Investigation Summary
The accident occurred during a specialized test flight originating from Castle Bromwich Aerodrome. The crew was tasked with evaluating a dynamo and lighting system, a rigging test, and managing petrol pumps and war load simulations. While flying over North Warwickshire at coordinates 52.467, -1.650, the aircraft's structural integrity was compromised when fabric detached from one of the wings. The resulting aerodynamic imbalance caused the pilots to lose control of the Handley Page O/400. The aircraft impacted a field in Maxstoke, resulting in the immediate death of all occupants. The crew consisted of two Canadian pilots and five British air mechanics, each assigned specific technical roles for the duration of the test flight.
Final Conclusions
The investigation determined the cause of the accident to be loss of control resulting from wing failure. Specifically, the aircraft lost fabric from a wing while in flight, which led to a catastrophic structural failure and subsequent crash.
Video Analysis
No video analysis linked for this case file yet.
Systems & Failure Modes
Wing Fabric
The aircraft's wings were covered in doped fabric; the loss of this fabric during flight led to a loss of lift and structural failure.
Dynamo and Lighting System
The primary system under evaluation during the test flight, though not directly responsible for the crash.
Interesting Facts
- 01The accident was the deadliest involving the Royal Air Force at the time of its occurrence.
- 02The aircraft was operated by No. 14 Aircraft Acceptance Park.
- 03The crew included two Canadian pilots, Lt. Robert Edward Andrew MacBeth and Lt. Frederick James Bravery.
- 04The aircraft was a Handley Page O/400, a heavy bomber used during World War I.
- 05The flight was specifically intended to test a dynamo and lighting system.
- 06Two of the victims, MacBeth and Simmons, were buried in the Maxstoke cemetery.
Safety Actions & Advisories
Historical Context
No specific safety directives or formal airworthiness directives were documented in the immediate aftermath of this 1918 accident, as formal civil and military aviation safety reporting systems were in their infancy.