1933 Imperial Airways Ruysselede crash
Encyclopedia
The 1933 Imperial Airways Ruysselede crash occurred on 30 December 1933 when an Imperial Airways
Avro Ten collided with a radio mast at Ruysselede, West Vlaanderen, Belgium
and crashed killing all ten people on board. The aircraft was operating an international scheduled passenger flight from Cologne
, Germany
to London
, United Kingdom
via Brussels
, Belgium
.
G-ABLU, c/n 528. The aircraft had entered service with Imperial Airways in May 1931 and having served for a time with Iraq Petroleum Transport Co., it had returned to Imperial Airways. The aircraft was named Apollo.
, Germany
to Croydon Airport
, United Kingdom
via Haren Airport, Brussels, Belgium, the aircraft departed at 12:20 local time (11:20 GMT
), which was 20 minutes later than scheduled. Due to fog, the aircraft was flown on a route to the north of its normal route. At 13:15, whilst flying at an altitude of 250 feet (76.2 m), it crashed into a guy wire of the 870 feet (265.2 m) tall radio mast at Ruysselede
, which was illuminated at the time. The top section of the mast was demolished. The aircraft lost a wing and crashed. Four workers at the radio station rushed to the aid of those on board the aircraft, as did twelve villagers from Ruysselede. At least one passenger was seen to have survived the crash. There was an explosion and the wreckage of the aircraft was burnt out. The rescuers all suffered burns.
awarded Camille van Hove the Civic Cross (1st Class)
for his efforts in attempting to rescue the victims of the crash. Mr van Hove received serious burns and was still in hospital in Bruges
at the time the award was notified. Nine other rescuers were given rewards of money.
Imperial Airways
Imperial Airways was the early British commercial long range air transport company, operating from 1924 to 1939 and serving parts of Europe but especially the Empire routes to South Africa, India and the Far East...
Avro Ten collided with a radio mast at Ruysselede, West Vlaanderen, Belgium
Belgium
Belgium , officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a federal state in Western Europe. It is a founding member of the European Union and hosts the EU's headquarters, and those of several other major international organisations such as NATO.Belgium is also a member of, or affiliated to, many...
and crashed killing all ten people on board. The aircraft was operating an international scheduled passenger flight from Cologne
Cologne
Cologne is Germany's fourth-largest city , and is the largest city both in the Germany Federal State of North Rhine-Westphalia and within the Rhine-Ruhr Metropolitan Area, one of the major European metropolitan areas with more than ten million inhabitants.Cologne is located on both sides of the...
, Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
to London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
, United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
via Brussels
Brussels
Brussels , officially the Brussels Region or Brussels-Capital Region , is the capital of Belgium and the de facto capital of the European Union...
, Belgium
Belgium
Belgium , officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a federal state in Western Europe. It is a founding member of the European Union and hosts the EU's headquarters, and those of several other major international organisations such as NATO.Belgium is also a member of, or affiliated to, many...
.
Aircraft
The accident aircraft was Avro Ten registrationAircraft registration
An aircraft registration is a unique alphanumeric string that identifies a civil aircraft, in similar fashion to a licence plate on an automobile...
G-ABLU, c/n 528. The aircraft had entered service with Imperial Airways in May 1931 and having served for a time with Iraq Petroleum Transport Co., it had returned to Imperial Airways. The aircraft was named Apollo.
Accident
Operating a flight from CologneCologne
Cologne is Germany's fourth-largest city , and is the largest city both in the Germany Federal State of North Rhine-Westphalia and within the Rhine-Ruhr Metropolitan Area, one of the major European metropolitan areas with more than ten million inhabitants.Cologne is located on both sides of the...
, Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
to Croydon Airport
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...
, United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
via Haren Airport, Brussels, Belgium, the aircraft departed at 12:20 local time (11:20 GMT
Greenwich Mean Time
Greenwich Mean Time is a term originally referring to mean solar time at the Royal Observatory in Greenwich, London. It is arguably the same as Coordinated Universal Time and when this is viewed as a time zone the name Greenwich Mean Time is especially used by bodies connected with the United...
), which was 20 minutes later than scheduled. Due to fog, the aircraft was flown on a route to the north of its normal route. At 13:15, whilst flying at an altitude of 250 feet (76.2 m), it crashed into a guy wire of the 870 feet (265.2 m) tall radio mast at Ruysselede
Zendmast Ruiselede
The Zendmasts of Ruiselede were eight 287 metre high guyed radio masts at Ruiselede, Belgium, built in 1923 for carrying an aerial for VLF transmission . On 30 December 1933, an Imperial Airways aircraft crashed into a mast and demolished it...
, which was illuminated at the time. The top section of the mast was demolished. The aircraft lost a wing and crashed. Four workers at the radio station rushed to the aid of those on board the aircraft, as did twelve villagers from Ruysselede. At least one passenger was seen to have survived the crash. There was an explosion and the wreckage of the aircraft was burnt out. The rescuers all suffered burns.
Casualties
All ten passengers and crew on the aircraft were killed. Four rescuers suffered burns.| Nationality | Crew | Passengers | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
 EnglishEngland England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental... |
2 | 5 | 7 |
 DutchNetherlands 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... |
- | 2 | 2 |
 PolishPoland Poland , officially the Republic of Poland , is a country in Central Europe bordered by Germany to the west; the Czech Republic and Slovakia to the south; Ukraine, Belarus and Lithuania to the east; and the Baltic Sea and Kaliningrad Oblast, a Russian exclave, to the north... |
- | 1 | 1 |
| Total | 2 | 8 | 10 |
Investigation
The accident was investigated by Belgian authorities. The British Accidents Investigation Branch sent a representative to assist in the investigation.Awards
The relatives of one of the victims praised the bravery of one of the rescuers, and pressed for him to be rewarded for his courage. King Albert IAlbert I of Belgium
Albert I reigned as King of the Belgians from 1909 until 1934.-Early life:Born Albert Léopold Clément Marie Meinrad in Brussels, he was the fifth child and second son of Prince Philippe, Count of Flanders, and his wife, Princess Marie of Hohenzollern-Sigmaringen...
awarded Camille van Hove the Civic Cross (1st Class)
Civic Decoration (Belgium)
The Civic Decoration is a civil decoration of Belgium. It was created on 21 July 1867 to reward the services rendered to the country after a long and meritorious career in the administration, whether national, provincial or local, as well as for exceptional acts of bravery, devotion or humanity...
for his efforts in attempting to rescue the victims of the crash. Mr van Hove received serious burns and was still in hospital in Bruges
Bruges
Bruges is the capital and largest city of the province of West Flanders in the Flemish Region of Belgium. It is located in the northwest of the country....
at the time the award was notified. Nine other rescuers were given rewards of money.
External links
- Photograph of G-ABLU Apollo and Handley Page H.P.42Handley Page H.P.42The Handley Page H.P.42 and H.P.45 were British four-engine long-range biplane airliners designed to a 1928 Imperial Airways specification by Handley Page of Radlett in Hertfordshire....
G-AAUD Hanno.