Farman F.60 Goliath - Accidents and Incidents

Accidents and Incidents

• On 8 October 1921, A Farman Goliath of Compagnie des Grands Express Aériens (CGEA) made an emergency landing at Saint-Inglevert, Pas-de-Calais due to problems with a propeller shortly after the aircraft had crossed the French coast. The aircraft was operating an international scheduled passenger flight from Le Bourget Airport, Paris to Croydon Airport, Surrey, United Kingdom. Another aircraft was despatched from Paris to take the six passengers on to Croydon.
• On 30 November 1921, Goliath F-GEAD of CGEA was damaged in a forced landing at Smeeth, Kent. The aircraft was repaired and returned to service.
• On 11 February 1922, Goliath F-GEAI of CGEA was damaged in a forced landing at Farnborough, Kent. The aircraft was repaired and returned to service.
• On 7 April 1922, Goliath F-GEAD of CGEA was in a mid-air collision with de Havilland DH.18A G-EAWO of Daimler Airway over Thieuloy-Saint-Antoine, Oise, France. All seven people on board both aircraft were killed.
• On 1 September 1922, A Farman F.60 Goliath on a flight from Croydon Airport to Paris, suffered a severely damaged propeller after flying through torrential rain whilst crossing the English Channel. The engine was shut down and a precautionary landing was made at Saint-Inglevert where the propeller was changed in 15 minutes. The aircraft then departed for Le Bourget, where arrival was only 12 minutes later than scheduled.
• On 15 March 1923, Goliath F-AEIE of Compagnie des Messageries Aériennes (CMA) overran the runway on landing at Croydon and collided with a building. The aircraft was later repaired and returned to service.
• On 7 May 1923, Goliath F-AEGP Flandre of Air Union was damaged in a forced landing at Lympne, Kent. The aircraft was repaired and returned to service.
• On 13 May 1923, Goliath F-AEBY of Air Union crashed at Monsures, Somme, following structural failure of a wing. All six people on board were killed. The aircraft was on a scheduled international passenger flight from Paris to Croydon
• On 15 July 1923, Goliath F-AEEE of Farman crashed hear Valenciennes, France.
• On 27 August 1923, Goliath F-AECB of Air Union crashed at East Malling, Kent. The aircraft was operating an international scheduled passenger flight from Paris to Croydon. A precautionary landing was made at Lympne due to weather, following which the flight was resumed. One engine later failed and the aircraft crashed following misunderstanding of an instruction for a number of passengers to move towards the rear of the aircraft, affecting the centre of gravity and causing the aircraft to enter a spin.
• On 3 December 1923, Goliath F-AEIF, possibly operated by CMA, crashed at Littlestone, Kent.
• On 22 January 1924, Goliath F-GEAO of Air Union was destroyed by fire following an accident when landing at Croydon.
• On 6 August 1924, Goliath F-ADDT Languedoc of Air Union was on a scheduled international passenger flight from Paris to Croydon when the port engine failed. A forced landing was made at Golden Green, Kent. One person amongst the pilot and five passengers on board was injured. The aircraft was dismantled to allow removal. It was later repaired and returned to service.
• On 8 February 1925, Goliath F-GEAB of Air Union crashed whilst attempting to land at Lympne. The aircraft was on a cargo flight from Paris to Croydon when an engine failed over the Channel. The aircraft was later repaired and returned to service.
• On 16 October 1925, Goliath F-HMFU Île de France of Air Union crashed at Wadhurst, East Sussex. Three passengers were killed and two were injured. The aircraft may have been repaired and returned to service as its registration was not cancelled until 1 June 1932. Its fuselage is preserved.
• On 14 November 1925, Goliath F-FHMY Picardie of Air Union ditched in the English Channel 12 kilometres (7.5 mi) off Boulogne, France. The aircraft was salvaged and rebuilt.
• On 10 March 1927, Goliath F-AEGP of Air Union made a forced landing near Tonbridge, Kent following an engine failure.
• On 5 May 1927, Goliath F-ADFN of Société Générale des Transports Aériens was lost in the Atlantic Ocean on a flight from Saint-Louis Senegal to Pernambuco, Brazil. Both crew were killed.
• On 24 November 1927, Goliath F-GEAB of Air Union was severely damaged in a forced landing at Yaldham Manor, Wrotham, Kent. The aircraft was later repaired and returned to service.
• On 6 March 1928, Goliath F-AECU Normandie of Air Union crashed at Hythe, Kent. The aircraft may have been repaired and returned to service as its registration was not cancelled until 1 June 1932.
• On 11 March 1928, Goliath F-AEFC of Air Union crashed into the English Channel 9 miles (14 km) off Folkestone whilst operating an international scheduled passenger flight from Paris to Croydon. The aircraft had landed at Saint-Inglevert to await an improvement in the weather before continuing its journey. and the passenger (or passengers) had decided to continue the journey by boat. The aircraft broadcast a Mayday before it crashed into the sea killing both crew. The bodies of the victims were picked up the Southern Railway's ferry Maid of Orleans.
• On 23 May 1928, Goliath F-AEIE of Société Générale des Transports Aériens (SGEA) crashed on take-off from Cologne, Germany and was destroyed by fire. Three people were killed.
• On 19 May 1929 Goliath F-GEAI of Air Union, on a flight from Croydon to Paris crashed at Keylands Sidings near Paddock Wood railway station, it stopped yards from the signal box and was destroyed by fire, the pilot and mechanic escaped with minor injuries.
• On 31 July 1929, Goliath F-GEAB of Air Union, on a flight from London to Paris carrying gold bullion was damaged in a forced landing near Smarden in Kent, bushes on the riverbank stopped the aircraft entering the River Beult although some of the gold bullion it was carrying ended up in the river, the bullion was recovered by spectators and transferred by lorry to Lympne for onward transport to Paris. The aircraft may have been repaired and returned to service as its registration was not cancelled until 1 June 1932.
• In October 1929, Goliath F-FARI of SGEA was destroyed in an accident.
• On 10 February 1930, Goliath F-FHMY of Air Union crashed at Marden Airfield, Kent following failure of the starboard tailplane. Two passengers killed of the six people on board.
• On 2 May 1930, Goliath F-ADCA of Air Union crashed at Penshurst, Kent after encountering a heavy squall whilst on a flight from Le Bourget, Paris to Croydon.
• On 23 April 1931, Goliath F-ADDT Languedoc of Air Union crashed at Widehurst Farm, Marden after taking off from Marden. The aircraft was carrying mail.