Date:	Wednesday 16 October 1963
Time:	14:13 LT
Type:	Percival P.44 Proctor V
Owner/operator:	Michael Harty
Registration:	EI-AMV
MSN:	Ae.103
Fatalities:	Fatalities: 2 / Occupants: 2
Aircraft damage:	Destroyed
Location:	Dundas Park Farm, Big Pett, near Stowting, Kent -   United Kingdom
Phase:	En route
Nature:	Private
Departure airport:	Biggin Hill Airport, Biggin Hill, Bromley, Kent (BQH/EGKB)
Destination airport:	Le Bouget, Paris, France (LBG-LFPB)
Confidence Rating:	Information is only available from news, social media or unofficial sources

Narrative:
Percival Proctor Mk. V EI-AMV: Ex-G-AIET. First registered in the UK as G-AIET on 14 October 1946. Named "Windmill Girl" as owned by Vivian Van Damm, who was also owner of the famous "Windmill Theatre" in London's West End. Sold on and re-registered three times between 14 October 1946 and 3 May 1955. UK Registration G-AIET cancelled 27 October 1962 as sold to the Irish Republic. Became Irish Registered as EI-AMV from October 1962

Written off (damaged beyond repair) 16 October 1963 when crashed at Dundas Park Farm, Big Pett, near Stowting, Kent, while on a flight from Biggin Hill. According to a contemporary local newspaper report ("Kentish Express" - Friday 1 November 1963)

"Crash pilot only held his licence for one month
A FOLKESTONE inquest was told on Monday that the pilot of the light aircraft which crashed in an orchard at Stowting earlier in the month had only held a pilot's licence for a month. He was not competent to use the radio bad weather aid being offered to him by Lympne Airport.

The pilot, 37-year-old insurance broker Michael Harty, and his passenger, Christopher Young, 35, wine taster, both of Dublin, were killed in the crash. Verdicts of accidental death ware returned.

The Coroner, Mr. Norman Franks, said he had received a report from the Irish Inspector of Civil Aviation, which said the Proctor aircraft was in good order and Mr. Harty was considered to be a good pilot, with a total 80 hours' flying time to his credit. But although he had practiced elementary instrument flying in a ground trainer, he had not practiced instrument flying in the air.

Mr. Franks said the Inspector had added in his report: "He could not have been competent for instrument flying or an approach to an aerodrome by the service available to him and in use at Lympne at the time of the accident."

WARNING
Mr. Lance Curry, of Gate House, Lympne, who is senior air traffic control officer at Lympne Airport, said the airport had been notified by flight plan that Mr. Harty's aircraft was leaving an aerodrome west of Paris at noon and arriving at Lympne at 1.10 p.m. on October 16. The weather deteriorated rapidly and at 1.15 p.m. the visibility was down to two miles. Direction finding radio facilities were made available and at 1.18 p.m. he had first radio contact with the aircraft. He gave the pilot a number of bearings and warned him there were hills to the north east and north of Lympne. He received acknowledgment of some of the information. Radio contact was lost and then re-established. But at 2.13 p.m contact was again lost. Later he was told the plane had crashed.

Questioned by the Coroner, Mr. Curry said the plane had enough fuel for four hours flying. He personally felt that at one time the aircraft was fairly close to the airfield. Sodium lights were switched on to help.

EXPLOSION
Mr. Francis Hopkinson, of Dundas Farm, Elmsted, told the inquest how he was in his orchard with a farm worker when he heard the plane crash nearby. It was drizzling, with low cloud, and visibility was not more than 2-300 yards. He beard what sounded like a minor explosion followed by a cracking, tearing noise. Almost immediately afterwards he heard a dull thud followed by a sort of swishing noise. He ran to the scene and found the wreckage scattered and blazing.

Questioned by the foreman of the jury, he said he felt the explosion must have been while the plane was still in the air.

Mr. Franks said the senior investigating officer of the Ministry of Civil Aviation, Mr. Ernest Broomfield, had also made a report on the crash. In this he said he was of the opinion that the plane must have struck some tall trees as it was banking. This caused the wing to disintegrate. There was no evidence of any mechanical failure and the engine was still under power when crashed into the orchard".

1. Kentish Express - Friday 1 November 1963
2. http://sussexhistoryforum.co.uk/index.php?topic=17919.0
3. https://cwsprduksumbraco.blob.core.windows.net/g-info/HistoricalLedger/G-AIET.pdf
4. https://www.key.aero/forum/historic-aviation/108261-irish-percival-proctor-airplanes
5. http://www.britishlistedbuildings.co.uk/en-440973-dundas-farm-elmsted-kent
6. EI-AMV at White Waltham (EGLM) in 1963: https://abpic.co.uk/pictures/view/1635113
7. EI-AMV when G-AIET at Baginton, Coventry, 1953: https://www.key.aero/comment/1023739#comment-1023739
8. EI-AMV when G-AIET at the Festival Of Britain Air Races Hatfield 23-6-51: https://www.flickr.com/photos/dwhitworth/5508998372/

Date/time	Contributor	Updates
21-Jul-2009 02:32	VHKDK	Added
24-Dec-2011 14:41	Dr. John Smith	Updated [Operator, Total fatalities, Total occupants, Other fatalities, Location, Phase, Nature, Source, Narrative]
05-Aug-2012 02:47	Dr. John Smith	Updated [Location, Departure airport, Source, Embed code, Narrative]
13-Oct-2013 16:22	Dr. John Smith	Updated [Location, Source, Embed code, Narrative]
14-Jan-2014 18:39	TB	Updated [Operator, Location, Embed code, Narrative]
12-Jul-2019 16:14	A.J.Scholten	Updated [Cn, Source]
30-Nov-2020 20:54	Dr. John Smith	Updated [Time, Operator, Location, Departure airport, Source, Narrative]
17-May-2022 08:41	Ron Averes	Updated [Aircraft type]