Country
United Kingdom

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

Date & Time: Dec 16, 1918
Type of aircraft:
De Havilland DH.4
Operator:
Registration:
97
Flight Phase:
Takeoff (climb)
Flight Type:
Postal (mail)
Survivors:
No
Site:
Airport (less than 10 km from airport)
Location:
Elizabeth
New Jersey
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 Carl B. Smith was performing a mail flight. He was killed after the airplane stalled, entered a spin and crashed after takeoff from Elizabeth Airfield.
Probable cause:
The pilot lost control of the airplane due to his inexperience on this type of aircraft.

Crash of a De Havilland DH.4C in Everman: 1 killed

Date & Time: Nov 12, 1918
Type of aircraft:
De Havilland DH.4
Operator:
Registration:
SC-39168
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Training
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Airport (less than 10 km from airport)
Location:
Everman-Barron Field
Texas
Country:
United States of America
Region:
North America
Crew on board:
2
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
1
Circumstances:
The crew was completing a training mission. At an altitude of about 4,000 feet, the aircraft entered a spin and crashed in an open field near Everman-Barron Field Airport. A crew was killed and the second occupants was injured. The aircraft was destroyed.

Crash of a De Havilland DH.4 off Saint-Vaast-la-Houghe: 2 killed

Date & Time: Oct 27, 1918
Type of aircraft:
De Havilland DH.4
Operator:
Registration:
F2633
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Military
Survivors:
No
Site:
Lake, Sea, Ocean, River
Location:
Saint-Vaast-la-Hougue
Manche
Country:
France
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
2
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
2
Circumstances:
The airplane crashed in unknown circumstances in the sea off Saint-Vaast-la-Hougue, killing both crew members.
Crew:
2Lt A. H. Aitken,
2Lt D. U. Thomas.

Crash of a De Havilland DH.4 in Wright Patterson AFB: 1 killed

Date & Time: Jun 19, 1918
Type of aircraft:
De Havilland DH.4
Operator:
Registration:
AS-32098
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Military
Survivors:
No
Site:
Airport (less than 10 km from airport)
Schedule:
Wright Patterson AFB-Wright Patterson AFB
Location:
Wright-Patterson AFB (Dayton)
Ohio
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:
Lt. Frank Stuart Patterson, son and nephew of the co-founders of National Cash Register, is killed in the crash of his DH.4M, AS-32098, at Wilbur Wright Field during a flight test of a new mechanism for synchronizing machine gun and propeller, when a tie rod breaks during a dive from 15,000 feet (4,600 m), causing the wings to separate from the aircraft. Wishing to recognize the contributions of the Patterson family (owners of NCR) the area of Wright Field east of Huffman Dam (including Wilbur Wright Field, Fairfield Air Depot, and the Huffman Prairie) is renamed Patterson Field on 6 July 1931, in honor of Lt. Patterson.
Subscribe to De Havilland DH.4