| Date: June 29, 1920 |
Survivors: none |
Fatalities: vltn. Augusts Sparins,
mot kapr. Karlis Sabulis |
Aircraft Involved: DFW C.V #22 (7022) |
Location: Spilve / Ilguciems |
Details:
- The aircraft engine had been ground tested prior to the flight.
- Pilot Sparins had invited his mechanic, Sabulis, to join him on the flight.
- The first attempt at taking off was aborted because the aircraft veered to the left.
- The second takeoff, fully into the wind, still had the aircraft pulling towards the left.
- After climbing about 150m into the air, the plane turned to the left returning towards the aerodrome.
- The aircraft lost flying speed and slipped into a spin from which the pilot was unable to recover.
- The aircraft crashed into Ilguciems, in a pear tree grove near the textile factory, burned, and was totally destroyed.
- Note that the pilot had made his solo flight only three months previously, and the fatal
flight was his first in this particular aircraft.
- Sparins funeral, on July 2, was marked by a flyover by P.Abrams and
A.Joniskans in LVG #25, J.Prieditis and A.Lazdins in Hannover #21, and V.Jakubovs in Sopwith Camel #9.
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