All World

Registered I-DONA, the Savoia-Marchetti S.55TA was taking part to a huge international rally organized by the Italian General Italo Balbo on a trip from Italy (Orbetello) to Brazil (Rio de Janeiro). A total of 14 Savoia-Marchetti S.55TA were involved in this rally. The group departed Orbetello on 17DEC1930, arrived in Kenitra on 21DEC1930, Villa Cisneros on 23DEC1930 and finally Bolama (Guinea Bissau, ex Portuguese Guinea) on Christmas Day. Due to poor weather conditions, it was not possible to continue so all crews observed a rest time on Bolama Island till 06JAN1931. This day, crew left Bolama without problems and continued along the route to Natal, some 3,000 km in total. At a distance of approximately 1,000 km off the Brazilian coast, crew encountered technical problems and attempted to make an emergency landing into the ocean. Several ships of the Italian Navy were cruising along the route, so all four crew were quickly rescued while the aircraft sunk and was lost. It was registered I-DONA, referring to the name of its captain Renato Donadelli.

One hour after his departure from Marseille, the crew experienced an engine failure and was forced to ditch the aircraft. All three occupants were rescued by the crew of the Spanish ship named 'Helius' while the aircraft, trying to be towed, sank and was lost.
Crew:
Mr. de Visa, pilot,
Maurice Thomasset, radio navigator,
Mr. Mailland, mechanic.

En route, the pilot was forced to ditch the aircraft for unknown reasons. All three crew members survived and were later rescued while the aircraft sank and was lost.

On the leg from Casablanca to Alicante, while cruising by night between Spain and Morocco, the crew encountered poor weather conditions with thunderstorm activity. The aircraft went out of control and crashed in the sea, maybe between Ceuta and Melilla. SAR were organized but all operations were suspended after few days as no trace of the aircraft nor the crew was found. More than a month later, in March 1930, a mail package was found on a beach in Mostaganem.
Crew:
Alphonse Bruyère, pilot,
Léopold Aubry, radio navigator.

Crashed in unknown circumstances in the Mediterranean Sea off the Italian coast.

The ship named 'Nanuk' went stuck in the ice in the north part of the Bering Sea. Alaskan Authorities decided to dispatch an aircraft and a crew on site to evacuate the 15 occupants. The crew made a first stop in Teller to refuel. Few hours later, while returning with two passengers on board, the pilot made a right turn at low height when the aircraft impacted the ice field and crashed. As the airplane failed to return to its departure point, SAR operations were initiated. As no trace of the aircraft nor the four occupants was found, all operations were abandoned few weeks later. The wreckage and the four dead bodies were found in February 1930 some 150 km north of the initial track.
Crew:
Carl Benjamin Eielson, pilot,
Earl Borland, engineer.
Carl B. Eielson will give his name to the US Air Base in Fairbanks.

En route from Marseille to Algiers, while cruising north of the Balearic Islands, an engine failed, forcing the crew to ditch the aircraft. All four crew members were quickly rescued while the aircraft sank while being towed back to Marseille.
Crew:
Edmond Larbonne, pilot,
Mr. Adan, navigator,
Maurice Thomasset, radio,
Mr. Traverse, engineer.

An engine failed en route, forcing the crew to ditch the aircraft in the Mediterranean Sea some 130 km north of Algiers. While all three crew members were quickly rescued by the crew of the ship named 'Timgad', the aircraft that was damaged beyond repair was towed two days later by the crew of the ship named 'Colonel-Casse'.
Crew:
Alexandre Pichodou, pilot,
Mr. Hautot, radio,
Mr. Traverse, engineer.

The aircraft named 'Jung Schweizerland' was engaged in a non stop transatlantic flight from Lisbon to Halifax, with two people on board, the Swiss pilot Kurt Lüscher and the Swiss businessman Oskar Käser. After a takeoff roll of 1,200 metres, the single engine aircraft departed Lisbon at 0719LT bound to the west. After a flight of 10 hours and 40 minutes, the aircraft was spotted over the Azores Islands around 1800LT. The crew continued his route over the Atlantic Ocean but the aircraft failed to arrive in Halifax. SAR operations were initiated but no trace of the aircraft nor the crew was ever found.

The pilot A. J. Peacey departed Hucknall Airport during the day for a training mission. While cruising bound to the east, he encountered poor weather conditions and continued over the North Sea. He may have lost his orientation when the single engine aircraft crashed in the sea. A day later, the crew of the German steamer named 'Margot' found debris of the aircraft floating on water some 100 km west off Terschelling, in The Netherlands. No trace of the pilot was found. It is believed that the pilot probably lost his orientation while flying in low clouds and engaged himself over the North Sea without knowing his exact position.