All World | Bureau of Aircraft Accidents Archives

For unknown reasons, the pilot was forced to ditch the airplane into the Ionian Sea some 110 km southeast off Syracuse, Sicily. All four crew members were rescued.

Crash of a Supermarine Stranrear into the North Sea: 6 killed

Date & Time: Aug 19, 1939

Type of aircraft:

Supermarine Stranraer

Operator:

Registration:

K7297

Flight Phase:

Flight

Flight Type:

Survey / Patrol / Reconnaissance

Survivors:

Site:

Lake, Sea, Ocean, River

Schedule:

Felixstowe - Felixstowe

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

The float plane departed Felixstowe on a maritime patrol flight over the North Sea. While flying in poor weather conditions, the airplane crashed into the sea. SAR operations did not find any trace of the aircraft nor the six crew members.
Crew:
F/O Arthur Frederick Barber,
F/O Frederick Ernest Royston King,
LAC Donald Fulcher,
AC1 David George Poeten Ash,
AC1 Walter Joseph Jeckells,
AC2 Leslie Samuel Freshwater.

Crash of a Naval Aircraft Factory PH-2 into the Atlantic Ocean: 3 killed

Date & Time: Jul 15, 1939

Type of aircraft:

Naval Aircraft Factory PH-2

Operator:

Registration:

V164

Flight Phase:

Flight

Flight Type:

Survey / Patrol / Reconnaissance

Survivors:

Yes

Site:

Lake, Sea, Ocean, River

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

The crew was engaged in a SAR mission in an attempt to find the vessel named 'Atlantis' which was missing. In unknown circumstances, the float plane crashed into the ocean some 240 km southeast of New York. Three crew members were killed while five others were rescued.

Crash of a Supermarine Walrus I into The Channel

Date & Time: Feb 13, 1939

Type of aircraft:

Supermarine Walrus

Operator:

Registration:

L2197

Flight Phase:

Landing (descent or approach)

Flight Type:

Training

Survivors:

Yes

Site:

Lake, Sea, Ocean, River

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

While landing offshore on rough sea, the seaplane hit several waves and eventually collided with HMS Pegasus. The aircraft was damaged beyond repair and all three crew members were rescued.

Crash of a Short S.23 Empire Flying Boat into the Atlantic Ocean: 3 killed

Date & Time: Jan 21, 1939 at 1309 LT

Type of aircraft:

Short S.23 Empire Flying Boat

Operator:

Registration:

G-ADUU

Flight Phase:

Flight

Flight Type:

Scheduled Revenue Flight

Survivors:

Yes

Site:

Lake, Sea, Ocean, River

Schedule:

Port Washington – Hamilton – Southampton

MSN:

S.812

YOM:

1936

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

The seaplane named 'Cavalier' departed Port Washington Seaplane Base in Long Island at 1038LT on a transatlantic flight to Southampton with an intermediate stop in Hamilton, Bermuda. About two hours later, the crew encountered poor weather conditions and decided to modify his route to avoid a cumulonimbus area. Doing so, the aircraft lost height and while cruising in poor weather with low temperature, the pilot decided to return to his initial route when both inner engines stopped while both outboard engines lost power. In such situation, the captain decided to ditch the aircraft some 285 miles southeast of Port Washington. The radio operator was able to report his position and the aircraft sank about 15 minutes after ditching. The tanker named 'Esso Baytown' arrived on scene aroung midnight and his crew was able to evacuated 10 injured people while three others were killed, among them one crew member.
Crew:
M. R. Alderson, pilot,
Neil Richardson, copilot.

Probable cause:

The fact of the descent was entirely due to complete loss of power in the case of the two inner engines and partial loss of power in the outboard engines owing to carburetor icing trouble. The sea conditions were such that a safe landing was impossible and, as a result of damage to the hull, the machine sank in about fifteen minutes after breaking in half.

Crash of a Caproni Ca.135 into the Mediterranean Sea: 5 killed

Date & Time: Sep 9, 1938

Type of aircraft:

Caproni Ca.135

Operator:

Flight Phase:

Flight

Flight Type:

Delivery

Survivors:

Site:

Lake, Sea, Ocean, River

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

A group of seven Caproni Ca.135 departed Sardinia to be delivered to the Spanish Air Force in Palma de Mallorca. En route, the group encountered stormy weather. Two crew returned to Sardinia, two crew were able to reach Mallorca and three aircraft crashed into the sea. No trace of them nor the 15 crew members (five in each airplane) was found.
Crew:
Cpt Alfredo di Aichelburg, pilot,
Br Vincenzo Lotto, pilot,
Sgt Almerico Landuzzi, mechanic,
Av Giuseppe Mortellaro, radio operator,
Sgt Guido Pasini, gunner.

