Public Inquiry into Croydon Air Disaster Launches
A public inquiry has been initiated to investigate the tragic Croydon air disaster that occurred nearly a century ago
Croydon, UK, Air Disaster, Public Inquiry, Imperial Airways
Croydon: Can you believe it’s been almost a hundred years since that tragic air disaster? Back on January 23, 1925, they kicked off a public inquiry into what went wrong.
The flight was headed to Paris, but it never made it. Witnesses saw the plane flying low before it nosedived into the ground. It was a horrific scene, with flames engulfing the wreckage. People rushed to help, but the fire was too intense. A witness even described the crash as “unsurvivable.” It was only after the fire was put out that they could recover the bodies. Among the victims were the Sproston family, who were on their way to spend Christmas with relatives. It’s heartbreaking to think about their last moments. There was also Dr. Plinio Barbosa Lima, a journalist named Cedric Trudgett, and a young trainee solicitor, Maurice Luxemberg. All lost their lives that day, along with the pilot, David Stewart, who was a war hero. The plane was a De Havilland DH.34, and it had been flying for a few years. This crash was a major tragedy in the early days of commercial aviation. The inquiry started just a month later, and they heard from a lot of witnesses. It turned out the pilot was trying to return to the airport due to engine trouble. They even discussed whether Croydon Airport was safe enough for such flights. In the end, they decided to extend the runway to make it safer. The inquiry wrapped up in February 1925, and they found no one was to blame. The crash was due to a mechanical failure, which was a big deal back then. Afterward, they expanded Croydon Airport, which was a pioneer in aviation. It had the first control tower and passenger terminal in the world! Sadly, it closed in 1959, but it played a huge role in aviation history. It’s a reminder of how far we’ve come since those early days.