May 1923 Air Union Farman Goliath crash

Last updated

May 1923 Air Union Farman Goliath crash
Farman-goliath.jpg
A Farman Goliath, similar to the accident aircraft
Accident
Date14 May 1923 (1923-05-14)
SummaryStructural failure
Site Monsures, Somme, France
49°42′36″N2°10′19″E / 49.71°N 2.1719°E / 49.71; 2.1719
Aircraft
Aircraft type Farman F.60 Goliath
Operator Air Union
Registration F-AEBY
Flight origin Le Bourget, Paris, France
Destination Croydon, Surrey, United Kingdom
Passengers4
Crew2
Fatalities6
Survivors0

The May 1923 Air Union Farman Goliath crash occurred on 14 May 1923 when Farman F.60 Goliath F-AEBY of Air Union crashed at Monsures, Somme, France following the structural failure of a wing in flight. All six people on board were killed.

Contents

Aircraft

The aircraft involved was Farman F.60 Goliath F-AEBY, c/n 3. The aircraft had entered service with Compagnie des Messageries Aériennes in April 1922, passing to Air Union in January 1923. [1]

Accident

The aircraft departed Le Bourget Airport, Paris at 12:35 local time with two crew and four passengers on board. At 13:42, [2] the aircraft crashed at Monsures, Somme and burst into flames. A garde champêtre witnessed the aircraft flying at an altitude of 3,000 feet (910 m) when he saw what he described as "an explosion" in the air. [3] The aircraft crashed and was consumed in the fire that followed. All six people on board were killed, including M.  Pierrot, the Technical Director of Air Union. The cause of the accident was the structural failure of a wing. One of the aircraft's wings was found at a distance of 200 yards (180 m) from the location of the main wreckage. One pair of wheels from the undercarriage was found near the railway line from Amiens to Beauvais, several hundred yards from the wreckage. [2]

Casualties

The nationalities of the victims were:- [2]

NationalityCrewPassengersTotal
Flag of France.svg French 213
Flag of the United States (1912-1959).svg American 22
Flag of Finland.svg Finnish 11
Total246

Related Research Articles

This is a list of aviation-related events from 1923:

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Pan Am Flight 202</span> 1952 aviation accident

Pan American World Airways Flight 202 was a Boeing 377 Stratocruiser aircraft that crashed in the Amazon Basin about 281 nautical miles southwest of Carolina, Brazil on April 29, 1952. The accident happened en route from Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, to Port of Spain, Trinidad and Tobago, during the third leg of a four-leg journey. All 50 people on board were killed in the deadliest-ever accident involving the Boeing 377.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Farman F.60 Goliath</span> French airliner and bomber

The Farman F.60 Goliath was a French airliner and bomber produced by the Farman Aviation Works from 1919. It was instrumental in the creation of early airlines and commercial routes in Europe after World War I.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">1922 Picardie mid-air collision</span>

The 1922 Picardie mid-air collision took place on 7 April 1922 over Picardie, France, involving British and French passenger-carrying biplanes. The midair collision occurred in foggy conditions. A British aircraft flying from Croydon to Paris with only mail on board collided with a French aircraft flying three passengers from Paris to Croydon, which resulted in seven deaths.

The Compagnie des Grands Express Aériens was a pioneering French airline established 20 March 1919 and operating until merged with Compagnie des Messageries Aériennes to form Air Union on 1 January 1923.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Monsures</span> Commune in Hauts-de-France, France

Monsures is a commune in the Somme department in Hauts-de-France in northern France.

Compagnie des messageries aériennes was a pioneering French airline which was in operation from 1919–23, when it was merged with Grands Express Aériens to form Air Union.

Air Union was a French airline established January 1, 1923, as the result of a merger between the airlines Compagnie des Messageries Aériennes and Compagnie des Grands Express Aériens. Air Union was merged with four other French airlines to become Air France on 7 October 1933.

