L'aviateur
11th Jun 2009, 20:20
Whilst searching the internet for a website for Kirkbymoorside Airfield, I stumbled across this newspaper article from 1933 which relates to Skegness Airfield and I just had to share it. The language and romance of flying seems to exist here.
Burnt to Death in Aerodrome Crash | Skegness Magazine (http://skegnessvideo.com/2008/12/burnt-to-death-in-aerodrome-crash/)
Burnt to Death in Skegness Aerodrome Crash
Source: Skegness News 1933
The most gruesome tragedy which Skegness has ever experienced, overshadowing the worst of this year’s already lengthy series, occurred yesterday (Tuesday) afternoon, when an aeroplane which had just taken off from the Skegness aerodrome crashed and burst into flames, burning to death both occupants.
The victims were:
Mr. HUBERT BENTINCK CHANTREY (29), of 8, Connaught Place, London, and Miss VERA FIELD, of Croydon.
Despite heroic efforts on the part of the Skegness aerodrome staff, and a sensational dash to the scene by the Skegness Fire Brigade, the ‘plane, which crashed only 100 yards beyond the northern boundary of the aerodrome, was completely burnt out before there was the slightest possibility of extricating the ill-fated occupants.
IDENTIFICATION DIFFICULTY.
http://skegnesshistory.files.wordpress.com/2008/01/avroavia.jpg (http://skegnesshistory.files.wordpress.com/2008/01/avroavia.jpg)Throughout yesterday afternoon, the identity of the dead lady remained unestablished, and proceedings were initiated by the Chief-Constable of Lincolnshire (Lieut.Col. G. R. Halland) to secure a broadcast from all stations of the B.B.C. with a view to subsequent identification.
Mr Chantrey arrived at Skegness yesterday morning with a lady passenger having it is understood, flown in from York in the course of a circular tour starting from and finishing at Heston Airport London. Both had a light luncheon at the Skegness Aero Club and prepared to leave for Heston in the afternoon.
The machine was a two seater Avro light biplane—a Sports Avian—(similar to the aeroplane in the picture) and Mr. Chantry had the petrol tank replenished before staring out for the take off.
TURNED DOWN WIND
Mr J H Hill of Maidenhead, a pilot on the staff the Skegness Aerodrome, said that the pilot taxied out to the far side of the aerodrome and took off, into the wind.
It was a perfectly good take-off,” said Mr Hill “and as soon as the ‘plane was flying pulled it up in a zoom. He straightened out at about 100 feet, and without carrying on to gain flying speed seemed to kick the ‘plane round into a left hand turn with hardly any bank. He turned -down wind, apparently to get on his course for Heston; the ‘plane appeared to stall and immediately went into a spin. It made about one-and-a-half half turns and struck the ground with a crash.
“Immediately it was enveloped in a mass of flames. There was not even a preliminary flicker. The flare-up was instantaneous. The impact forced the engine back into the centre section petrol tank, which was quite full, and there seems little doubt that the tank burst, spraying petrol over the hot exhaust system.”
BURST INTO FLAMES
Mr Bertram Kirkland, an aircraftman employed at the aerodrome, said that the ‘plane was fitted with a metal air screw and the take-off was remarkably quick.
“The plane seemed to lose speed on the top of the ‘zoom’,” he said, “and the pilot seemed to turn before regaining flying speed. It burst into flames the moment it crashed, The aerodrome staff dashed in cars to the scene and fought the flames with fire extinguishers and buckets of water from the near-by drain, but it was, impossible owing to the fierceness of the fire to reach either pilot or passenger. We got the flames under in eight minutes.”
Mr. F, D. Taylor, an assistant in the Surveyor’s Department of the Skegness Council, said that he was testing water mains opposite the Nottingham Convalescent Home, and saw the ill-fated aeroplane take-off.
RANG FOR FIRE BRIGADE
“To me, the pilot appeared to rise too steeply,” he said, “and immediately he essayed to turn on a southward course, down wind, he went into a spin, and nose-dived with a crash into the field just to the north of the aerodrome.
“I at once rang up the police and asked them to send the Fire Brigade, and also phoned for the Water Department to give full pressure, but within a few minutes there was only a charred mass remaining, and the Fire Brigade’s two mile journey was in vain.”
The Fire Brigade and motor fire engine Chief Officer J. Davy in charge, made an insistent sounding of the fire alarm, but with two miles of road and several fields separating them from the blazing ‘plane, they had little hope of reaching it before it was completely burnt out.
