Date:	Monday 6 June 1927
Time:	day
Type:	Westland Widgeon III
Owner/operator:	Robert A. Bruce c/o Westland Aircraft Ltd
Registration:	G-EBPW
MSN:	WA1677
Fatalities:	Fatalities: 1 / Occupants: 1
Other fatalities:	1
Aircraft damage:	Destroyed
Location:	Ensbury Park Racecourse, Bournemouth, Dorset -   United Kingdom
Phase:	Initial climb
Nature:	Private
Departure airport:	Bouremouth/Hurn Airfield (EGHH)
Destination airport:
Confidence Rating:	Information is only available from news, social media or unofficial sources

Narrative:
First registered 31.5.27 to Robert A. Bruce c/o Westland Aircraft Ltd (C of A 1100, C of R 1401). Written off 6.6.27 when destroyed in a mid-air collision between Westland Widgeon III G-EBPW (piloted by Laurence Openshaw) and Sqn Ldr Walter Longton's Blackburn Bluebird G-EBKD. Both aircraft crashed at Ensbury Park Racecourse, Bournemouth, Dorset, killing both pilots. The pilot of Widgeon G-EBPW was Flt Lt Lawrence Pratt Openshaw (RAFO, aged 35). According to a contemporary report in "Flight" magazine (June 9, 1927 page 374 - see link #8)

"It was during this that disaster, swift and complete, overtook two of the pilots. From the aerodrome those who happened at the time to be looking towards one of the field turning points, suddenly saw a machine tilt over, dive and disappear behind the trees. That a collision had occurred was evident, but the distance was too great to make out the identity of the machines involved.

Nor was it possible to ascertain this by noting the machines that completed the race, since several competitors, upon seeing the accident, circled around the spot, some landing and others coming back to report. One pilot, on returning to the aerodrome, expressed the opinion that the two machines were the "Bluebird " and the "Widgeon" and after a short wait, during which ambulances were rushed to the spot, this was confirmed.

How the accident happened will probably never be definitely ascertained. Several daily papers reported the story of eye-witnesses that the biplane flew into the monoplane. Although naturally impossible to say, this does not appear at all likely. Longton, in the "Bluebird" was much slower than Openshaw in the "Widgeon" and when these two machines passed the aerodrome turning point at the end of the second lap, the following machines were between them: Moth PU, "Avian " QL, "Avian " ON (which landed immediately afterwards), "Genet-Moth " OU, and "Moth" NO.

Thus, Openshaw would have to overtake these before getting to Longton, or at any rate such of them as had not, themselves, overtaken the " Bluebird. Those who saw the earlier stages of the race will realise how very little it would take to cause a collision. A very slight swerve, or dive, or climb, and disaster was threatening. The fire, which broke out immediately the machines struck, devoured everything of a combustible nature, and so presumably it will not be possible to deduct anything of value from an examination of the wreckage.

In Longton and Openshaw we have lost not only two excellent pilots but also two extremely popular friends, and to their wives, who were both on the aerodrome when the accident occurred, everyone will extend the most heartfelt sympathy in their bereavement. Mrs. Openshaw, who is a daughter of Mr. R. A. Bruce of Westlands, had only been married a few weeks"

Registration G-EBPW cancelled 22/6/1927 due to "destruction or permanent withdrawl from use of aircraft"

1. Westland Aircraft since 1915 / Derek N James
2. Western Morning News - Tuesday 07 June 1927
3. http://afleetingpeace.org/index.php/15-aeroplanes/82-register-gb-g-eb
4. http://dorset.hampshireairfields.co.uk/dorcrash.html
5. https://cwsprduksumbraco.blob.core.windows.net/g-info/HistoricalLedger/G-EBPW.pdf
6. http://www.airhistory.org.uk/gy/reg_G-E3.html
7. http://www.rcawsey.co.uk/Acc1929.htm
8. http://www.rafcommands.com/forum/showthread.php?17307-RAF-fatalities-1927
9. Flight magazine of 9 June 1927: https://www.flightglobal.com/pdfarchive/view/1927/1927%20-%200412.html
10. http://sussexhistoryforum.co.uk/index.php?topic=15009.0

Westland Widgeon III photo from Les Ailes June 16,1927

Date/time	Contributor	Updates
22-Aug-2011 07:07	harro	Added
22-Aug-2011 07:07	Anon.	Updated
20-Mar-2012 10:57	TB	Updated [Time, Operator]
13-Dec-2013 02:03	Dr. John Smith	Updated [Cn, Operator, Location, Phase, Nature, Departure airport, Source, Narrative]
15-Jun-2018 18:34	Dr. John Smith	Updated [Source, Narrative]
15-Jun-2018 18:42	Dr. John Smith	Updated [Operator, Narrative]
28-Feb-2020 00:49	Dr. John Smith	Updated [Source, Embed code]