Date:	Thursday 25 June 1936
Time:	day
Type:	Avro Anson Mk I
Owner/operator:	48 Sqn RAF
Registration:	K6166
MSN:
Fatalities:	Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 4
Other fatalities:	0
Aircraft damage:	Destroyed
Location:	English Channel, 6 miles off Horsebridge, Whitstable, Kent. -   United Kingdom
Phase:	En route
Nature:	Military
Departure airport:	RAF Manston, Ramsgate, Kent
Destination airport:	RAF Manston, Ramsgate, Kent

Narrative:
Avro Anson Mk.I K6166 "R" of 48 Squadron, RAF Manston, Kent: On 25/6/36, the crew from 48 Squadron was performing a routine flight along the east coast of England when the left engine failed in flight. Captain attempted to ditch the aircraft 6 miles off Horsebridge, Whitstable, Kent. The pilot in command was Pilot Officer Arthur Reginald Atkins (Service #33213), from the School of Air Navigation at Manston. The pilot was, according to contemporary newspaper reports, switching over from the main tanks to the emergency tanks when the engine failed.

The Anson was towed to Tankerton in the afternoon, and then to the Horsebridge at Whitstable. The newspaper report also says that the ditching was witnessed by the pilot of a German airliner, who messaged Croydon regarding the incident.

All four crewmen were quickly rescued. Aircraft towed to Tankerton Harbour & declared Damaged Beyond Repair. First accident involving an Avro 652 Anson Mk I in RAF service.

Causes: Engine failure. Struck off charge 31-1-37. 15th production aircraft, total time on airframe 24.15 hours

1. Air-Britain The K File The RAF of the 1930s (James J Halley, Air Britain, 1995 p.79)
2. The Anson File (Ray Sturtivant, Air Britain, 1988 p.40)
3. Whitstable Times - Thursday 27 November 1997
4. https://www.baaa-acro.com/crash/crash-avro-652-anson-i-whitstable
5. http://sussexhistoryforum.co.uk/index.php?topic=8594.0
6. https://www.manstonhistory.org.uk/timeline/
7. https://uk.answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=1006043002693
8. https://www.doogal.co.uk/ShowMap?postcode=CT5%201AF

Presumably Whitstable, from family archives.

From the archives of the late Ernie Sockett

Date/time	Contributor	Updates
14-Feb-2008 02:24	JINX	Added
23-Jan-2012 02:49	Nepa	Updated [Operator]
03-Mar-2012 16:57	Dr. John Smith	Updated [Operator, Total fatalities, Other fatalities, Location, Departure airport, Source, Narrative]
13-Aug-2012 14:01	Nepa	Updated [Aircraft type, Operator, Departure airport, Source]
15-Jul-2013 08:19	JINX	Updated [Operator, Departure airport, Source, Narrative]
21-Jul-2013 03:06	Anon.	Updated
20-Oct-2015 18:19	Jixn	Updated [Operator, Location, Departure airport]
10-Mar-2018 23:11	Dr. John Smith	Updated [Time, Departure airport, Destination airport, Source, Narrative]
18-Feb-2020 21:52	Dr. John Smith	Updated [Total occupants, Departure airport, Destination airport, Source, Narrative]
02-May-2020 08:17	Anon.	Updated [Photo]
03-Nov-2023 14:43	Chris J.	Updated