Their timely arrival, however, was extremely welcome, for they were able to finish the work already begun by the aerodrome fire party, and the Chief Officer of the Brigade and Supt Ackrill and other officers of the local police supervised the task of extricating the dead bodies of the two occupants from the charred and twisted wreckage.
BEYOND RECOGNITION
A deep hole was made in the ground where the air screw boss struck, and the engine, as stated by Mr. Hill, was forced back into the fuselage of the ‘plane little remained but the metal framework and wires, all fabric and woodwork being entirely consumed.
The remains of the ill-fated occupants, charred and burned entirely beyond recognition, were removed after extrication in the ambulance of the British Red Cross Society.
Mr. Chantrey’s father, Mr. W. Herbert Chantrey, is a partner in Chantrey, Button and Co., Chartered Accountants, of Africa House, Kingsway, London.
Mr. Hubert Chantrey was a civil airman and flew his own plane which he used for business purposes, frequently flying to Birmingham. He was a London representative of a Birmingham firm, the Deritend Stamping Co., and lived with his parents.
FATHEWS STATEMENT
Mr W H Chantrey, father of the dead pilot issued the following statement last night:
“Mr H B Chantry, accompanied by Miss Vera Field, of Croydon, a great flying enthusiast, left London on Saturday to fly to Edinburgh to meet the members of the motor cycling, club on their arrival there.This they did on Saturday evening.
“On Sunday they returned to Kirkby Moorside, leaving there for London this morning. They called at Skegness for lunch and fuel, and subsequently they took off from the aerodrome when the fatal accident took place. In due course the Air Ministry will make a report.”
When Mr. Chantrey was killed, his father and mother were on the road, motoring back from Llandudno, where they had been spending Whitsun. They did not hear of the tragedy until they arrived at their home in Connaught Place, W.
Shortly before Mr. and Mrs. Chantrey returned, friends arrived at the house to break the news to them.
One of the friends told a Press representative; “Mr. Chantrey was a typical plucky, sport-loving young man. Besides flying he was very keen on motor cycle racing, and had won several cups. He is the only son, but has a married sister, Mrs. Emberton, wife of the well-known architect.”
The inquest will be held at the Skegness Petty Sessional Court-house to-day (Wednesday) at 4.30 p.m.
Also though, if anyone has any information on Kirkbymoorside Airfield, please could they post it. I'm looking at flying in with a PA28 next week to pick up a friend and am still awaiting my new Pooley's from flightstore
Burnt to Death in Aerodrome Crash | Skegness Magazine (http://skegnessvideo.com/2008/12/burnt-to-death-in-aerodrome-crash/)
Burnt to Death in Skegness Aerodrome Crash
Source: Skegness News 1933
The most gruesome tragedy which Skegness has ever experienced, overshadowing the worst of this year’s already lengthy series, occurred yesterday (Tuesday) afternoon, when an aeroplane which had just taken off from the Skegness aerodrome crashed and burst into flames, burning to death both occupants.
The victims were:
Mr. HUBERT BENTINCK CHANTREY (29), of 8, Connaught Place, London, and Miss VERA FIELD, of Croydon.
Despite heroic efforts on the part of the Skegness aerodrome staff, and a sensational dash to the scene by the Skegness Fire Brigade, the ‘plane, which crashed only 100 yards beyond the northern boundary of the aerodrome, was completely burnt out before there was the slightest possibility of extricating the ill-fated occupants.
IDENTIFICATION DIFFICULTY.
http://skegnesshistory.files.wordpress.com/2008/01/avroavia.jpg (http://skegnesshistory.files.wordpress.com/2008/01/avroavia.jpg)Throughout yesterday afternoon, the identity of the dead lady remained unestablished, and proceedings were initiated by the Chief-Constable of Lincolnshire (Lieut.Col. G. R. Halland) to secure a broadcast from all stations of the B.B.C. with a view to subsequent identification.
Mr Chantrey arrived at Skegness yesterday morning with a lady passenger having it is understood, flown in from York in the course of a circular tour starting from and finishing at Heston Airport London. Both had a light luncheon at the Skegness Aero Club and prepared to leave for Heston in the afternoon.
The machine was a two seater Avro light biplane—a Sports Avian—(similar to the aeroplane in the picture) and Mr. Chantry had the petrol tank replenished before staring out for the take off.
TURNED DOWN WIND
Mr J H Hill of Maidenhead, a pilot on the staff the Skegness Aerodrome, said that the pilot taxied out to the far side of the aerodrome and took off, into the wind.
