No fatalities

Training Flight Crash into Hamble River Near Bursledon (G-AAFR)

Bursledon, United KingdomFlight

On March 27, 1930, a Simmonds Spartan (registration G-AAFR) operated by Hampshire Aeroplane Club was involved in an aviation accident near Bursledon, United Kingdom in flight. No fatalities were reported. Investigators recorded the probable cause as: Loss of control during a training flight resulting in a crash into the Hamble River. This summary draws on records from the Bureau of Aircraft Accidents Archives (B3A); 4 related events involving the same aircraft type or operator are linked below.

Sourcesthe Bureau of Aircraft Accidents Archives (B3A)Primary reportUpdated 2026-08-04Data APIEditorial standards

A single-engine trainer lost control during a training exercise and crashed into the Hamble River near Bursledon, resulting in serious injuries to the pilot and total loss of the aircraft.

What happened

During a routine training flight, the pilot experienced a loss of control over the aircraft. The plane subsequently impacted the water surface of the Hamble River in the vicinity of Bursledon. Following the crash, the airframe was recovered from the riverbed and assessed as destroyed. The sole occupant, the pilot, sustained serious injuries in the incident.

Findings

The available records indicate that the accident occurred while the aircraft was engaged in instructional maneuvers. No specific mechanical failures or external hazards are detailed in the provided source material, but the primary event was identified as a loss of control leading to a water impact.

Probable cause

Loss of control during a training flight resulting in a crash into the Hamble River.