%200821.html
7. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Elliotts_of_Newbury_Eon
8. National Archives (PRO Kew) File DR 16/239: https://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/details/r/C1200804
9. https://cwsprduksumbraco.blob.core.windows.net/g-info/HistoricalLedger/G-AKBC.pdf
10. http://sussexhistoryforum.co.uk/index.php?topic=15281.0
11. https://abpic.co.uk/pictures/view/1520316

Newbury AP.4 EoN Mk.2 G-AKBC at Barton, Manchester 29-3-48:

Date/time	Contributor	Updates
28-Feb-2020 19:44	Dr. John Smith	Added