History of aviation – October 5, 1930. On this Sunday, October 5, 1930, after having recently taken to the sky, the airship R.101 will unfortunately crash. The British aviation thus deplored the loss of this aircraft which, jointly with its counterpart R. 100, provided routes for commercial purposes throughout the British Empire.
The R.101 balloon was planning to reach India when this serious accident occurred on October 5, 1930. Departing from Cardington, a small village in England, with Lieutenant Irwin at its command, it did not go beyond of France, being the victim of this crash not far from the town of Beauvais, in Oise. Indeed, it is in Allonnes that he will end his journey, falling there. As for the R.100, it will experience better luck when it manages to fly to its final destination: Canada.
The accident which affected the R.101 proved fatal for many people: there were fifty-eight deaths and only eight survivors. And out of the eight, one will ultimately succumb. The Minister of Air and the Director of Civil Aviation, Lord Thomson and Sir Seften Brancker respectively, will be among the deceased.
