The waterplane had arrived at the hangar below the Volk's railway station at Paston Place in May 1913 - towed from the River Adur by motor boat, as bad weather had prevented it from flying there. On the afternoon of 26 May, a reporter from the Daily Mail was scheduled to go up with Gordon England but, for some reason, he failed to show up. Instead, George Aitchison, a reporter from the Brighton Herald took his place. He was carried out to the waterplane on the back of Gordon England's mechanic, Robins, who delighted the crowd by slipping and falling into the water. After flying over the West Pier, the plane crashed and was wrecked and was only narrowly saved from sinking into deep water. One of those who came to the rescue was Harry Preston.