Investigation Summary
On August 26, 1921, the SNETA Farman F.60 Goliath registration O-BLAN departed Croydon Airport at 12:25 for a routine mail flight to Brussels. At approximately 13:32, a gendarme on the French coast reported hearing an explosion and observing the aircraft's structure collapse before it fell into the sea. The investigation later attributed this to an in-flight fire. Witness Herbert Sullivan, aboard the yacht Zola, observed the crash and managed to recover a bag of mail. The tug-boat 'Champion' was the first vessel to reach the scene, followed by search efforts involving fishing boats and the steamship Tregenna, which spotted debris. Despite these efforts, the pilot and mechanic were never found. The aircraft was destroyed and lost in the Channel.
Final Conclusions
The investigation attributed the crash to an in-flight fire that led to a structural failure and loss of control. Both crew members, pilot Paul Delsenne and mechanic Raymond Rijckers, were lost at sea. The aircraft was a total loss.
Video Analysis
No video analysis linked for this case file yet.
Systems & Failure Modes
Airframe
The Farman F.60 Goliath was a large biplane; witnesses reported a structural collapse in flight prior to the ditching.
Interesting Facts
- 01This was the first fatal accident involving a Farman Goliath in civil service.
- 02A witness reported hearing an explosion, which was later linked to an in-flight fire.
- 03The aircraft was lost at sea, though some mail bags were recovered by a private yacht.
- 04The crew consisted of a French Air Force aviator and a mechanic.
- 05The wreckage was spotted by the steamship Tregenna but could not be salvaged.
- 06The aircraft was manufactured in 1920 with Manufacturer Serial Number (MSN) 17/7248.