Accident Capt. Dale Gas Balloon Unregistered,
ASN logo
ASN Wikibase Occurrence # 217738
 
This information is added by users of ASN. Neither ASN nor the Flight Safety Foundation are responsible for the completeness or correctness of this information. If you feel this information is incomplete or incorrect, you can submit corrected information.

Date:Wednesday 29 June 1892
Time:Day
Type:Silhouette image of generic BALL model; specific model in this crash may look slightly different    
Capt. Dale Gas Balloon
Owner/operator:Captain William Duncan Dale
Registration: Unregistered
MSN:
Fatalities:Fatalities: 2 / Occupants: 4
Aircraft damage: Destroyed
Location:Crystal Palace, Sydenham, London -   United Kingdom
Phase: Initial climb
Nature:Private
Departure airport:Crystal Palace, Sydenham, London
Destination airport:Crystal Palace, Sydenham, London
Confidence Rating: Information is only available from news, social media or unofficial sources
Narrative:
A shocking balloon accident resulted in the death of Captain Dale and serious injury to his son and two others. A rent in the balloon caused the balloon to crash. This was the first such accident in the Palace's history. Of the four persons on board:

'Captain' William Duncan Dale (aged 47) killed
Cecil Victor Shadbolt (aged 33) died of injuries 8.7.1892
William Dale Junior injured
John Macintosh injured

"Captain" William Duncan Dale (born 1845); died 29 Jun.1892 London. Father of aeronauts: Martin, Archie, & William. Profession: watchmaker (until 1888); Professional balloonist 1888-92 for the Crystal Palace (London). Balloon maker (with wife & son). Bought business from T. Wright (with financing from Victor Shadbolt)

First flight 1881 with Baden-Powell across the English Channel; Received his balloon training from T.Wright & H.Coxwell; Made a solo flight across the Channel in 1883; Made more than 200 flights from the Crystal Palace by 1888.

Epic flight 29 Jun.1892 (with Son, Victor Shadbolt, & MacIntosh) from London. Ascent from the Crystal Palace quickly ended in tragedy. The balloon, newly repaired by his wife, ruptured at considerable height before her eyes. Dale died soon after impact, Victor Shadbolt about a week later, son (William) and MacIntosh had severe internal injuries, but survived. The inquest found that the fabric was old and weak, and patched up from several old balloons

NOTE: The balloon had several previous owners (incl.Baden-Powell) and had been considered "unairworthy" years before being "rejuvenated" into two new balloons. This balloon was one of those two; it had a serious rupture on its previous flight, and had just received extensive repairs just before inflation. Other balloon (made from the other half) was sold to Mr. Mansfield, who met a similar fate in India the previous December. (=December 1891)

Sources:

1. http://www.rcawsey.co.uk/Acc1916.htm
2. https://heritagecalling.com/2016/04/13/ballooning-in-bowler-hats-early-images-from-victorian-skies/
3. https://www.ianvisits.co.uk/blog/2015/10/14/photos-of-victorian-london-from-a-hot-air-balloon/
4. http://members.optusnet.com.au/kringunny/crystal.htm
5. http://www.ballooninghistory.com/whoswho/who'swho-d.html
6. http://www.mernick.org.uk/elhs/Newsletter/Series%203/2015%203-20.pdf

Revision history:

Date/timeContributorUpdates
13-Nov-2018 19:43 Dr.John Smith Added
13-Nov-2018 19:44 Dr.John Smith Updated [Narrative]
13-Nov-2018 19:46 Dr.John Smith Updated [Narrative]
15-Nov-2018 17:10 Dr.John Smith Updated [Aircraft type]

Corrections or additions? ... Edit this accident description

The Aviation Safety Network is an exclusive service provided by:
Quick Links:

CONNECT WITH US: FSF on social media FSF Facebook FSF Twitter FSF Youtube FSF LinkedIn FSF Instagram

©2024 Flight Safety Foundation

1920 Ballenger Av, 4th Fl.
Alexandria, Virginia 22314
www.FlightSafety.org