Croydon Dakota crash. Eleven lives were lost in five people saved when a Dakota, bound for South Africa via Rome, crashed at Croydon airport today, Saturday. The planes taking off when it appeared to falter and fall on top of another plane standing on the ground. Both aircraft burst into flames and airport workers ran forwards to drag people from the carnage. Among those killed was the pilot of the Dakota, Captain Ted Spencer of Southern Rhodesia, head of Spencer Airways, Victoria Falls. Photo shows, firefighting on the crash Dakota, at Croydon, this afternoon, Saturday. 25 January 1947