Positioning | Bureau of Aircraft Accidents Archives

En route from Southampton to Sydney and while flying over Iraq at night, the crew encountered poor weather conditions with a sandstorm. Apparently in an attempt to maintain a visual contact with the ground, the crew reduced his altitude when the float plane named 'Calpurnia' hit the ground at full power and crashed. All four crew members were killed.

Crash of a De Havilland DH.89 Dragon Rapide in Belfast: 2 killed

Date & Time: Jul 3, 1938

Type of aircraft:

De Havilland DH.89 Dragon Rapide

Operator:

Registration:

G-AEBX

Flight Phase:

Landing (descent or approach)

Flight Type:

Positioning

Survivors:

Site:

Airport (less than 10 km from airport)

Schedule:

Manchester - Belfast

MSN:

6328

YOM:

1936

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

On final approach to Belfast-City Airport, the twin engine aircraft went out of control and crashed in an open field short of runway. Both crew members were killed.
Crew:
Alfred C. Larmuth, pilot,
Reginald H. Vaughan, flight engineer.

Crash of a Caproni Ca.312 Libeccio in Paris

Date & Time: Feb 10, 1938

Type of aircraft:

Caproni Ca.310/311/312/313

Operator:

Registration:

I-ALAL

Flight Phase:

Landing (descent or approach)

Flight Type:

Positioning

Survivors:

Yes

Site:

Airport (less than 10 km from airport)

Schedule:

Milan – Paris – Croydon

MSN:

YOM:

1938

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

The pilot, sole on board, was completing a positioning flight from Milan to Croydon. In unknown circumstances, the twin engine airplane crashed upon landing at Paris-Le Bourget Airport. The pilot escaped uninjured while the aircraft was damaged beyond repair.

Crash of an Airspeed AS.6J Envoy III in Ribadesella: 1 killed

Date & Time: Sep 7, 1937 at 1730 LT

Type of aircraft:

Airspeed AS.6 Envoy

Operator:

Registration:

F-AQCS

Flight Phase:

Flight

Flight Type:

Positioning

Survivors:

Site:

Plain, Valley

MSN:

YOM:

1936

Location:

Ribadesella

Principality of Asturias

Country:

Spain

Region:

Europe

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

The pilot, sole on board, departed Biarritz-Parme Airport on a positioning flight to Spain. While approaching the area of Ribadesella, the twin engine airplane was shot down by the pilot of a Nationalist Air Force fighter and crashed. The pilot Abel Guidez was killed.

Probable cause:

Shot down.

Crash of an Airspeed AS.6J Envoy III in Laredo

Date & Time: Jun 10, 1937

Type of aircraft:

Airspeed AS.6 Envoy

Operator:

Registration:

F-AQAB

Flight Phase:

Takeoff (climb)

Flight Type:

Positioning

Survivors:

Yes

Site:

Lake, Sea, Ocean, River

MSN:

YOM:

1936

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

Shortly after takeoff from the beach of Laredo, while climbing, both engines lost power. The pilot attempted an emergency landing when the aircraft crashed in shallow water. The pilot was uninjured and the airplane was damaged beyond repair.

Probable cause:

The accident was found to be sabotage as sugar was found in the carburetor.

Crash of a De Havilland DH.60M Moth in Lake Eikeren: 1 killed

Date & Time: May 27, 1937

Type of aircraft:

De Havilland DH.60 Moth

Operator:

Registration:

117

Flight Phase:

Flight

Flight Type:

Positioning

Survivors:

Site:

Plain, Valley

Schedule:

Oslo – Stavanger

MSN:

142

YOM:

1925

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

The pilot was performing a positioning flight to Stavanger to take part to the inauguration of the Sola Airport. He departed Oslo with two other DH.60M Moth of the Norwegian Air Force (Kongelige Norske Luftforsvaret). En route, he encountered low visibility due to foggy conditions and decided to attempt an emergency landing wen he lost control of the aircraft that crashed near the Lake Eikeren. The pilot was killed.

Crash of a De Havilland DH.60M Moth in Ytre Sandsvær

Date & Time: May 27, 1937

Type of aircraft:

De Havilland DH.60 Moth

Operator:

Registration:

107

Flight Phase:

Flight Type:

Survivors:

Site:

Schedule:

Oslo – Stavanger

MSN:

137

YOM:

1925

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

The pilot was performing a positioning flight to Stavanger to take part to the inauguration of the Sola Airport. He departed Oslo with two other DH.60M Moth of the Norwegian Air Force (Kongelige Norske Luftforsvaret). En route, he encountered low visibility due to foggy conditions and decided to attempt an emergency landing. While the aircraft was damaged beyond repair, the pilot was uninjured.

Crash of a Junkers JU.160 A-0 in Wätzum: 1 killed

Date & Time: Mar 26, 1937

Type of aircraft:

Junkers JU.160

Operator:

Registration:

D-UPOZ

Flight Phase:

Flight Type:

Survivors:

Site:

Schedule:

Berlin - Cologne

MSN:

4207

YOM:

1935

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

The airplane named 'Wolf' was completing a positioning flight from Berlin-Staaken to Cologne, carrying six crew members. En route, the engine failed and the captain decided to divert to Hanover. The situation became critical so the pilot attempt an emergency landing in a pasture when the aircraft crashed in Wätzum, about 28 km southeast of Hanover Airport. One occupants was killed and five others were injured.

Probable cause:

Engine failure in flight.

Crash of an Avro 504N into the Irish Sea: 1 killed

Date & Time: Jan 21, 1937

Type of aircraft:

Avro 504

Operator:

Registration:

G-AEIJ

Flight Phase:

Flight

Flight Type:

Positioning

Survivors:

Yes

Site:

Lake, Sea, Ocean, River

Schedule:

Belfast – Liverpool

MSN:

J8507

YOM:

1936

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

The engine failed in flight, forcing the crew to ditch the aircraft into the Irish Sea. The crew from a ship named 'Corrib' arrived on scene and was able to evacuate the mechanic uninjured while the pilot was killed when the aircraft sank. His body was never recovered.

Probable cause:

Engine failure.

Crash of a Sikorsky S-38B in Colquiri

Date & Time: Sep 27, 1935

Type of aircraft:

Sikorsky S-38

Operator:

Registration:

El Marihui

Flight Phase:

Flight Type:

Survivors:

Site:

Schedule:

Trinidad – Todos Santos

MSN:

114-11

YOM:

1929

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

En route from Trinidad to Todos Santos, the crew encountered problems and attempted an emergency landing in Aguas Negras, near the Rio Sécure, State of Beni. The float plane came to rest in a muddy field. Both pilots Armando Suárez and Sergio Ríos Toro later obtained help and were able to leave. While approaching Colquiri, weather conditions deteriorated and the aircraft hit a mountain slope and was wrecked. Both pilots were injured, Sergio Ríos Toro more seriously. The aircraft did not have any registration but was named 'El Marihui'.