Investigation Summary
The flight departed Paris at 12:30 PM local time bound for Croydon. As the aircraft approached the English coast, weather conditions deteriorated significantly, with visibility at nearby Lympne Airport dropping to 500 yards and a cloudbase below 150 feet. During the crossing, one of the aircraft's four engines failed. Although the Blériot 155 was designed to be capable of maintaining flight on three engines, the combination of mechanical failure and extremely poor visibility forced the pilot to seek an immediate landing site. The pilot, Mr. Delisle, located a field at College Farm but, due to the low visibility and rain, the aircraft struck farm structures and haystacks during the descent. The impact was severe enough to throw passengers forward, with one victim being forced through the side of the fuselage. Local farmworkers and a doctor provided immediate assistance, using hurdles as makeshift stretchers to move the injured into a barn.
Final Conclusions
Inquests held in August 1926 returned verdicts of accidental death for the victims. Evidence presented indicated the aircraft had been properly inspected by Bureau Veritas and was certified fit for flight. The pilot was noted as highly experienced, having served in the French Army during World War I and flying for Air Union for three years. The primary factors were determined to be the engine failure compounded by the exceptionally poor weather conditions (fog and rain) which necessitated a hazardous forced landing. Both crew members eventually succumbed to their injuries: the pilot on August 19 and the mechanic on September 15.
Video Analysis
No video analysis linked for this case file yet.
Airframe & Maintenance
Systems & Failure Modes
Engines
The aircraft was powered by four engines and was designed to remain airborne if one engine failed, though the failure in this instance contributed to the need for a forced landing in poor weather.
Airframe
The Blériot 155 was a large biplane airliner; the accident aircraft (c/n 2) was nearly new, having been registered less than two months prior.
Interesting Facts
- 01The aircraft had only flown for 47.25 hours at the time of the accident.
- 02The Blériot 155 was a four-engine airliner; this specific airframe was named 'Wilbur Wright'.
- 03The crash occurred approximately 5 miles west of Lympne Airport.
- 04The farmer and two farmhands at College Farm narrowly avoided being struck by the aircraft by only 10 feet.
Location
ACCIDENT SITE · Coordinates taken from the wikipedia geotag.