Crash of a Caproni Ca.135 into the Mediterranean Sea: 5 killed

Date & Time: Sep 9, 1938

Type of aircraft:

Caproni Ca.135

Operator:

Flight Phase:

Flight

Flight Type:

Delivery

Survivors:

Site:

Lake, Sea, Ocean, River

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

A group of seven Caproni Ca.135 departed Sardinia to be delivered to the Spanish Air Force in Palma de Mallorca. En route, the group encountered stormy weather. Two crew returned to Sardinia, two crew were able to reach Mallorca and three aircraft crashed into the sea. No trace of them nor the 15 crew members (five in each airplane) was found.
Crew:
Cpt Luigi Scagliotti, pilot,
2nd Lt Guelfo Aldrovandi, pilot,
Sgt Luciano Cenerelli, mechanic,
Sgt Piero Gabrielli, radio operator,
Sgt Nicola Indrizzi, gunner.

Crash of a Caproni Ca.135 into the Mediterranean Sea: 5 killed

Date & Time: Sep 9, 1938

Type of aircraft:

Caproni Ca.135

Operator:

Flight Phase:

Flight

Flight Type:

Delivery

Survivors:

Site:

Lake, Sea, Ocean, River

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

A group of seven Caproni Ca.135 departed Sardinia to be delivered to the Spanish Air Force in Palma de Mallorca. En route, the group encountered stormy weather. Two crew returned to Sardinia, two crew were able to reach Mallorca and three aircraft crashed into the sea. No trace of them nor the 15 crew members (five in each airplane) was found.
Crew:
Lt Pietro Berardi, pilot,
Br Bruno Pallotta, pilot,
Sgt Ferruccio Orgia, radio operator,
Av Giovanni De Rosa, mechanic,
Av Camillo Di Pasquantonio, gunner.

Crash of a Martin M.130 China Clipper into the Pacific Ocean: 15 killed

Date & Time: Jul 29, 1938 at 0411 LT

Type of aircraft:

Martin M.130

Operator:

Registration:

NC14714

Flight Phase:

Flight

Flight Type:

Scheduled Revenue Flight

Survivors:

Site:

Lake, Sea, Ocean, River

Schedule:

San Francisco – Honolulu – Agana – Manila

MSN:

556

YOM:

1934

Flight number:

PA229

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Captain / Total flying hours:

1900

Copilot / Total flying hours:

1650

Aircraft flight hours:

4757

Circumstances:

The float plane was on a transpacific flight from San Francisco to Manila with two intermediate stops in Honolulu and Guam Island. En route, the aircraft named 'Hawaiian Clipper' crashed in unknown circumstances into the ocean. SAR operations were initiated but eventually suspended after few weeks as no trace of the aircraft nor the 15 occupants was found.
Crew:
Leo Terletsky, pilot,
Mark A. Walker, copilot,
George M. Davis, Second Officer,
Jose M. Sauceda, Third Officer,
John W. Jewett, Fourth Officer,
William McGarty, Radio,
Howard L. Cox, Engineer,
T. B. Tatum, Assistant Engineer,
Ivan Parker, Steward.
Passengers:
Earl B. McKinley,
Fred C. Meier,
Edward E. Wyman,
Kenneth A. Kennedy,
Howard C. French,
Choy Wah Sun.

Probable cause:

In conclusion, it appears that the only definite facts established up to the present time, are that between 0411 and 0412 G.C.T on July 29, was a failure of communication between the ground and the Clippers. Communication was not thereafter reestablished, and that no trace of the aircraft has since been discovered. A number of theories have been advanced about the possible basic cause of or reason for the disappearance of the Clipper. The Board has considered each of them. Some have not been disproved and some have been contradicted by the facts. However, the Investigating fecls that this report cannot properly include a discussion of conjection unsupported by developed facts. The Board, therefore, respectfully submit this report with the thought that additional evidence may yet be discovered and the investigation completed at that time.

Final Report:

Crash of a Savoia-Marchetti S.66 into the Tyrrhenian Sea: 20 killed

Date & Time: Jul 14, 1938 at 0800 LT

Type of aircraft:

Savoia-Marchetti S.66

Operator:

Registration:

I-VOLO

Flight Phase:

Flight

Flight Type:

Scheduled Revenue Flight

Survivors:

Site:

Lake, Sea, Ocean, River

Schedule:

Cagliari – Rome

MSN:

15013

YOM:

1935

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

The three engine float plane departed Cagliari in the early morning and continued its route along the east coast of Sardinia. While overflying over the Tyrrhenian Sea, the aircraft entered an uncontrolled descent and crashed. The crew did not send any mayday message. Debris were found floating on water some 145 km east of Olbia and none of the 20 occupants survived the crash.

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