ASN Wikibase Occurrence # 87343
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| Date: | Wednesday 30 August 1939 |
| Time: | 12:30 |
| Type: |  Supermarine Spitfire Mk I |
| Owner/operator: | 74 Sqn RAF |
| Registration: | K9861 |
| MSN: | 79 |
| Fatalities: | Fatalities: 1 / Occupants: 1 |
| Aircraft damage: | Destroyed |
| Location: | John Henry Burrows Intermediate School, Grays, near Thurrock, Essex -
 United Kingdom
|
| Phase: | En route |
| Nature: | Training |
| Departure airport: | RAF Hornchurch, Essex |
| RAF Hornchurch, Essex | |
| Confidence Rating: |  Information is only available from news, social media or unofficial sources |
First flown 7-2-39. Delivered to RAF Hornchurch for 74 Squadron 13-2-39. Stalled and dived into ground at the John Henry Burrows Intermediate School, Grays, near Thurrock, Essex. Pilot: Sgt (740528) Cyril Douglas GOWER RAFVR killed.
According to eyewitness/contemporary reports:
"just before the crash he was flying in formation with two other Spitfire fighters. One eye witness said that Gower's machine seemed to touch the wingtip of another plane and immediately went out of control. As it dived towards the ground the pilot made desperate efforts to avoid striking a number of houses and he only just succeeded in clearing the roofs by a few feet before crashing into the playing field at the bottom of the gardens of the houses...his machine crashed into the playing field of the John Henry Burrows Intermediate School at Grays."
"At the inquest on Friday at Grays, Flt Lt Wilfred Cressey gave evidence of identification, and said Gower was on the Reserve and attached to his Flight. He had had experience of flying before coming to Hornchurch, but not very much. He was regarded as a promising flyer. On the day of the accident, three aircraft took off from Hornchurch, with Fit Lt Cressey leading. When over Grays and travelling at a high speed, he lost sight of Gower, and immediately returned to Hornchurch. Asked if he had any theory as to the cause of the accident he said, 'I believe he was caught in the slipstream of my plane and lost control.`A verdict of Accidental Death was returned."
Sources:
1. Royal Air Force Aircraft K1000-K9999 (James J. Halley, Air Britain,1976 page 79)
2. http://www.spitfires.ukf.net/p001.htm
3. http://forum.12oclockhigh.net/showthread.php?p=143378
4. http://www.bbc.co.uk/history/ww2peopleswar/stories/45/a1131445.shtml
5. http://www.rcawsey.co.uk/Acc1939.htm
6. https://www.flightglobal.com/FlightPDFArchive/1939/1939-1-%20-%200734.PDF
Revision history:
| Date/time | Contributor | Updates |
|---|---|---|
| 07-Jan-2011 00:30 | angels one five | Added |
| 25-Nov-2011 13:08 | angels one five | Updated [Aircraft type, Registration, Cn, Operator, Location, Narrative] |
| 25-Dec-2011 04:47 | Nepa | Updated [Aircraft type, Operator] |
| 10-Jan-2012 15:45 | angels one five | Updated [Aircraft type, Operator] |
| 10-Jan-2012 15:45 | angels one five | Updated [[Aircraft type, Operator]] |
| 15-Jan-2012 02:28 | Nepa | Updated [Aircraft type, Operator, Departure airport] |
| 22-Jan-2012 19:32 | angels one five | Updated [Aircraft type, Narrative] |
| 06-May-2012 13:03 | Dr. John Smith | Updated [Time, Registration, Cn, Operator, Total fatalities, Total occupants, Other fatalities, Location, Departure airport, Source, Narrative] |
| 06-May-2012 13:08 | Dr. John Smith | Updated [Aircraft type, Phase, Narrative] |
| 30-May-2012 00:38 | Nepa | Updated [Time, Operator] |
| 04-Nov-2012 17:06 | angels one five | Updated [Aircraft type, Source, Narrative] |
| 14-Aug-2013 16:09 | JINX | Updated [Aircraft type, Operator, Nature, Departure airport, Destination airport, Narrative] |
| 18-Aug-2013 13:12 | angels one five | Updated [Aircraft type, Operator] |
| 23-Apr-2014 08:45 | angels one five | Updated [Time, Aircraft type, Operator, Nature, Narrative] |
| 02-Jun-2015 15:45 | King | Updated [Time, Operator, Departure airport, Narrative] |
| 24-Jan-2016 06:12 | JINX | Updated [Time, Aircraft type, Operator, Narrative] |
| 26-Jan-2018 00:18 | Dr. John Smith | Updated [Time, Destination airport, Source, Narrative] |
| 16-Feb-2018 17:48 | Nepa | Updated [Time, Operator] |
| 01-Apr-2018 18:45 | Dr. John Smith | Updated [Source] |
| 02-Apr-2018 00:12 | Dr. John Smith | Updated [Source] |
| 18-Jun-2019 07:35 | stehlik49 | Updated [Aircraft type] |
| 06-Feb-2021 22:29 | angels one five | Updated [Narrative] |
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