AIR DISASTER

Evening Post, Volume CXX, Issue 141, 11 December 1935, Page 11

AIR DISASTER

CRASH IN KENT

ELEVEN KILLED

MACHINE HITS HILLTOP

"SMASHED TO PIECES"

United Tress Association—By Electric Teli.

graph—Copyright. (Received December 11, 1 p.m.) LONDON, December 10. ' The worst disaster to a civil aeroplane in England occurred at Tatsfield, Kent,, when an Italian tripleengined • Savoia monoplane, bought by the Belgian Sabena Company, flying from Brussels to Croydon, crashed in a field.

Eleven were killed, including Sir John Carden.

The crash was heard two miles away, and is described as die most complete imaginable.

Everything seemed to be smashed to pieces, and the bodies were terribly mutilated.

The machine carried a pilot, an engineer, a wireless operator, a steward, and seven passengers, three of whom were British and four Germans, travelling from Cologne to London.

The liner appeared to be slightly off its course. When close to Tatsfield it was observed flying low, presumably; owing to ice on the wings. People ir» the neighbourhood saw one wing hit tree-tops on a small hill.

Near Pitsie Hill the machine staggered, and the pilot apparently trie* to gam height, but crashed into th»' summit of Pitsie Hill and dropped Many rushed to the scene, but tha passengers and crew appeared to have been killed instantly. The machine did not take fire. \Sir John Carden is well known at this Heston airport, where he designed and, built aeroplane engines bearine hi* name. . •

It is stated that every tank in the British army was designed by Sir John! Carden, who was himself a pilot. He had lately shown particular interest in light machines. It was his engine with which Mr. S. V. Appleby last week flew the English Channel in • flying flea.