Tragic RFC Death over Salisbury Plain

" FELL LIKE A FIREWORK."

DIVE TO DEATH FROM A HEIGHT   OF 2,000 FEET over Salisbury Plain

Captain Downer was one of the most popular officers in the service, he had passed through the Staff College, joining the aviation class at the Central Flying School on January 27 last, and had been about six weeks under instruction. The course of tuition, however, was very much restricted in consequence of the inclement weather prevailing in February and during the present month. On the morning of the fatality, however, the weather cleared, and Captain Downer took out a B.E. biplane fitted with a 70-h.p. Renault engine. After being in the air some minutes he rose to a height of 2,000 ft., and then, making a wide sweep of the flying-ground, he appeared to be descending at a great pace. When, about 600 ft. from the earth the momentum of descent became terrific, and with a sickening crash the machine struck the ground about a mile away from the school. When an ambulance arrived on the spot the biplane was found to be a complete wreck, and amongst the debris was the body of the unfortunate pilot, who had apparently stuck to his seat and met an instantaneous death. The engine was completely embedded in the soil and chalk, and the wings smashed to atoms. It was stated at the inquest that the deceased had been up on the machine on previous occasions. It was a type which had been in constant use for 12 months, and had been found very satisfactory. Captain Salmond, instructor at the school, said he tested the machine, and went up in it before Captain Downer ascended. It was in perfect condition. Captain Downer had made 23 flights altogether

whilst at the school, and had flown alone. The witness watched the flight, and noticed the machine, when about 2,000 ft. up, begin to descend rapidly, and at a steep angle. He thought Captain Downer must have lost control. He heard no explosion. One wing broke off and fell when the machine was 250 ft. from the earth. The wing was 50 yards away from where the machine fell. The fact that the machine was travelling too fast and too steeply accounted for the wing breaking. Another eye-witness said the machine "came down to earth like a firework." Experts explained an alleged explosion by saying that the noise heard was probably the wing breaking, and the smoke would be from the exhaust. There ware no signs of fire amongst the wreckage.

A verdict of "Accidental death'' was returned, the jury expressing sympathy with the relatives. Captain Downer was unmarried, and was a son of the Rev. Dr.Downer, a Church of England clergyman. His home was in Sussex. He served in the South African war in the 2nd Northants Regiment under Lord Methuen, saw the brunt of the fighting, and was present at the Modder River engagement. He received the King's and Queen's medals. He was with the 1st Northants in India, and entered the Staff College in 1911. Upon passing through this he became attached to the Flying Corps.

Tragic deaths over Salisbury Plain

FLYING OFFICERS KILLED. 11th March 1914

BI-PLANES BREAK IN MID-AIR. 

British army aviation camps at Salisbury (England).

Two of the bravest officers in the service were killed in a terrible flying disaster. The victims were:-Captain Clement Robert Wedgwood Allen 35, Welsh Regiment and Lieutenant James Edward G. Burroughs, 30, Wiltshire Regiment; Captain Allen and Lieutenant Burroughs, left the aerodrome at Netheravon in a B.E. tractor biplane, driven by an 80-h.p. Gnome engine. The captain, who was an aviator of much experience, took the pilot's seat, and Lieutenant Burroughs, who has not been at Netheravon very long, went with him as a passenger.

