The 1929 Luft Hansa Junkers G 31 crash occurred on 6 November 1929 when a Junkers G 31

Junkers G 31

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 of Luft Hansa crashed at Godstone

Godstone

Godstone is a village in the county of Surrey, England. It is located approximately six miles east of Reigate at the junction of the A22 and A25 major roads, and near the M25 motorway.-History:...

, Surrey, United Kingdom whilst on an international scheduled flight from Croydon

Croydon Airport

Croydon Airport was an airport in South London which straddled the boundary between what are now the London boroughs of Croydon and Sutton. It was the main airport for London before it was replaced by Northolt Aerodrome, London Heathrow Airport and London Gatwick Airport...

, Surrey, United Kingdom to Schiphol Airport

Amsterdam Schiphol Airport

Amsterdam Airport Schiphol ) is the Netherlands' main international airport, located 20 minutes southwest of Amsterdam, in the municipality of Haarlemmermeer. The airport's official English name, Amsterdam Airport Schiphol, reflects the original Dutch word order...

, Amsterdam, the Netherlands

Netherlands

The Netherlands is a constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, located mainly in North-West Europe and with several islands in the Caribbean. Mainland Netherlands borders the North Sea to the north and west, Belgium to the south, and Germany to the east, and shares maritime borders...

. Of the eight people on board, Glen Kidston

Glen Kidston

George Pearson Glen Kidston was a record-breaking aviator and motor racing driver from Britain. He was a member of the well known Bentley Boys of the late 1920s, and possibly the wealthiest of that already wealthy set. His father, A.G. Kidston, was a grandson of the original A.G...

 was the only survivor.

Accident

On 6 November 1929, the aircraft was operating a scheduled international passenger flight from Croydon to Amsterdam. The aircraft departed from at 09:54. The weather at the time was poor. It was reported that the pilot may have been attempting to return to Croydon when the aircraft crashed into some trees at Marden Park, Godstone in thick fog. The aircraft burst into flames, all three crew and three of the five passengers were killed in the crash. Glen Kidston

Glen Kidston

George Pearson Glen Kidston was a record-breaking aviator and motor racing driver from Britain. He was a member of the well known Bentley Boys of the late 1920s, and possibly the wealthiest of that already wealthy set. His father, A.G. Kidston, was a grandson of the original A.G...

 escaped from the wreckage on fire, and extinguished the flames himself by rolling in the grass, sustaining minor injuries. Prince Eugen von Schaumburg-Lippe also escaped from the wreckage, but he was seriously injured. Kidston raised the alarm and reported the accident to Croydon Airport. He was treated at Caterham Cottage Hospital. The fire was eventually extinguished by firemen from Caterham

Caterham

Caterham is a town in the Tandridge District of Surrey, England. The town is geographically divided into two sections: Caterham on the Hill and Caterham Valley - the main town centre. The town lies close to the A22, a few miles south of Croydon, in a valley cut into the dip slope of the North Downs...

. Personnel from RAF Kenley

RAF Kenley

The former Royal Air Force Station Kenley, more commonly known as RAF Kenley was a station of the Royal Flying Corps in World War I and the RAF in World War II. It is located near Kenley, London, England.-History:...

 assisted the local police in collecting the remains of the deceased and transporting them to a mortuary in Caterham. Von Schaumburg-Lippe died the day after the accident from injuries sustained in the crash.

After being treated for his injuries, Kidston returned to Croydon where he made a short flight, before returning home to Grosvenor Square

Grosvenor Square

Grosvenor Square is a large garden square in the exclusive Mayfair district of London, England. It is the centrepiece of the Mayfair property of the Duke of Westminster, and takes its name from their surname, "Grosvenor".-History:...

, Mayfair

Mayfair

Mayfair is an area of central London, within the City of Westminster.-History:Mayfair is named after the annual fortnight-long May Fair that took place on the site that is Shepherd Market today...

, London. An inquest was opened at Caterham on 8 November. After hearing identification evidence, it was adjourned until 22 November, when it was hoped that Kidston would be fit enough to give evidence. The inquest resumed as scheduled. Evidence was given that the aircraft was flying at an altitude of 300 metres (984.3 ft) before descending to an altitude of 30 metres (98.4 ft) above ground level. At the time of the crash, the aircraft was flying in a northerly direction. Von Schaumburg-Lippe had been thrown clear of the aircraft in the crash. A verdict of "accidental death" was returned in all cases.

Casualties

The nationalities of the victims were-

Nationality	Crew	Passengers	Killed	Injured
German	4	–	4	–
English	–	3	2	1
Indian	–	1	1	–
Total	4	4	7	1