ASN Wikibase Occurrence # 68627
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| Date: | Friday 28 May 1937 |
| Time: | evening |
| Type: | Hawker Demon Mk I |
| Owner/operator: | 64 Sqn RAF |
| Registration: | K4512 |
| MSN: | |
| Fatalities: | Fatalities: 2 / Occupants: 2 |
| Aircraft damage: | Destroyed |
| Location: | RAF Martlesham Heath, near Ipswich, Suffolk, England -
 United Kingdom
|
| Phase: | Manoeuvring (airshow, firefighting, ag.ops.) |
| Nature: | Military |
| Departure airport: | RAF Martlesham Heath, Ipswich, Suffolk |
| Confidence Rating: |  Information is only available from news, social media or unofficial sources |
Failed to recover from deliberate spin during an "Empire Air Day" flying display rehearsal on 28/5/37 at RAF Martlesham Heath, Suffolk. Both crew - Pilot: Flying Officer Peter Charles Vickery RAF (aged 23) and Air Gunner AC1 Jospeh Hutchinson RAF (aged 26) - were killed. According to the official Air Ministry announcement in "Flight" magazine (June 3, 1937 page 562 - see link #4)
"FLYING ACCCIDENTS
The Air Ministry regrets to announce that F/O P. C. Vickery and A/C.1 J. Hutchinson lost their lives in an accident which occurred at Martlesham Heath on May 28 to an aircraft of No. 64 (Fighter) Squadron. F/O Vickery was the pilot and A/C.1 Hutchinson was the passenger of the aircraft".
According to the following excerpt from "Hansard" the written record of Parliamentary debates for 28/5/37 (see link #2):
"Martlesham Accident (one officer and one airman killed), 28th May, 1937.
A flight of three aircraft was detailed to participate in a display at Hanworth. The flying officer detailed to lead the flight submitted a programme on 27th May to his commanding officer who approved. This programme consisted of formation flying, followed by individual aerobatics which were to finish up with a spin by the leader, on the conclusion of which the other aircraft were to rejoin formation. No deviation from King's Regulations was authorised.
The exercise involved nothing abnormal, and the flying officer in command of the flight was an experienced and accomplished pilot of these aircraft. During a rehearsal at Martlesham on the evening of 28th May, he commenced aerobatics after formation practice. After completing a loop and a roll he began to spin from an altitude of about 1,200 feet and hit the ground still spinning."
Sources:
1. Air Britain The K File The RAF of the 1930s
2. https://api.parliament.uk/historic-hansard/commons/1937/jul/28/empire-air-day-displays-accidents
3. http://www.rcawsey.co.uk/Acc1937.htm
4. https://www.flightglobal.com/pdfarchive/view/1937/1937%20-%201486.html
Revision history:
| Date/time | Contributor | Updates |
|---|---|---|
| 07-Oct-2009 21:17 | JINX | Added |
| 04-Mar-2018 17:20 | Dr. John Smith | Updated [Time, Phase, Departure airport, Source, Narrative] |
| 11-Apr-2018 17:02 | Dr. John Smith | Updated [Location, Departure airport, Source, Narrative] |
| 09-Nov-2018 17:02 | Nepa | Updated [Operator, Location, Operator] |
| 13-Jul-2023 11:32 | Nepa | Updated [[Operator, Location, Operator]] |
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