All World | Bureau of Aircraft Accidents Archives

The crew was completing a maritime patrol flight when an engine failed. The captain attempted to ditch the aircraft when control was lost and it crashed into the sea north of Mallorca Island. Three crew members were rescued by the crew of the British cruiser 'Sussex' while two other occupants were killed.
Crew:
Lt Cayo, †
Alf Hortz, †
Lt Alcalá del Olmo,
Br Arellano,
Sgt Llorente.

Probable cause:

Engine failure in flight.

Crash of a Supermarine Walrus I into the South China Sea

Date & Time: Apr 19, 1938

Type of aircraft:

Supermarine Walrus

Operator:

Registration:

L2187

Flight Phase:

Flight

Flight Type:

Military

Site:

Lake, Sea, Ocean, River

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Crashed in unknown circumstances into the South China Sea. Crew fate unknown.

Crash of an Avro 652 Anson I into the North Sea: 3 killed

Date & Time: Apr 6, 1938

Type of aircraft:

Avro 652 Anson

Operator:

Registration:

K6270

Flight Phase:

Flight

Flight Type:

Training

Survivors:

Site:

Lake, Sea, Ocean, River

Schedule:

Thornaby - Thornaby

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The crew was performing a night training flight over the North Sea on behalf of the 233th Squadron. In unknown circumstances, the twin engine aircraft went out of control and crashed into the sea in a huge explosion. All three crewmen were killed.
Crew:
F/Lt William Noel Hamilton Banks,
P/O Felix Oswald Thresher,
AC1 Robert Munro.

Crash of a CRDA CANT Z.506 Airone into the Mediterranean Sea: 14 killed

Date & Time: Feb 13, 1938 at 1430 LT

Type of aircraft:

CRDA CANT Z.506 Airone

Operator:

Registration:

I-ORIA

Flight Phase:

Flight

Flight Type:

Scheduled Revenue Flight

Survivors:

Site:

Lake, Sea, Ocean, River

Schedule:

Cadiz – Pollença –Alghero – Rome

MSN:

297

YOM:

1936

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The float plane departed Cadiz on a flight to Rome with intermediate stops in Pollença (Balearic Islands) and Alghero, Sardinia, carrying 10 passengers and four crew members. It took off from Pollença around noon. At 1430LT, while cruising over the Mediterranean Sea, the radio operator reported his position and informed ground he was encountering very bad weather conditions with storms. This was the last transmission received from the crew. As the airplane failed to arrive in Alghero, SAR operations were initiated but eventually suspended few days later as no trace of the aircraft nor the 14 occupants was ever found.

Crash of a Sikorsky S-42B into the Pacific Ocean: 7 killed

Date & Time: Jan 11, 1938 at 0830 LT

Type of aircraft:

Sikorsky S-42

Operator:

Registration:

NC16734

Flight Phase:

Flight

Flight Type:

Postal (mail)

Survivors:

Site:

Lake, Sea, Ocean, River

Schedule:

Oakland – Honolulu – Kingman Reef – Pago Pago – Auckland

MSN:

4207

YOM:

1936

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The crew was performing a mail flight from Oakland, California, to Auckland, New Zealand, with intermediate stops in Honolulu, Kingman Reef and Pago Pago. One hour after his departure from Pago Pago, in the early hours, the crew encountered technical problems and was forced to dump the fuel. Apparently, an oil leak occurred on the engine n°4 that was shut down. The captain decided to return to Pago Pago but the seaplane named 'Samoan Clipper' crashed into the sea some 120 km south of Pago Pago. Few debris were found floating on water and all seven occupants were killed, among them Captain Edwin C. Musick, first official Captain by Pan Am.
Crew:
Edwin C. Musick, pilot,
Cecil G. Sellers, pilot,
P. S. Brunk, copilot,
F. J. MacLean, navigator,
J. W. Stickrod, flight engineer,
J. A. Brooks, machanic,
T. D. Findley, radio operator.

Probable cause:

It was theorized that gasoline vapors had become trapped by a wing flap when it was extended after the crew began dumping fuel in preparation for landing, causing an in-flight fire and/or explosion.

Crash of a Consolidated PBY-1 Catalina into the Pacific Ocean: 7 killed

Date & Time: Jan 6, 1938

Type of aircraft:

Consolidated PBY Catalina

Operator:

Registration:

0159

Flight Phase:

Flight

Flight Type:

Survey / Patrol / Reconnaissance

Survivors:

Site:

Lake, Sea, Ocean, River

MSN:

YOM:

1937

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The float plane crashed in unknown circumstances into the Pacific Ocean some 200 miles off Point Loma, California. No trace of the aircraft nor the seven crew members was ever found.

Crash of a Lockheed 10E Electra in the Pacific Ocean: 2 killed

Date & Time: Jul 2, 1937

Type of aircraft:

Lockheed 10 Electra

Operator:

Registration:

NR16020

Flight Phase:

Flight

Flight Type:

Private

Survivors:

Site:

Lake, Sea, Ocean, River

Schedule:

Lae - Howland Island

MSN:

1055

YOM:

1936

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The crew was engaged in a world tour and the aircraft has been prepared with special equipment. It was able to fly 20 hours without fuel stop. The crew departed Lae in New Guinea bound for Howland Island, in the South Pacific Ocean. The trip was estimated to be 20 hours and it seems that the aircraft crashed into the sea some 30 minutes prior to its arrival at Howland Island. SAR operations never found any trace of the aircraft nor the crew. Both occupants, famous aviation pioneers and aviators, were lost for ever.
Crew:
Amelia Earhart, pilot,
Frederick Noonan, radio navigator.

Probable cause:

Fuel exhaustion was suspected but the exact cause of the accident has never been elucidated.

Crash of a De Havilland DH.60G Moth Major III into the North Sea: 1 killed

Date & Time: Mar 23, 1937

Type of aircraft:

De Havilland DH.60 Moth

Operator:

Mary du Caurroy

Registration:

G-ACUR

Flight Phase:

Flight

Flight Type:

Private

Survivors:

Site:

Lake, Sea, Ocean, River

MSN:

5097

YOM:

1934

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Mary du Caurroy, Her Grace The Duchess of Bedford, departed Woburn Abbey on a solo private flight. While flying over the North Sea, the airplane crashed in unknown circumstances. Few debris were found floating on water but no trace of the Duchess.

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

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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.