Lympne Airport, was a military and later civil airfield, at Lympne, Kent, United Kingdom, which operated from 1916 to 1984. During the First World War RFC Lympne was originally an acceptance point for aircraft being delivered to, and returning from, France but was later designated as a First Class Landing Ground, RAF Lympne. It became a civil airfield in 1919 and saw the operation of early air mail services after the 1918 armistice. It was one of the first four airfields in the United Kingdom with customs facilities.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">October 1926 Air Union Blériot 155 crash</span>

The October 1926 Air Union Blériot 155 crash happened on 2 October 1926 at Leigh, Kent when Blériot 155 F-AICQ caught fire in mid-air and crashed while the pilot attempted to make an emergency landing at Penshurst Airfield. Both crew members and all five passengers were killed. This was the first in-flight fire occurring on an airliner.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">August 1926 Air Union Blériot 155 crash</span>

The August 1926 Air Union Blériot 155 crash happened on 18 August 1926 at Hurst, Kent when Blériot 155 F-AIEB of Air Union hit a barn and crashed whilst attempting to make a forced landing in bad weather. Two passengers were killed in the accident, and the pilot died a day later.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">1930 Air Union Farman Goliath crash</span> 1930 crash caused by tailplane structural failure

The 1930 Air Union Farman Goliath crash occurred on 10 February 1930 when a Farman F.63 Goliath of Air Union crashed whilst attempting an emergency landing at Marden Airfield, Kent following the failure of the starboard tailplane. Two of the six people on board were killed.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Farman Sport</span> Type of aircraft

The Farman FF 65 Sport was a French built light biplane, with a single engine and tandem seats, intended for sport and touring. First flown in 1919, it achieved modest sales at home and abroad in the early 1920s. Two unusual modifications produced a biplane glider and a low aspect ratio parasol wing machine.

Marden Airfield was an airfield in Marden, Kent, United Kingdom. It was operation from 1917 to 1935. Initially a Royal Flying Corps airfield during the First World War it was used post-war as an Emergency Landing Strip, RAF Marden by the Royal Air Force. It was also known as Pagehurst Emergency Landing Ground. Later serving as a civil Emergency Landing Ground, the airfield closed in 1935. The site housed a Royal Air Force transmitter station during the Second World War.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Meopham air disaster</span> 1930 crash caused by tailplane failure

The Meopham Air Disaster occurred on 21 July 1930 when a Junkers F.13ge flying from Le Touquet to Croydon with two crew and four passengers crashed near Meopham, Kent with the loss of all on board. The report of the inquiry into the accident was made public, the first time in the United Kingdom that an accident report was published.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">August 1923 Air Union Farman Goliath crash</span>

The August 1923 Air Union Farman Goliath crash occurred on 27 August 1923 when a Farman F.60 Goliath of Air Union crashed at East Malling, Kent, United Kingdom following an engine failure and reported panic amongst the passengers. One person was killed and nine were injured.

The 1923 Air Union Farman Goliath crash may refer to either of two accidents to Farman F.60 Goliath aircraft operated by Air Union.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Air France Flight 009</span> 1949 aviation accident

Air France Flight 009 was a scheduled international flight that crashed into a mountain while attempting to land at Santa Maria Airport, Azores on a stopover during a scheduled international passenger flight from Paris-Orly Airport to New York City. All 48 people on board were killed.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">1921 SNETA Farman Goliath ditching</span>

The 1921 SNETA Farman Goliath ditching occurred on 26 August 1921 when a Farman F.60 Goliath of Syndicat National d'Étude des Transports Aériens ditched in the North Sea off the coast of Belgium. The aircraft was operating a mail flight from Croydon Airport, United Kingdom to Brussels-Evere Airport, Belgium. The aircraft was later salvaged, repaired and returned to service.

References

  1. "Civil Aircraft Register – France". Golden Years of Aviation. p. 2. Archived from the original on 2 March 2011. Retrieved 4 March 2011.
  2. 1 2 3 "The Air Crash". The Times. No. 43342. London. 16 May 1923. col E, p. 14.
  3. "Paris-London Air Crash". The Times. No. 43341. London. 15 May 1923. col G, p. 14.