ASN Wikibase Occurrence # 219909
This information is added by users of ASN. Neither ASN nor the Flight Safety Foundation are responsible for the completeness or correctness of this information.
If you feel this information is incomplete or incorrect, you can submit corrected information.
| Date: | Thursday 3 August 1916 |
| Time: | day |
| Type: | Vickers F.B.5 Gunbus |
| Owner/operator: | 6 (Reserve) Sqn RFC |
| Registration: | 5685 |
| MSN: | |
| Fatalities: | Fatalities: 1 / Occupants: 1 |
| Aircraft damage: | Destroyed |
| Location: | RFC Catterick Garrison, Catterick, North Yorkshire, England -
 United Kingdom
|
| Phase: | Approach |
| Nature: | Military |
| Departure airport: | RFC Catterick Garrison, Catterick, North Yorkshire |
| RFC Catterick Garrison, Catterick, North Yorkshire | |
| Confidence Rating: |  Information is only available from news, social media or unofficial sources |
3.8.16: Vickers FB.5 Gunbus, No.5685, 6 (Reserve) Squadron, RFC Catterick Catterick Garrison, Catterick. Written off when suffered Engine failure and spinning nose dive, RFC Catterick Garrison, Catterick, North Yorkshire, Pilot - 2nd Lt John Robert Gobertus Whitehead (aged 28) - was killed
According to a hand-written note on the aircraft record card for Vickers F.B.5 No.5685 (see link #3)
"Court of Inquiry
The court is of the opinion that the accident was due to engine failure. Also failure to maintain flying speed after the engine had failed"
According to a contemporary report in "Flight" magazine (August 10 1916 page 678 - see link #4)
"Casualties
Temporary Second Lieutenant JOHN ROBERT GOBERTUS WHITEHEAD, R.F.C., killed in an aeroplane accident on August 3rd, was the eldest son of the late John Whitehead, of Fiume, Hungary, and grandson of Robert Whitehead, of Paddockhurst, Sussex, the inventor of the Whitehead torpedo. Born June 20 1888 in Grafenegg, Austria. He was educated at Eton and Trinity College, Cambridge, and married in April, 1912, Suzanne Bechet de Balan, and leaves one daughter.
Being unfit for active service at the outbreak of war, he took up a position at the Whitehead Torpedo Works at Weymouth, which he relinquished as soon as his health permitted him to serve in a more active manner. He was gazetted to the R.F.C. last March."
Buried in Kensal Green (St Mary) Roman Catholic Cemetery, London.
Sources:
1. http://www.rcawsey.co.uk/Acc1916.htm
2. https://www.cwgc.org/find-war-dead/casualty/4017196/whitehead,-john-robert-gobertus/
3. http://www.rafmuseumstoryvault.org.uk/archive/whitehead-j.r.g.-john-robert-gobertus
4. https://www.flightglobal.com/pdfarchive/view/1916/1916%20-%200680.html?search=John%20Robert%20Gobertus%20Whitehead
5. http://trinitycollegechapel.com/media/filestore/general-documents/RollOfHonourWorldWarI_1.pdf
6. https://www.wingsofwar.org/forums/showthread.php?19689-100-Years-Ago-Today/page33
Revision history:
| Date/time | Contributor | Updates |
|---|---|---|
| 22-Dec-2018 22:04 | Dr. John Smith | Added |
| 25-Dec-2018 21:02 | stehlik49 | Updated [Operator] |
| 24-Jul-2023 18:28 | Nepa | Updated [[Operator]] |
Corrections or additions? ... Edit this accident description
The Aviation Safety Network is an exclusive service provided by:
Quick Links:
| ASN Home | Send Correction / Feedback |
| FSF Home | Disclaimer | Copyright |
| Contact Us | Privacy Policy |
| Press / Media |
CONNECT WITH US:
©2024 Flight Safety Foundation