ASN Wikibase Occurrence # 174079
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| Date: | Monday 9 May 1927 |
| Time: | 15:20 |
| Type: | Royal Aircraft Factory S.E.5a |
| Owner/operator: | 3 Sqn RAAF |
| Registration: | A2-24 |
| MSN: | |
| Fatalities: | Fatalities: 1 / Occupants: 1 |
| Aircraft damage: | Destroyed |
| Location: | Cork Hill, near Parliament Building, Canberra, ACT -
 Australia
|
| Phase: | En route |
| Nature: | Demo/Airshow/Display |
| Departure airport: | |
| Confidence Rating: |  Information is only available from news, social media or unofficial sources |
Royal Aircraft Factory SE.5a A-24: A2-24. Ex-RAF C8995; Imperical Gift to Australi as A2-24. To Long term storage at 1 AD until 1926, acceptance test flight 30/11/26. To 1 Squadron RAAF ‘B’ Flt, damaged 02/05/27 when overturned landing at Cootamundra NSW (crew Sgt D McE Carroll). Repaired and Attached to 3 Sqn ‘B’ Flt Canberra 07/05/27
Written off (destroyed) 09/05/1927: 'B' Flight of No.3 Squadron, RAAF was performing a ceremonial fly past to mark the opening of Parliament. One of the S.E.5a biplane fighters was seen to drop back behind the rest of the flight and then turn and spin into the ground. The plane crashed on a small hill, since removed, about three-quarters of a mile from the original Parliament Building and was completely wrecked.The pilot was found alive, but had sustained serious injuries from which he died in hospital that evening.
According to a contemporary local newspaper report (The Advertiser (Adelaide, SA) Wednesday 11 May 1927 Page 14):
"THE CANBERRA AIR CRASH.
DEATH OF FLYING-OFFICER EWEN.
Canberra, May 10.
Flying-Officer F. E. Ewen. who crashed after the review yesterday, died in the hospital at 7.30 p.m. The accident, which occurred in full view of many of the crowd, marred the rejoicings of the day. The plane, which dived with terrific force, was smashed to atoms. Airmen removed the shattered wreckage from the spot, which was near one of the civilian camps, directly in front of Parliament House-
The news of the tragedy was received with profound sympathy and sorrow by the Duke and Duchess and the whole representative assemblage. There have been five smashes of aeroplanes in the past few days since the Air Force commenced its flights in connection with the Royal visit, and men have received slightiinjuries. The Duke asked the Minister of Defence to convey a message of sympathy from himself and the Duchess to the relatives of the dead airman.
The Prime Minister (Mr. Bruce) expressed the sympathy of himself and Mrs. Bruce. The disaster is especially poignant in view of the fact that the airmen, by their graceful evolutions and manoeuvres, had contributed so largely to the success of the day's ceremony as a spectacular page in Australian history.
In political quarters this latest and worst of a series of crashes at the capital, following so quickly the disaster in Melbourne, is viewed with open disquiet and it is not improbable that an nquiry more searching and comprehensive than the ordinary departmental investigation will be demanded. Those competent to express an opinion recognize that the human element in flying is an ever present factor, but it is felt very strongly that the recent chapter of disasters is not a good augury for aviation in Australia".
Pilot Flying Officer Francis Charles Ewen RAAF - killed.R.I.P.
Sources:
1. The Advertiser (Adelaide, SA) Wednesday 11 May 1927 Page 14: https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/43574665
2. The Register (Adelaide, SA) Tuesday 10 May 1927 Page 9: https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/54263483
3. Canberra Times August 4 2022: https://www.canberratimes.com.au/story/7845135/solving-the-mystery-of-the-old-parliament-house-air-tragedy/
4. http://www.3squadron.org.au/subpages/Parliament_Opening_Air%20Crash_1927.htm
5. http://adf-serials.com.au/CMS/raaf1/1a2
6. https://www.historysnoop.com/air-fatality-in-canberra/
7. https://rnzaf.proboards.com/thread/3345/raaf-se-5a-crash-canberra
8. SE.5a A2-24 at Point Cook 1927 [photo]: http://adf-serials.com.au/picture.php?/A2_24_SE5A_at_Pt_Cook/category/se-5a
9. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Canberra
Revision history:
| Date/time | Contributor | Updates |
|---|---|---|
| 24-Feb-2015 05:13 | angels one five | Added |
| 17-Jun-2015 06:23 | Angel dick one | Updated [Time, Operator, Narrative] |
| 06-Dec-2016 22:18 | angels one five | Updated [Narrative] |
| 29-Aug-2019 01:29 | angels one five | Updated [Aircraft type, Narrative] |
| 07-Jun-2022 08:01 | Ron Averes | Updated [Location] |
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