ASN Wikibase Occurrence # 245136
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: | Tuesday 24 September 1912 |
| Time: | day |
| Type: | Bleriot XI |
| Owner/operator: | Eastbourne Aviation Company |
| Registration: | Unregistered |
| MSN: | |
| Fatalities: | Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 1 |
| Aircraft damage: | Destroyed |
| Location: | St. Anthony's Hill, Eastbourne, Sussex, England -
 United Kingdom
|
| Phase: | En route |
| Nature: | Training |
| Departure airport: | Eastbourne, Sussex |
| Confidence Rating: |  Information is only available from news, social media or unofficial sources |
On 24 September 1912, whilst undergoing flying training with the Eastbourne Aviation Company (EAC), Cyril Edgar Foggin lost control of one of the EAC Anzani engined Blériots at a height of about 60' and went into spiral dive, crashing on the Langney side of St. Anthony's Hill. The Blériot was destroyed and it was thought that Foggin had been killed. However he survived the crash, something he attributed to wearing a thick leather flying helmet which he had had made for him by T. L. Larkin, the saddler of South Street, Eastbourne.
Presumably whilst taking the precaution of wearing a helmet, his prudence didn't extend to strapping himself into the cockpit of the aeroplane. Thus on impact with the ground, Foggin was thrown forward and struck his head against the forward fuselage which, he said, would have fractured his skull had he not been wearing the helmet. His helmet was damaged but he was not. Conscious, he was able to crawl out of the wreckage (which, presumably, did not catch fire) and live to fly another day.
The incident was reported in "The Times" the next day (25 September 1912):
"NARROW ESCAPE FROM DEATH
At Eastbourne early yesterday morning Mr. Cyril Foggin, of Newcastle, was flying in an Anzani Blériot monoplane from the local aerodrome, where he had been under instruction, when he apparently lost control of the machine, which fell from a height of 60ft. on to the grass at St. Anthony's Hill. The monoplane was wrecked and Mr. Foggin fell on his head, but was so well protected by his safety helmet that he escaped unhurt".
Indeed he flew for many other days, becoming a pilot of renown despite losing an eye whilst shooting down a German Albatross over Flanders. If he led a charmed life in the air, that did not extend to the ground. He was killed in a motoring accident in France in July 1918.
Sources:
1. http://sussexhistoryforum.co.uk/index.php?topic=17195.0
2. https://earlyaviators.com/efoggin.htm
3. https://www.cwgc.org/find-records/find-war-dead/casualty-details/2913628/foggin,-cyril-edgar/
4. National Archives (PRO Kew) File AIR 79/23/1730: https://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/details/r/C10524925
5. http://www.newmp.org.uk/article.php?categoryid=99&articleid=1408&displayorder=184
6. https://getoutside.ordnancesurvey.co.uk/local/st-anthonys-hill-eastbourne
Revision history:
| Date/time | Contributor | Updates |
|---|---|---|
| 23-Nov-2020 21:20 | Dr. John Smith | Added |
| 17-Jul-2023 17:05 | Nepa | Updated |
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