On 29th June 1917 this aeroplane was being flown from RNAS Cranwell up to RNAS Redcar when a problem developed in the air, the pilot made a force-landing near Ormesby. What the "problem" was is not known. It sustained enough damage in the landing for it to be written off. Both men flying in it were flying instructors at the RNAS Redcar Flying School.
Pilot - FSL Austin Frauenfelder RNAS.
Pilot - Lt Richard Minshull Spencer Veal RNAS.
Austin Frauenfelder was born on 13th March 1892 in Borung, Murtoa, Victoria, Australia and was working as a chauffeur when he enlisted for military service on 17th August 1914, serving with the 2nd Australian Infantry Battalion. He was wounded at Gallipoli in April 1915. While in the UK he enlisted for RNAS service on 17th March 1916 and was granted the rank Probationary Flight Sub-Lieutenant. Following training at RNAS Chingford he was awarded a Royal Aero Club aviators' certificate (Cert.No.3090) on 13th June 1916. He was posted to RNAS Redcar on 28th May 1917 and served as an instructor initially at the RNAS Flying School, then with No.2 School. On 12th June 1917 he was piloting Bristol Scout 9000 when it was damaged at RNAS Redcar then on 29th June 1917 he force landed Maurice Farman Longhorn 8922 at Ormesby and possibly sustained minor injuries. He later transferred to the RAF on it's formation in April 1918 and while in the rank of Captain he was awarded the Air Force Cross as part of the King's Birthday Honours on 3rd June 1919. He relinquished his commission in the RAF on the grounds of ill-health on active service on 25th September 1920. He returned to his native Australia and was later awarded the MBE for services to the community. He died in Glenridding, New South Wales on 29th July 1979.
Richard Veal was born on 16th March 1885 in Brentford, Middlesex. He was elected to be a member of the Royal Aero Club on 6th October 1914 but appears to have served in the Royal Navy during most of 1915 on an armoured car division. He transferred from the RNVR to the RNAS on 10th November 1915 and was posted to RNAS Redcar on 9th March 1916 and remained there until 2nd April 1917. He must not have been at Redcar for flying duties initially as it took him nearly a year to be awarded a Royal Aero Club aviators' certificate (Cert.No.4248) on 2nd March 1917 at RNAS Redcar. He was involved in the crash of Curtiss JN-4 8802 on 13th July 1916 and Longhorn 8922 on 29th June 1917, both at Redcar. In April 1917 he was posted on a Compass course before returning to RNAS Redcar later in the month. He then remained at RNAS Redcar right through to 1st April 1918. He was probably an instructor at RNAS Redcar Flying School by . He was Mentioned in Despatches on 30th April 1918 for his WW1 flying in the second half of 1917. When the RAF formed in April 1918 he transferred and remained in the RAF until being placed on the Unemployed List in June 1919 but appears to have been working for Robert Blackburn at the Olympia Works, Leeds by this time. He features in the marriage index in 1958, marrying in Romsey, Hampshire where he died only five years later.
Longhorn 8922 was built by Brush E.E. Co. Ltd at Loughborough and delivered to RNAS Cranwell on 8th January 1916. The aeroplane suffered damage soon after as it was under repair during February 1917 although there is no complete record of the details as to why this repair was needed. It was transferred to RNAS Redcar on 29th June 1917 sustained this accident while on the transit flight. The aeroplane was deleted as deemed beyond economic repair on 15th September 1917 after assessment.