Incident Percival P.10 Vega Gull G-AEKE,
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ASN Wikibase Occurrence # 205070
 
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Date:Monday 24 January 1938
Time:day
Type:Percival P.10 Vega Gull
Owner/operator:Mrs Beryl Lesley Urquhart
Registration: G-AEKE
MSN: K.29
Fatalities:Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 1
Aircraft damage: Destroyed
Location:Gatwick Airport, Lowfield Heath, Horley, Surrey -   United Kingdom
Phase: Initial climb
Nature:Private
Departure airport:Gatwick Aerodrome, Lowfield Heath, Surrey
Destination airport:
Confidence Rating: Information is only available from news, social media or unofficial sources
Narrative:
First registered [C of R 7061] on 3.7.36 as G-AEKE to Sir Giles Connop McEachern Guthrie Bartt OBE DSC JP, Gravesend Airport, Gravesend, Kent. C of A 5570 issued July 1936. Two early production Vega Gulls were entered into the Schlesinger Race from England to Johannesburg, South Africa. C.W.A. Scott and Giles Guthrie flying Vega Gull G-AEKE was the winner by deault, being the only one to finish, landing at Rand Airport on 1 October 1936

Flown back to the UK, and then sold on and re-registered [C of R 7412] on 23.10.36 to Mrs. Beryl Lesley Urquhart, Limpsfield, Surrey (aircraft based at Gatwick Airport, Lowfield Heath, Horley, Surrey).

Written off 24.1.38 when crashed after take off from Gatwick Airport, Lowfield Heath, Horley, Surrey. According to a contemporary local newspaper report into the incident (Northern Whig - Tuesday 25 January 1938):

"RAVINE CRASH
When the aeroplane he was piloting crashed in a dense beech wood ridge above Oxted, Surrey, last night, Mr. Neil R L. Urquhart, of Kensington Palace Gardens, London, escaped with minor injuries though the machine was badly smashed. The plane crashed through the trees and finished up in a ravine. The pilot staggered through the undergrowth for help and was found in a half-dazed condition over half a mile from the wrecked plane. He was removed a nursing home."

Registration G-AEKE cancelled by the Air Ministry 2.3.38 due to "destruction or permanent withdrawl from use of aircraft". Mrs Beryl Urqhart purchased De Havilland DH.85 Leopard Moth G-ACOO on 7.3.38 as a replacement

Sources:

1. Northern Whig - Tuesday 25 January 1938:
2. https://publicapps.caa.co.uk/docs/HistoricalMaterial/G-AEKE.pdf
3. http://www.airhistory.org.uk/gy/reg_G-A9.html
4. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Schlesinger_African_Air_Race
5. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Giles_Guthrie#Flying_career
6. http://afleetingpeace.org/index.php/15-aeroplanes/79-register-gb-g-ae
7. http://sussexhistoryforum.co.uk/index.php?topic=15763.0
8. https://www.rafmuseum.org.uk/research/history-of-aviation-timeline/interactive-aviation-timeline/british-civil-aviation/1936.aspx
9. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Percival_Vega_Gull#Operational_history
10. G-AEKE at Castle Bromwich in 1937: https://abpic.co.uk/pictures/view/1598769
11. https://www.motorsportmagazine.com/archive/article/october-1995/76/air-the-race-to-africa
12. http://www.hampshireairfields.co.uk/airfields/porrace.html

Media:

Percival P.10 Vega Gull G-AEKE in "Flight" Magazine 8.10.36: Vega gull 2

Revision history:

Date/timeContributorUpdates
25-Jan-2018 23:11 Dr. John Smith Added
26-Mar-2020 01:38 Dr. John Smith Updated [Source, Embed code, Narrative]
27-Jul-2020 20:46 Dr. John Smith Updated [Phase, Departure airport, Source]

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