Incident Overview
Date: Thursday 19 November 1936
Aircraft Type: Fokker F.XII
Owner/operator: British Airways Ltd.
Registration Number: G-AEOT
Location: Pound Hill, Tilgate Forest –
ÿ United Kingdom
Phase of Flight: Approach
Status: Destroyed, written off
Casualties: Fatalities: 2 / Occupants: 4
Component Affected: FuselageFuselage
Category: Accident
On November 19, 1936, a Fokker F.XII aircraft, G-AEOT, crashed into trees near Pound Hill, Tilgate Forest, approximately seven miles south of Gatwick Airport. The aircraft was upside down and extensively damaged, with the fuselage completely broken up. The pilot, Flt Lt Arthur Patrick Kilvington Hattersley and the second pilot/first officer Capt Verner John William Bredenkamp, both perished. The AAIB Inquiry concluded the accident was caused by the pilot’s error of judgment, specifically failing to account for the strong northeast wind, which widened his low-altitude turn and caused the aircraft to drift off course, resulting in impact with the high ground.On November 19, 1936, a Fokker F.XII aircraft, G-AEOT, crashed into trees near Pound Hill, Tilgate Forest, approximately seven miles south of Gatwick Airport. The aircraft was upside down and extensively damaged, with the fuselage completely broken up. The pilot, Flt Lt Arthur Patrick Kilvington Hattersley and the second pilot/first officer Capt Verner John William Bredenkamp, both perished. The AAIB Inquiry concluded the accident was caused by the pilot’s error of judgment, specifically failing to account for the strong northeast wind, which widened his low-altitude turn and caused the aircraft to drift off course, resulting in impact with the high ground.
Description
Fokker F.XII G-AEOT crashed in the early hours of 19 November 1936 into trees on Pound Hill, Tilgate Forest, approximately seven miles south of Gatwick Airport. It was upside down and extensively damaged, with the fuselage completely broken up. The pilot, Flt Lt Arthur Patrick Kilvington Hattersley (aged 36) together with the second pilot/first officer Capt Verner John William Bredenkamp (aged 33), were both killed. The AAIB Inquiry decided that the accident was caused by the pilot making an error of judgement in that he hadn’t taken into account that the very strong NE wind would greatly widen his low altitude turn, causing the Fokker to drift off course and hit the high ground.
Primary Cause
Strong northeast wind significantly widened the pilot’s low-altitude turn, leading to a drift off course and impact with the high ground.Strong northeast wind significantly widened the pilot’s low-altitude turn, leading to a drift off course and impact with the high ground.Share on:
