Date:	Friday 9 September 1938
Time:	10:30 LT
Type:	Avro Tutor Mk I
Owner/operator:	23 ER&FTS RAF
Registration:	K3264?
MSN:
Fatalities:	Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 1
Aircraft damage:	Destroyed
Location:	RAF Rochester, Kent, England -   United Kingdom
Phase:	Landing
Nature:	Illegal Flight
Departure airport:	RAF Rochester, Kent
Destination airport:	RAF Rochester
Confidence Rating:	Information is only available from news, social media or unofficial sources

Narrative:
Avro Tutor Mk.1, K3264?*, 23 ER&FTS (Elementary & Reserve Flying Training School): Written off (destroyed) 9 September 1938 when crashed at Rochester, Kent. The "illegal flight" aspect of the incident was that the aircraft had been taken on an unauthorised flight by a 17-year-old apprentice aircraftsman, who had the intention of deliberately crashing the aircraft as a means of committing suicide. According to a press report at the time:

"Sat 10 Sep 1938
“SUICIDE BID BY CRASHING 'PLANE
Young Man Charged
DAVID LIVINGSTONE ROBB (17), of Clive Road, Rochester, an apprentice ground engineer at the R.A.F. Reserve Flying School, Rochester, was charged at Rochester to-day with attempting to commit suicide by attempting to fly an aeroplane and then crashing it on September 9. The Chief Constable Rochester, Commander W. J. A. Willis, said that the police were not yet in position to offer any evidence, and he asked for Robb to be remanded in custody with view to having him medically examined. Asked if he wished to say anything, Robb replied "No" He was remanded in custody until next Friday." Robb was left in charge of an aeroplane which had just landed and which had it's engine running. Soon afterwards the engine of this aircraft was heard to roar and the machine lurched forward, turned round two or three times in a circle, then stopped." At the hearing on Sept 16 he pleaded guilty and was bound over for 2 years".

There was a follow up, reported in "The Times" (17 September 1938 (abridged):
"At 10.30pm Robb had been left in charge of the a/c with its engines running, it was heard to rev up and the a/c went around in circles 2 or 3 times and stopped. Robb climbed out and an official asked him what has going on. He replied "I have done something I should not have done."

His mother stated they had come from the US (where his father was a minister) in May and as her son had an interest in aircraft she tried to get him an RAF apprenticeship but he was a few weeks over age, as the next best thing she managed to get him a job in the factory as a Civilian Apprentice Ground Engineer at the RAF Flying School. He was happy in his work but homesick for the US. Robb stated he had been very silly and had no intention of doing it again. The Chief Constable said that "There was a lot of good in the lad and he could be made into a very fine Englishman"

In 1938, No 23 Elementary and Reserve Flying Training School was at Rochester (Run by Shorts) I believe they were flying Avro tutors at the time and training FAA personnel. File AIR 29/621/1 at the National Archives (PRO Kew) contains the ORB for 24 Elementary Flying Training School (EFTS) (formerly known as 23 Elementary and Reserve Flying Training School formed at Rochester (UK) by Messrs. Short Brothers (Rochester & Bedford) Ltd under contract with the Air Ministry in April 1938). Re-Formed at Belfast (UK) in January 1939 at 24 ER&FTS (became 24 EFTS from 3 September 1939).

Note that the serial of the aircraft involved is not 100% confirmed. However Air Britain's "The K File" lists only ONE Avro Tutor of 23 ER&FTS as crashing at around this time - K3264. However, the date of the demise of this aircraft is slightly different - quote: "to 23 ER&FTS 26-6-38. Written off when undercarriage collapsed in a heavy landing at Rochester, Kent 22-8-38 and DBR" (difference of over two weeks)

In an ironic twist, until 1961, failed suicides were deemed in law to be "attempted [self] murder" for which, at the time, the death penalty could be imposed. In other words, if you failed to kill yourself, the law (in theory at least, and after a full trial by jury) could do it for you!

1. The K File: The Royal Air Force of the 1930s by James J Halley, Air Britain 1995 p.354
2. http://sussexhistoryforum.co.uk/index.php?topic=2066.0
3. https://rochesterairport.co.uk/about/history/
4. ORB (Air Ministry Form AM/F.540) for 23 & 34 ER&FTS April 1938 to May 1947: National Archives (PRO Kew) File AIR 29/621/1 at https://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/details/r/C7160949

Date/time	Contributor	Updates
15-Feb-2020 21:01	Dr. John Smith	Added
15-Feb-2020 21:03	Dr. John Smith	Updated [Destination airport, Narrative]
15-Feb-2020 21:05	Dr. John Smith	Updated [Narrative]
15-Feb-2020 21:05	Dr. John Smith	Updated [Narrative]
18-Feb-2020 11:48	Anon.	Updated [Operator, Destination airport, Operator]
27-May-2021 20:29	Anon.	Updated [Operator, Location, Operator]