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Crash of a De Havilland DH.4B in Covell

Date & Time: Nov 3, 1926 at 2015 LT
Type of aircraft:
De Havilland DH.4
Operator:
Registration:
109
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Postal (mail)
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Plain, Valley
Schedule:
Springfield - Peoria
Location:
Covell
Illinois
Country:
United States of America
Region:
North America
Crew on board:
1
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
The pilot Charles Lindbergh was performing a mail flight from Springfield (Illinois) to Peoria. In flight, while cruising at night at a height of 13,000 feet in a snow storm, he lost his orientation and the fuel reserve was too low. He tried to make an emergency landing but eventually decided to abandon the aircraft and to bail out. Aircraft crashed in an open field located in Covell, in the suburb of Bloomington and was destroyed. 'Lindy' was uninjured and came back a day later with a new aircraft to pick up the mail and continue the mission. Second accident in six weeks for Charles Lindbergh.

Crash of a De Havilland DH.4B in Ottawa

Date & Time: Sep 16, 1926 at 2020 LT
Type of aircraft:
De Havilland DH.4
Operator:
Registration:
112
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Postal (mail)
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Plain, Valley
Schedule:
Peoria - Chicago
Location:
Ottawa
Illinois
Country:
United States of America
Region:
North America
Crew on board:
1
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
The pilot Charles Lindbergh was performing a mail flight from Peoria to Chicago. En route, weather conditions worsened and he lost his orientation. Few minutes later, fuel exhausted and he eventually took the decision to bail out and abandoned the aircraft that crashed in a corn field. While the aircraft was destroyed, the aviator was unhurt.
Probable cause:
Fuel exhaustion.

Crash of a Ford 2 Pullman in Chicago: 1 killed

Date & Time: May 18, 1926 at 1640 LT
Type of aircraft:
Ford 2
Operator:
Ford Air Freight Lines
Registration:
1
Flight Phase:
Takeoff (climb)
Flight Type:
Cargo
Survivors:
No
Site:
Airport (less than 10 km from airport)
Schedule:
Chicago - Detroit
MSN:
1
YOM:
1925
Location:
Chicago-Midway
Illinois
Country:
United States of America
Region:
North America
Crew on board:
1
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
1
Circumstances:
The pilot was performing the first commercial cargo flight from Chicago to Detroit for the Ford Air Freight Lines Company. The Ford 2-AT Pullman was carrying mail and cargo on behalf of the Contract Air Mail. Shortly after takeoff from Chicago-Midway Airport, while climbing in poor weather conditions, the aircraft named 'Maiden Dearborn I' went out of control and crashed in Summit, some 2 miles west of the airport. The pilot was killed and the aircraft was destroyed.
Probable cause:
In 1928, U.S. Commerce Department declared the wings to be structurally unsafe. All remaining 2-AT's were scrapped.

Crash of a De Havilland DH.4B in Kaneville: 1 killed

Date & Time: Dec 21, 1924
Type of aircraft:
De Havilland DH.4
Operator:
Registration:
311
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Postal (mail)
Survivors:
No
Site:
Plain, Valley
Schedule:
Chicago - Omaha
Location:
Kaneville
Illinois
Country:
United States of America
Region:
North America
Crew on board:
1
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
1
Circumstances:
En route from Chicago to Omaha, the pilot encountered poor weather conditions with heavy snow falls. He abandoned the aircraft and bailed out. The aircraft dove into the ground and crashed in Kaneville. The pilot died as his parachute failed to open.

Crash of a De Havilland DH.4B at Chanute AFB: 1 killed

Date & Time: Aug 12, 1924
Type of aircraft:
De Havilland DH.4
Operator:
Registration:
22-1131
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Training
Survivors:
No
Site:
Airport (less than 10 km from airport)
Schedule:
Chanute AFB - Chanute AFB
Location:
Chanute AFB (Rantoul)
Illinois
Country:
United States of America
Region:
North America
Crew on board:
1
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
1
Circumstances:
The pilot, sole on board, was completing a local training flight at Chanute AFB, Rantoul. The accident occurred in unknown circumstances, killing the pilot Lt Frank P. Albrook who later gave his name to the airport of Panama City, Panama.

Crash of a De Havilland DH.4B in Fort Sheridan

Date & Time: May 10, 1921
Type of aircraft:
De Havilland DH.4
Operator:
Registration:
AS-62980
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Military
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Plain, Valley
Location:
Fort Sheridan
Illinois
Country:
United States of America
Region:
North America
Crew on board:
1
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
The engine failed in flight, forcing the pilot to attempt an emergency landing. The aircraft was destroyed and the pilot was rescued.
Probable cause:
Engine failure.

Crash of a De Havilland DH.4B in Batavia: 1 killed

Date & Time: Oct 16, 1920
Type of aircraft:
De Havilland DH.4
Operator:
Registration:
76
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Postal (mail)
Survivors:
No
Site:
Plain, Valley
Schedule:
Chicago - Omaha
Location:
Batavia
Illinois
Country:
United States of America
Region:
North America
Crew on board:
1
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
1
Circumstances:
En route from Checkerboard Field (Chicago) to Omaha, the pilot encountered poor visibility due to foggy conditions. While flying at low height, the airplane collided with telephone wires and crashed, bursting into flames. The pilot Bryan McMullen was killed.
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