We’re still collecting data for this aircraft. Routes appear once we’ve seen it fly enough times.
The airplane departed London-Gatwick Airport on a night mail flight to Hamburg, carrying four crew members. After takeoff, while climbing, the pilot-in-command initiated a 180 turn, apparently to return to Gatwick. Doing so, the airplane lost height, impacted trees and crashed. A crew member was injured while three others were killed, including Cpt W. F. Anderson. Probable cause (official findings): There is no suggestion of mechanical failure, though it is possible that the rudder control was
De Havilland DH.86 Express · 3 fatalities