Wirestrike Accident Spencer spherical balloon 'Miramar' G-FAAD,
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ASN Wikibase Occurrence # 211887
 
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Date:Friday 11 March 1927
Time:day
Type:Silhouette image of generic BALL model; specific model in this crash may look slightly different    
Spencer spherical balloon 'Miramar'
Owner/operator:C G Spencer & Sons Ltd
Registration: G-FAAD
MSN:
Fatalities:Fatalities: 1 / Occupants: 1
Aircraft damage: Destroyed
Location:Stag Lane Aerodrome, Edgware, Middlesex -   United Kingdom
Phase: Initial climb
Nature:Parachuting
Departure airport:Stag Lane Aerodrome, Edgware, Middlesex
Destination airport:
Confidence Rating: Information is only available from news, social media or unofficial sources
Narrative:
Spencer Spherical balloon 'Miramar': Involved in a fatal accident 11/3/1927 when the parachutist was electrocuted while landing on power lines, Stag Lane Aerodrome, Edgware, Middlesex. the parachutist involved - LAC Ernest Arthur Dobbs AFM (aged 26) - was killed. According to a contemporary report in "Flight" magazine (March 17, 1927 page 164 - see link #2)

"THE NEW SPORT:
The first experiments at Stag Lane with " balloon-jumping '' unfortunately ended in disaster, Aircraftsman Dobbs being drifted by the wind against an electric cable and electrocuted. The mishap was not of course, directly due to the nature of the new sport, and was a regrettable accident of a kind never likely to happen again.

It would seem, however, that before the sport can become popular, it will be necessary to ensure a closer and more rigid connection between the man and the balloon, so that when a jump is made the balloon is given an initial upward push, instead of, as at present, merely being relieved of the man's weight.

The balloon, on this occasion, was insufficiently buoyant. The "paddles" were intended to give a certain amount of manoeuvrability, but as might have been expected, were a failure."

Sources:

1. http://www.rcawsey.co.uk/Acc1929.htm
2. https://www.flightglobal.com/pdfarchive/view/1927/1927%20-%200184.html?search=Ernest%20Arthur%20Dobbs
3. http://www.ab-ix.co.uk/pdfs/lighterthanairregister.pdf
4. http://www.airhistory.org.uk/gy/reg_G-F.html
5. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stag_Lane_Aerodrome

Revision history:

Date/timeContributorUpdates
05-Jun-2018 18:54 Dr. John Smith Added
05-Jun-2018 18:58 Dr. John Smith Updated [Registration, Operator, Total occupants, Source]
21-Mar-2022 05:27 Ron Averes Updated [Operator]
06-Sep-2022 21:24 Dr. John Smith Updated [Time, Aircraft type, Registration, Source, Narrative, Category]
06-Sep-2022 21:26 Dr. John Smith Updated [Narrative]

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