paulmcmillan
6th December 2017, 08:38
The story of this loss is in West Sussex County Times Page: 5 Friday 18 November 1938
PILOT ESCAPES UNHURT WHEN PLANE CRASHES Machine Wrecked in Forced Landing at Handcross. A single-sealer Gloucester fighter belonging to the Fighter Squadron. North Weald, Essex, one of six which were flying to Tangmere, near Chichester, made a forced landing, on Monday afternoon, in field south of the Pitshead crossroads, near Handcross. The pilot, Pilot-Officer D H Ward (Derek Harland Ward 40786 from New Zealand), had remarkable escape. Engine failure caused the pilot lose height rapidly, and after clearing some high trees he saw large field belonging to Mr. Bonner Morris, below him. The undercarriage struck low hedge and the ’plane turned u|>side down, one the wheels being flung distance of feet. If the pilot had been able raise the ’plane a few inches higher he would have cleared the hedge. Pilot-Officer Ward spent some anxious moments while he struggle to release himself from the inverted cockpit, which was only about two feet from the ground. Fortunately. fire did not break out, and escaped apparently none the worse for the adventure. Police stood guard over the ’plane while the pilot notified the R.A.F. authorities. A “West Sussex County Times” reporter who took a photograph of the. wrecked machine, had his film confiscated.
PILOT ESCAPES UNHURT WHEN PLANE CRASHES Machine Wrecked in Forced Landing at Handcross. A single-sealer Gloucester fighter belonging to the Fighter Squadron. North Weald, Essex, one of six which were flying to Tangmere, near Chichester, made a forced landing, on Monday afternoon, in field south of the Pitshead crossroads, near Handcross. The pilot, Pilot-Officer D H Ward (Derek Harland Ward 40786 from New Zealand), had remarkable escape. Engine failure caused the pilot lose height rapidly, and after clearing some high trees he saw large field belonging to Mr. Bonner Morris, below him. The undercarriage struck low hedge and the ’plane turned u|>side down, one the wheels being flung distance of feet. If the pilot had been able raise the ’plane a few inches higher he would have cleared the hedge. Pilot-Officer Ward spent some anxious moments while he struggle to release himself from the inverted cockpit, which was only about two feet from the ground. Fortunately. fire did not break out, and escaped apparently none the worse for the adventure. Police stood guard over the ’plane while the pilot notified the R.A.F. authorities. A “West Sussex County Times” reporter who took a photograph of the. wrecked machine, had his film confiscated.