It was a perfectly good take-off,” said Mr Hill “and as soon as the ‘plane was flying pulled it up in a zoom. He straightened out at about 100 feet, and without carrying on to gain flying speed seemed to kick the ‘plane round into a left hand turn with hardly any bank. He turned -down wind, apparently to get on his course for Heston; the ‘plane appeared to stall and immediately went into a spin. It made about one-and-a-half half turns and struck the ground with a crash.
“Immediately it was enveloped in a mass of flames. There was not even a preliminary flicker. The flare-up was instantaneous. The impact forced the engine back into the centre section petrol tank, which was quite full, and there seems little doubt that the tank burst, spraying petrol over the hot exhaust system.”
BURST INTO FLAMES
Mr Bertram Kirkland, an aircraftman employed at the aerodrome, said that the ‘plane was fitted with a metal air screw and the take-off was remarkably quick.
“The plane seemed to lose speed on the top of the ‘zoom’,” he said, “and the pilot seemed to turn before regaining flying speed. It burst into flames the moment it crashed, The aerodrome staff dashed in cars to the scene and fought the flames with fire extinguishers and buckets of water from the near-by drain, but it was, impossible owing to the fierceness of the fire to reach either pilot or passenger. We got the flames under in eight minutes.”
Mr. F, D. Taylor, an assistant in the Surveyor’s Department of the Skegness Council, said that he was testing water mains opposite the Nottingham Convalescent Home, and saw the ill-fated aeroplane take-off.
RANG FOR FIRE BRIGADE
“To me, the pilot appeared to rise too steeply,” he said, “and immediately he essayed to turn on a southward course, down wind, he went into a spin, and nose-dived with a crash into the field just to the north of the aerodrome.
“I at once rang up the police and asked them to send the Fire Brigade, and also phoned for the Water Department to give full pressure, but within a few minutes there was only a charred mass remaining, and the Fire Brigade’s two mile journey was in vain.”
The Fire Brigade and motor fire engine Chief Officer J. Davy in charge, made an insistent sounding of the fire alarm, but with two miles of road and several fields separating them from the blazing ‘plane, they had little hope of reaching it before it was completely burnt out.
Their timely arrival, however, was extremely welcome, for they were able to finish the work already begun by the aerodrome fire party, and the Chief Officer of the Brigade and Supt Ackrill and other officers of the local police supervised the task of extricating the dead bodies of the two occupants from the charred and twisted wreckage.
BEYOND RECOGNITION
A deep hole was made in the ground where the air screw boss struck, and the engine, as stated by Mr. Hill, was forced back into the fuselage of the ‘plane little remained but the metal framework and wires, all fabric and woodwork being entirely consumed.
The remains of the ill-fated occupants, charred and burned entirely beyond recognition, were removed after extrication in the ambulance of the British Red Cross Society.
Mr. Chantrey’s father, Mr. W. Herbert Chantrey, is a partner in Chantrey, Button and Co., Chartered Accountants, of Africa House, Kingsway, London.
Mr. Hubert Chantrey was a civil airman and flew his own plane which he used for business purposes, frequently flying to Birmingham. He was a London representative of a Birmingham firm, the Deritend Stamping Co., and lived with his parents.
FATHEWS STATEMENT
Mr W H Chantrey, father of the dead pilot issued the following statement last night:
“Mr H B Chantry, accompanied by Miss Vera Field, of Croydon, a great flying enthusiast, left London on Saturday to fly to Edinburgh to meet the members of the motor cycling, club on their arrival there.This they did on Saturday evening.
“On Sunday they returned to Kirkby Moorside, leaving there for London this morning. They called at Skegness for lunch and fuel, and subsequently they took off from the aerodrome when the fatal accident took place. In due course the Air Ministry will make a report.”
When Mr. Chantrey was killed, his father and mother were on the road, motoring back from Llandudno, where they had been spending Whitsun. They did not hear of the tragedy until they arrived at their home in Connaught Place, W.
Shortly before Mr. and Mrs. Chantrey returned, friends arrived at the house to break the news to them.
One of the friends told a Press representative; “Mr. Chantrey was a typical plucky, sport-loving young man. Besides flying he was very keen on motor cycle racing, and had won several cups. He is the only son, but has a married sister, Mrs. Emberton, wife of the well-known architect.”
The inquest will be held at the Skegness Petty Sessional Court-house to-day (Wednesday) at 4.30 p.m.
Also though, if anyone has any information on Kirkbymoorside Airfield, please could they post it. I'm looking at flying in with a PA28 next week to pick up a friend and am still awaiting my new Pooley's from flightstore