Avro 504k G-ABUK at Hedon.
During the Summer of 1932 the experienced pilot of this aeroplane gave passenger flights from sites at both Hornsea and Withernsea. On Sunday, 4th September 1932 this aeroplane took off from Hornsea with the pilot carrying two passengers but the ultimate destination is unclear. The passengers were a local farmer and his sixteen year old son, from Coningsby House, Hornsea. From available information it appears that the plan was to simply fly to Hedon, for the pilot to have a meeting with the pilot-in-charge at the aerodrome; Captain Davis, and then to return to Hornsea. This said, why were two passengers carried? The flight from Hornsea to Hedon was made withour incident. With the meeting concluded three returned to the aeroplane and took off to return to Hornsea. Shortly after taking off in a gusty wind a control wire broke which caused the pilot to loose control at around 500 feet above the ground. He appears to have been able to control the descent to some extent but the aeroplane eventually spun into the ground near the aerodrome at Hedon. Just prior to the crash the pilot switched off the fuel supply and this was later said to have prevented a far more serious incident. All on board were injured but the pilot sustained the most serious and he had to have his left foot amputated.
Pilot - Mr Walter Scott Coates, of Wisbech. Injured.
Passenger - Mr Bernard Clark. Injured.
Passenger - Master Thomas Clark. Injured.
This may also have been the same aeroplane that flew into telegraph wires and then crash landed at Darlington on 20th May 1932 injuring Mr Coates. That said, Air Travel Ltd owned possibly three Avro 504s at this time.
This aeroplane was previously a military one, registered as J8365. It was later sold to the civilian market and registered as G-ABUK. After this the civilian history has never been properly recorded in the modern era. I am linking this aeroplane to one that was slightly damaged at Withernsea on 20th July 1932. The crash at Hedon on 4th September 1932 saw it written off states it was flown at Withernsea and Hornsea all summer for passenger flights so it seem likley to fit with it being G-ABUK. Who exactly was the owner in Summer 1932 is unclear. On paper it was registered to Frederick James Vernon Holmes and was based at Manchester. Newspaper reports that relate to this crash state it was owned by Air Travel Ltd, of Wisbech (but probably more likely to have been Gatwick) and also that Walter Coates also owned it and he was from Wisbech. Other historians state it was owned by Northern Air Transport Ltd. The National Archives hold file AVIA5/14, report c227 which relates to the crash investigation, I presume is related to the breaking of a control wire. I have yet to view this file to learn additional information.