Airspeed AS.1 Tern BGA.190 glider damaged at Sutton Bank.
Between 1st and 9th September 1934 a national glider "derby" meeting was held at Sutton Bank and was arranged by the British Gliding Association. Some fifty pilots had agreed to take part in contests for soaring, distance, altitude, duration and other flying with between three and four thousand spectators travelling to Sutton Bank to watch by the second day. During the course of the event a number of gliders were damaged in mishaps. On Monday, 3rd September 1934 this glider was being flown on what became the pilot's last flight of the day, it took off at 17.36hrs and by 18.27hrs the pilot was returning to make an approach to land at the gliding site. Unfortunately a strong wind saw the glider undershoot the landing area and it came down on rough ground across the road on the eastern side of the gliding site. The glider struck a hedge, a low wall and a tree which damaged the tail of the glider which almost became detached from the fuselage. The cockpit and a wing were also slightly damaged by the tree. The pilot escaped injury.
Pilot - Dr Alan Fleming McGlashan MC, of South Downs Gliding Club.
Airspeed AS.1 Tern BGA.190 was built by Airspeed Ltd, York and was registered to them as BGA190 in August 1931. As a result of a mishap at Sutton Bank on 25th July 1932 the damaged glider was returned to Airspeed for repair. In 1933 the glider was at R.F.Dagnall’s in Guildford before being sold to the South Down Gliding Club members Graham Andrew Little , Alan Herbert Reffell and Dr Alan Fleming McGlashan in May 1933. Damage resulted at Sutton Bank on 3rd September 1934 and was repaired and back flying again less than a week later only to be slightly damaged again on 9th September 1934. It was later registered to G.A.Little in 1935 and remained in his possession, including during the Second World War, when it was placed into store. In June 1946 it was registered to the North Somerset Gliding Club at Westonzoyland before moving to the Bristol Gliding Club at Lulsgate. It suffered a flying accident at Lulsgate after which it was sold to Andy Coulson at Newcastle for spares. After this nothing more of the glider is known.