It was a beautiful morning for flying. There was but little wind and the biplane, which on a previous day had been out in quite a stiff wind, rose in splendid fashion from the new asphalted surface south of the hangars. It was during a circuit of the aerodrome that the mishap occurred. The biplane had been up only a few minutes when the mechanics at the sheds noticed the rudder flutter away from the machine, and immediately the aeroplane turned its nose downwards and crashed to the ground from a height of about 250 ft. A couple of civilians who had been watching the flight from a plantation about 40 yards from where the machine fell rushed to the spot, and doctors and flying men soon followed, but the unfortunate officers were dead before help could reach them. Captain Allen had fallen from his seat and fell clear of the machine, but Lieutenant Burroughs remained in his place and his body was found amid the wreckage. Death must have been instantaneous in each case. The biplane, which is said to be one of the oldest machines in the service, was an utter wreck. One of the propeller blades lay alongside the wings; the engine was buried, in the earth, the petrol tank, was destroyed, and the fuselage twisted like a corkscrew. The under- planes were smashed to fragments, the ribs and canvas broken, and the upper-planes fractured at the ribs, the brass studs being forced out. The wreckage was placed under a guard of men of the Flying Corps, to await the investigation of the Court of Enquiry. The rudder and its attachments, however, were removed at once for expert examination. Captain Allen was a Bristol man, and was the senior flight commander of No. 3 Squadron. He was commissioned as second lieutenant in the Welsh Regiment on May 7, 1898, and was adjutant of Indian Volunteers for five years from April, 1906. Lieutenant Burroughs was a son of the late Rev. E. R. Burroughs, of Manilla road, Clifton. He was at Clifton College for six years, leaving in 1900. He was commissioned second lieutenant from the Militia to the Wiltshire Regiment on May 20, 1905, and became lieutenant in March, 1907. Mention was made of the disaster in the House of Commons.

Captain  Clement Robert Wedgwood Allen

ACCIDENTS INVESTIGATION COMMITTEE OF THE ROYAL AERO CLUB.

Report on the fatal accident to capt Clement Robert Wedgwood Allen, R.F.C. and lieut James Edward Godfrey Burroughs, R.F.C.when flying at Netheravon, Salisbury plain, on Wednesday, March 11th , 1914, at about 9.25 a.m.

Brief  Description of the Accident.—

Capt. C. R. W. Allen was flying a B. E. Biplane, No. 204, fitted with an 80 h.p. Gnome engine, with Lieut. J. E. G. Burroughs as passenger, at Netheravon, Salisbury Plain, on Wednesday, March 11t h , 1914.

The aircraft, which had been in the air about 5 minutes, had nearly made a complete circuit and was turning in the direction of the sheds, when at a height of about 350 feet, the rudder was seen to leave the aircraft which then made a spiral dive to the ground. The pilot and passenger were both killed and the aircraft was completely wrecked.

Capt. C. R. W. Allen (aged 36) was granted his Aviator's Certificate, No. 159, on November 14th, 1911, by the Royal Aero Club, and Lieut. J. E. G. Burroughs (aged 30) was granted his Aviator's Certificate, No, 1213, on January 31st, 1913, by the Aero Club de France.

Report.—

The Committee sat on June 16th and 30th and July 14^th and 27th, 1914, and received the report of the Club's representative who visited the scene of the accident within a short time of its occurrence, together with the evidence of eye-witnesses. The Committee also had before them the report of the National Physical Laboratory, dated May 20th, 1914, on the fracture of the rudder post of B. E . Biplane No. 204. In this report the condition of the   No. 2 5. metal of the steel tube which formed the rudder-post has been very thoroughly investigated. The Committee was also furnished with the results of mechanical tests on similar rudders manufactured at

the same time.

From the consideration of the evidence the Committee regards the following facts as clearly established :—

1. The aircraft was built by the Royal Aircraft Factory in June,1912.

2. There was practically no wind at the time of the accident.

3. The main rudder tube was fractured at the base of the rudder just below where the rudder-post passes through the frame of the rudder and is welded to it.

4. The rudder which became detached from the aircraft in the air was picked up 126 yds. from the spot where the aircraft fell.

5. The control wires were found to be intact.

Opinion.—

The Committee is of opinion that the rudder was sufficiently strong to withstand the ordinary stresses of flying but was insufficiently strong to resist the greatly increased stresses of modern flying and rough usage, and had probably been damaged in this way prior to this particular flight.

Recommendation.—In consequence of the greatly augmented stresses now imposed on aircraft due to the increased skill and daring of aviators in high winds in connection with sharp turns and similar manoeuvres, it is recommended that the attention of constructors be drawn to the necessity of making due allowances for these increased stresses, combined with proper allowances for deterioration due to wear and tear, and the possibility of flaws in the materials themselves.