Date:	Tuesday 19 April 1927
Time:	day
Type:	Vickers Virginia Mk VI
Owner/operator:	9 Sqn RAF
Registration:	J7714
MSN:
Fatalities:	Fatalities: 4 / Occupants: 4
Aircraft damage:	Destroyed
Location:	RAF Eastchurch, Eastchurch, Isle of Sheppey, Kent -   United Kingdom
Phase:	Take off
Nature:	Military
Departure airport:	RAF Eastchurch, Eastchurch, Isle of Sheppey, Kent
Destination airport:
Confidence Rating:	Information is only available from news, social media or unofficial sources

Narrative:
Vickers Virginia Mk.VI J7714, 9 Squadron, RAF Manston, Kent: Written off 19/4/1927 when crashed after hitting parked D.H.9A on take-off, RAF Eastchurch, Eastchurch, Isle of Sheppey, Kent. All four crew killed:

Flying Officer William James Kelly (aged 24) killed
Pilot Officer John Frederick Dowdeswell (aged 21) killed
Flight Sgt Albert George Alderton (Service Number 134932, aged 32) killed
AC.2 Everett Daniels (Service Number 157294, aged 25) killed

The Virginia collided with wing of stationary aircraft at Eastchurch, but continued its take-off, rose to 100 ft, then crashed and burst into flames. J7714 was the last Vickers Virginia Mk.VI to be operated by IX (9) Squadron, which had been taken on strength by the squadron in July 1926. The accident was debated in Parliament. According to "Hansard" the official record of debates in the House of Commons (see link #9):

"FATAL ACCIDENT (EASTCHURCH).
HC Deb 04 May 1927 vol 205 c1615 1615

Colonel DAY asked the Secretary of State for Air if he can state the result of the inquiry held on the accident at East-church with reference to the accident to the Vickers-Virginia night-bomber on 19th April, in which four lives were lost?

The SECRETARY of STATE for AIR (Sir Samuel Hoare) I am not prepared to publish the findings of Courts of Inquiry of this character and would remind the hon. Member of the terms of my reply to his question of the 6th April.

Colonel DAY Can the right hon. Gentleman say whether this pilot was used to a machine of such wide wing-spread as the Virginia?

Sir S. HOARE No, Sir; I am afraid I cannot give that answer."

1. A Century of Air Warfare With Nine (IX) Squadron, RAF: Still Going Strong By Gordon Thorburn
2. IX (9) Squadron RAF ORB for 19/4/1927
3. PRO Kew File AIR29/588 Eastchurch Armament & Gunnery School ORB for 19/4/1927
4. http://www.rcawsey.co.uk/Acc1929.htm
5. http://www.rafcommands.com/forum/showthread.php?17307-RAF-fatalities-1927
6. http://www.kenthistoryforum.co.uk/index.php?topic=18263.0
7. http://www.rafcommands.com/forum/showthread.php?17307-RAF-fatalities-1927/page2
8. https://www.facebook.com/manstonhistory/posts/2119299214972517
9. https://api.parliament.uk/historic-hansard/commons/1927/may/04/fatal-accident-eastchurch

#OnThisDay1927 (19 April)
No.9 Sqn ORB:
Vickers Virginia J.7714 crashed at Eastchurch as the result of striking another machine when taking off. The pilot, Flying Officer Kelly and the crew, consisting of Pilot... https://t.co/KHkpoVjJPK

— Manston History (@ManstonHistory) April 19, 2018

Date/time	Contributor	Updates
14-Jun-2018 00:34	Dr. John Smith	Added
10-Nov-2018 06:59	Nepa	Updated [Operator, Embed code, Operator]