Date:	Sunday 19 October 1930
Time:	17:20 LT
Type:	Westland Widgeon II
Owner/operator:	Dr. Edward Douglas Whitehead-Reid
Registration:	G-EBJT
MSN:	WA.1570
Fatalities:	Fatalities: 2 / Occupants: 2
Aircraft damage:	Destroyed
Location:	East Sutton Park, near Detling, Maidstone, Kent -   United Kingdom
Phase:	En route
Nature:	Private
Departure airport:	Shoreham Airport, Shoreham, West Sussex
Destination airport:	Berkesbourne Aerodrome, Canterbury, Kent
Confidence Rating:	Information is only available from news, social media or unofficial sources

Narrative:
Westland Widgeon II G-EBJT (C of A 1039/C of R 1544): First registered in July 1924 to Westland Aircraft Ltd., Yeovil, Somerset. Sold by Westland Aircraft, and re-registered on 5/1/28 to Dr. Edward Douglas Whitehead Reid, Bekesbourne, Canterbury, Kent. Written off (destroyed) 19/10/30 when crashed into trees at East Sutton Park, near Detling, Maidstone, Kent. Both persons on board were killed:

Dr Edward Douglas Whitehead Reid (pilot/owner, aged 47) died 20.10.30 of injuries sustained. (He was also a Flt Lt in the Auxiliary Air Force)
Miss Annie Irene Burnside (passenger, 27) killed.

According to a contemporary newspaper report ("Gloucester Citizen" - 20 October 1930):

"AIR CRASH.
WOMAN PASSENGER KILLED.
ASSOCIATION WITH CHELTENHAM.
DOCTOR PILOT SERIOUSLY HURT.
On October 19th 1930 a Westland Widgeon II monoplane, serial G-EBJT, crashed while on a cross country flight from Shoreham to Canterbury (presumably Bekesbourne). Piloted by Dr. E. D. Whitehead Reid, and with a Miss I. Burnside as passenger, this aircraft came down at East Sutton Park near Maidstone at about 17.20 hours with fatal results for both occupants. The pilot himself was described as a man with 'somewhat exceptional experience as a private aircraft owner'. The aircraft itself had been constructed in 1924 and been used as a demonstration machine by Westlands themselves until it was sold to the doctor in January 1928.

Up to the day of the accident G-EBJT had flown a total of 230 hours, the last 46 after an overhaul and inspection followed by renewal of its Certificate of Airworthiness. On this last flight, the aircraft was accompanied by another Westland Widgeon being flown by a Service pilot, who put down south of Tunbridge Wells.

Only about twenty miles of the journey had been covered before bad weather conditions were encountered, the two aircraft flying into low cloud and drizzle over the hills of the Kent Weald. Daylight was starting to fail, but they continued on course until East Sutton Park where the pilot of G-EBJT decided to land in an exceptionally large and level field. On noticing that the surface had been ploughed, the pilot 'opened up' as he was about to touch down and proceeded to climb directly ahead, presumably with the intention of clearing a line of fir trees on the boundary and landing in the next field. Unfortunately for both occupants, the Widgeon hit the top of a tree that stood slightly higher than the others - with the starboard wing completely sheared off, the aircraft plunged to the ground 100 yards beyond the trees and both died.

Eye-witnesses stated that the machine seemed to be in difficulties before the pilot attempted to make a forced landing. The crash was heard by tenants and residents, who rushed out and rendered what assistance they could until local doctors arrived. By the time the ambulance reached the scene Miss Burnside was dead.

Dr. Reid was removed to the West Kent Hospital in Maidstone, where he lies seriously hurt, with a fractured skull and other injuries. Dr. Reid, who lives at St. George's House, Canterbury, was one of the first physicians to make use of air transport in his professional capacity. He has been in the habit of visiting patients in his own aeroplane for some years. He is senior surgeon at the Kent and Canterbury Hospital and the holder of other appointments, and is 47 years of age. Dr. Reid had been medical adviser to the Archbishop of Canterbury. He attended Dr. Lang during his illness in 1928. He served in the Great War as surgeon at the Duchess of Westminster Hospital, France, and later with the Egyptian Expeditionary Force. An owner-pilot since 1919, he flew in the first Grosvenor Cup race and the last Aerial Derby. He holds the rank of flight-lieutenant in the 601 County of London (Bomber) Squadron. A.A.F. He is the son of a doctor and married, but has no family."

NOTE: Official Air Ministry/CAA registration documents gives the c/n as "WA.1570", other published sources give the c/n as "WA.1671". However, this may be accounted for due to G-EBJT being the prototype Westland Widgeon, initially powered by a 1096 cc Blackburn Thrush engine, As such, the Westland Widgeon I first flew at Yeovil on 22/9/24. The type was a parasol monoplane with folding wings of ‘lozenge’ planform with pronounced compound taper, a feature subsequently adopted on the Lysander. The Widgeon I was rebuilt, and powered by a 60 hp Genet I engine and was registered as G-EBJT. This proved to be a wholly practical machine and pointed the way to the Widgeon III, which was placed in full production. The rebuild probably accounts for the same airframe have two c/ns.

1. Gloucester Citizen - Monday 20 October 1930 (Accident report)
2. Western Daily Press - Friday 24 October 1930 (Report of funeral of passenger)
3. https://cwsprduksumbraco.blob.core.windows.net/g-info/HistoricalLedger/G-EBJT.pdf
4. http://sussexhistoryforum.co.uk/index.php?topic=988.0;wap2
5. National Archives (PRO Kew) File AVIA 5/12/C176: http://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/details/r/C6576644
6. https://www.edcoatescollection.com/ac5/ROW%20Europe/G-EBJT.html
7. http://www.airhistory.org.uk/gy/reg_G-E3.html
8. http://afleetingpeace.org/index.php/15-aeroplanes/82-register-gb-g-eb
9. http://www.ronandjimsmith.com/books/wp-content/uploads/2015/02/Westland-Centenary1.pdf
10. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Westland_Widgeon_(fixed_wing)

Date/time	Contributor	Updates
17-Apr-2018 18:15	Dr. John Smith	Added
17-Apr-2018 18:16	Dr. John Smith	Updated [Operator]
22-Feb-2020 18:49	Dr. John Smith	Updated [Operator, Source, Narrative]