1922 Picardie mid-air collision
Accident | |
---|---|
Date | 7 April 1922 |
Summary | Mid-air collision in fog |
Site | Le Bourget Airport |
Passengers | 0 |
Crew | 2 |
Fatalities | 2 |
Survivors | 0 |
The 1922 Picardie mid-air collision took place on 7 April 1922 over
Background
Following World War I, there was a steep decline in demand for military aircraft and their pilots. Like other countries, France and Britain turned to establishing a civilian air industry, initially converting military designs to domestic purposes.
The first
The French company
The flight
On 7 April 1922, four days after Daimler Hire commenced operations with the DH.18A, G-EAWO was flying mail from Croydon bound for Le Bourget, Paris, with only the pilot (Lieutenant R. E. Duke) and a boy steward (Hesterman) aboard. Meanwhile, the Goliath (F-GEAD) piloted by M. Mire had departed Le Bourget with three passengers and a mechanic.[2] The three passengers were an American couple, Christopher Bruce Yule and the new Mrs. Mary Yule, who were on their honeymoon, and a French national, Monsieur Bouriez.[1]
Following the normal route in drizzle and fog at an altitude of 150 m (492 ft), the DH.18A collided with the Goliath over
The weather was misty with poor visibility. The two aircraft suddenly encountered each other in the mist, neither having time to take evasive action. During the collision the DH.18 lost a wing and the tail, and impacted first, with the Goliath crashing a few minutes later. Although people on the ground quickly reached the scene, all were found to be dead except for the boy steward, who was badly injured. He was taken to the nearby village, but died of his injuries.[2] Early reports claimed the British pilot was the survivor.[1]
Aftermath
Following the accident, a meeting was held at
See also
- List of notable mid-air collisions
- List of accidents and incidents involving commercial aircraft
- October 1926 Air Union Blériot 155 crash – First mid-air fire on an airliner
References
- ^ a b c d e "Americans Die in French Air Crash" The New York Times. 8 April 1922.
- ^ a b "London-Paris machines collide". Flight: 215. 13 April 1922. Retrieved 29 March 2007.
- ^
Jackson, Aubrey Joseph (1973). British Civil Aircraft since 1919, Vol. 2. London: Putnam. OCLC 59161340.
- ^ "DH.18 from jnpassieux.chez-alice.fr" (in French). Retrieved 9 December 2007.
- ^ "APPENDIX B – Previous significant midair occurrences" (PDF), Review of ACAS RA Downlink, eurocontrol.int, p. 20 (page 26 of document), archived from the original (PDF) on 27 September 2007, retrieved 7 December 2007
- ^ "Airway Rules". The Times. No. 43006. London. 15 April 1922. col E, p. 12.