ASN Wikibase Occurrence # 233302
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| Date: | Saturday 6 July 1968 |
| Time: | day |
| Type: |  Beagle A.109 Airedale |
| Owner/operator: | Lothar Norman Hocking |
| Registration: | G-ARZR |
| MSN: | B.514 |
| Fatalities: | Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 1 |
| Aircraft damage: | Destroyed |
| Location: | English Channel, 1 mile offshore, near Folkestone, Kent -
 United Kingdom
|
| Phase: | En route |
| Nature: | Private |
| Departure airport: | Lydd Airport, Lydd, Kent (LYX/EGMD) |
| Berck-Sur-Mer, Pas de Calais, France (LFAM) | |
| Confidence Rating: |  Information is only available from news, social media or unofficial sources |
Beagle A.109 Airedale G-ARZR: First civil registered (C of R R7606/1) on 11-5-62 to Beagle Aircraft Ltd., Rearsby, Leicestershire. Registration cancelled 6-5-63 upon sale.
Sold on and re-registered (C of R R7606/2) on 13-5-63 to British Executive Air Services Ltd., Kidlington, Oxfordshire. Registration cancelled again 1-4-64 upon sale
Sold on and re-registered (C of R R7606/3) on 28-4-64 to CSE (Aircraft Service Ltd., Kidlington, Oxfordshire. Registration cancelled 4-5-64 upon sale
Sold on and re-registered (C of R R7606/4) on 28-5-64 to Lothar Norman Hocking, Farnham Royal, Buckinghamshire
On 6 July 1968 a group of four aeroplanes left Lydd Airport (I suspect that they were in transit and stopped at Lydd to clear customs) en route for Berck-sur-Mer in the Pas de Calais. It would seem that the group, which included Beagle Airedale G-ARZR and Druine Condor G-AVRV, flew north-east up the coast before turning east to cross the Channel to France. Although flying in formation, the Condor, which was flying astern of the Airedale, progressively reduced the distance between the two until it collided with the tail of the Airedale approximately 1 mile offshore from Folkestone. The Airedale was able to make a controlled descent, and ditched in the sea, whereas the Condor crashed into the sea. It appears that the sole occupant of the Condor was the pilot and, despite crashing into the sea, he survived the incident. I haven't been able to find, online, a report specifically concerning the Airedale and thus do not know how many were onboard (the Airedale is a four seater) or whether there were any injuries or loss of life amongst them.
There was an AIB investigation into the collision and subsequently a report (CAP 330) was published on 1 January 1969. Flight magazine (12 February 1970) reported the latter as follows:
"The Board of Trade Inspector of Accidents has been unable to find any reason why a collision occurred between Beagle Airedale G-ARZR and Druine Condor G-AVRV near Folkestone on July 6, 1968. The two aircraft were among a group of four flying in loose formation. The Airedale was leading with the Condor behind and to starboard. The Condor was seen to start to weave from side to side while gaining rapidly on the Airedale, which it eventually struck on the rudder and starboard elevator. The pilot of the Airedale was able to carry out a successful ditching but the Condor crashed inverted into the sea."
Registration G-ARZR cancelled 20-10-68 as "destroyed"
Sources:
1. Flight magazine 12 February 1970
2. CAA: https://cwsprduksumbraco.blob.core.windows.net/g-info/HistoricalLedger/G-ARZR.pdf
3. http://sussexhistoryforum.co.uk/index.php?topic=15000.0
4. Wreckage recovered and dumped at Folkestone Harbour 7 July 1970: https://abpic.co.uk/pictures/view/1332873
5. http://austerhg.org/gallery3/Beagle-1188178517/A109/G-ARZR-A109-AIREDALE-2
6. https://abpic.co.uk/pictures/registration/G-ARZR
7. http://austerhg.org/gallery3/Beagle-1188178517/A109/G-ARZR-A109-AIREDALE
8. http://www.britishaviation-ptp.com/b/beagle_airdale.html
9. https://www.merstham.photos/index.php?goto=picture_3855
10. https://www.na3t.org/air/photo/LA00325-1
Revision history:
| Date/time | Contributor | Updates |
|---|---|---|
| 27-Feb-2020 23:47 | Dr. John Smith | Added |
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