ASN Wikibase Occurrence # 233534
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| Date: | Saturday 20 December 1947 |
| Time: | afternoon |
| Type: | SAI KZ VII Lærke |
| Owner/operator: | R.K. Dundas Ltd |
| Registration: | G-AJZV |
| MSN: | 151 |
| Fatalities: | Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 2 |
| Aircraft damage: | Destroyed |
| Location: | Twenties Farm, Shottendane Road, Hengrove, near Margate, Kent -
 United Kingdom
|
| Phase: | En route |
| Nature: | Ferry/positioning |
| Departure airport: | Elstree Airport, Elstree, Hertfordshire (ETR/EGTR) |
| Lympne Airport, Lympne, Kent (LYM/EGMK) | |
| Confidence Rating: |  Information is only available from news, social media or unofficial sources |
The SAI KZ VII Lærke (Danish: "Lark") was a light utility aircraft built in Denmark shortly after the Second World War. Based on the SAI KZ III air ambulance, the KZ VII was a strut-braced, high-wing monoplane of conventional design with an enclosed cabin for four seats. Fifty-six aircraft were built, and another 22 partially completed aircraft were destroyed in a factory fire in 1947
Numerous sources note that on 20 December 1947 SAI KZ VII Lark G-AJZV crashed near Manston, Kent. A.J. Jackson is more precise, giving the crash location as 4 miles north-west of Manston. However, according to the following newspaper report ("Thanet Advertiser" - Tuesday 23 December 1947) the aircraft crashed some distance away, nearer Margate, Thanet, Kent. The newspaper report also mis-identifies the aircraft as an "Auster":
"Thanet Advertiser - Tuesday 23 December 1947
"Plane Crash at Margate
Farm Workers Rescue Passengers
The two occupants of an Auster plane which crashed at Twenties Farm, Hengrove, and burst into flames on Saturday afternoon, owe their lives to four plucky farm workers.
As the plane was making a forced landing in the heavy mist, it struck a tree, turned a double somersault and landed upside down with its tail against another tree. The machine was completely wrecked.
Flames immediately spurted from the engine and four farmworkers, Mr. H. T. Jenkins. Mr. F. Wood, Mr. H. Wood and Mr. I. Jenkins, rushed to the rescue. They found that the pilot, Mr. Alec D. Duncan, aged 32, of Purley, had been thrown clear of the plane and was lying injured on the ground nearby. His passenger, Mr. Welchjan W. Schuller, of The Hague, Holland, was strapped in the machine.
Mr. H. Jenkins successfully fought the flames with a hand extinguisher while Mr. P. Wood, with the help of his brother, cut the safety strap and freed Mr. Schuller, who was dragged to safety by Mr. I. Jenkins.
The pilot and passenger were taken to Margate General Hospital, suffering from head and leg injuries.
Mr. H. Jenkins said there was a terrible mist at the time. "The other men and myself heard the plane circling overhead," he said. "We thought it was going to land in a field the other side of the road. I think that if it had not hit the tree, it would have nose-dived into the field, and then we could not possibly have saved the occupants."
The plane was bound from Elstree to Lympne preparatory to crossing the Channel."
Registration G-AJZV cancelled by the Air Ministry on 22 December 1947 due to "destruction or permanent withdrawal from use of aircraft"
The crash location is now known as Hatfield Farms Ltd., Hengrove Farm, Shottendane Road, Margate, Kent CT9 4NH.
Sources:
1. Thanet Advertiser - Tuesday 23 December 1947
2. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/SAI_KZ_VII
3. https://cwsprduksumbraco.blob.core.windows.net/g-info/HistoricalLedger/G-AJZV.pdf
4. http://sussexhistoryforum.co.uk/index.php?topic=15667.0
Media:
Revision history:
| Date/time | Contributor | Updates |
|---|---|---|
| 03-Mar-2020 19:59 | Dr. John Smith | Added |
| 05-May-2023 13:41 | Dr. John Smith | Updated |
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