On September 25, 1929, a De Havilland DH.60 Moth (registration G-EBYJ) operated by Harrington R. Law was involved in an aviation accident near Ambert, France in flight. No fatalities were reported. Investigators recorded the probable cause as: An unidentified technical malfunction forced the pilot to make an emergency landing, resulting in the destruction of the aircraft. This summary draws on records from the Bureau of Aircraft Accidents Archives (B3A).
A private aircraft attempting a transcontinental flight from Lympne to Bombay encountered mechanical issues over central France in September 1929, resulting in an emergency landing where the pilot survived but the plane was destroyed.
What happened
On 24 September 1929, a single-pilot aircraft departed from Lympne with the intended destination of Bombay, India. During the cruise phase over the Puy-de-Dôme region, situated between Clermont-Ferrand and Lyon, the pilot experienced technical difficulties that necessitated an immediate diversion. Unable to continue the flight safely, the crew attempted an emergency landing in the area around Ambert. The aircraft came to rest on the ground but sustained damage that rendered it beyond repair. Despite the severity of the impact and the resulting structural failure, the pilot emerged from the incident unhurt.
Findings
Official investigations concluded that the accident was precipitated by an unknown technical problem encountered during flight. No further specific mechanical failures or contributing factors were identified in the available records.
Probable cause
An unidentified technical malfunction forced the pilot to make an emergency landing, resulting in the destruction of the aircraft.
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