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Crash of a De Havilland DH.86B Express in Madrid

Date & Time: Sep 21, 1958
Type of aircraft:
De Havilland DH.86 Express
Operator:
Registration:
G-ACZP
Flight Phase:
Landing (descent or approach)
Flight Type:
Private
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Airport (less than 10 km from airport)
MSN:
2321
YOM:
1934
Location:
Madrid-Barajas
Madrid
Country:
Spain
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
0
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
Owned by V. H. Bellamy, the four engine aircraft crash landed at Barajas Airport for unknown reason. There were no casualties.

Crash of a De Havilland DH.86A Express in Geraldton: 2 killed

Date & Time: Jun 24, 1945 at 1030 LT
Type of aircraft:
De Havilland DH.86 Express
Operator:
Registration:
VH-USF
Flight Phase:
Takeoff (climb)
Flight Type:
Scheduled Revenue Flight
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Airport (less than 10 km from airport)
Schedule:
Perth – Geraldton – Carnarvon – Port Hedland
MSN:
2310
YOM:
0
Location:
Geraldton
Western Australia
Country:
Australia
Region:
Oceania
Crew on board:
2
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
9
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
2
Captain / Total flying hours:
10000
Captain / Total hours on type:
900.00
Circumstances:
This was its inaugural MMA service, from Perth to Geraldton and Carnarvon. After refueling at Geraldton, the takeoff appeared normal but the aircraft did not climb and turned back for a landing. It flew low over RAAF hangars at about 300 feet then made a steep turn to port, followed by a wide low circuit back to the runway with port wing low. When just inside the aerodrome boundary, it dropped heavily on the starboard main undercarriage, bounced, contacted the ground with the tail wheel and bounced again. Striking the ground for the third time, this time on the port main wheel, as it bounced higher, engine power was applied but the aircraft swung to the left, banking steeply until the left wings were torn off by ground contact. The aircraft cartwheeled and hit the ground nose-first. The fuselage broke up, spilling out most of the 11 occupants. Captain Branch and one passenger were killed, the other 9 occupants seriously injured.
Crew:
H. J. Branch, pilot,
Don W. Rumney, copilot.
Source:
http://www.goodall.com.au/australian-aviation/dh86/dh86.html
Probable cause:
The DCA accident investigation report placed the blame squarely on Captain Branch: “The accident was caused by an indifferent landing which had worsened until the aircraft became completely out of control.” However the investigation panel was criticized for not including, or failing to take evidence from, any DCA officer involved in previous Australian DH.86 accidents. Their report acknowledged that the type was prone to swung during takeoff or landing and that such swings were usually difficult to control, and listed 9 accidents to Australian DH.86s involving such swings. But the report did not address the extreme port wing drop soon after airborne or the reason for returning, or the very wide circuit so close to the ground. It seemed that events prior to touchdown were deemed irrelevant.

Crash of a De Havilland DH.86A Express in Darwin

Date & Time: Oct 9, 1944
Type of aircraft:
De Havilland DH.86 Express
Operator:
Registration:
VH-USC
Flight Phase:
Landing (descent or approach)
Flight Type:
Scheduled Revenue Flight
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Airport (less than 10 km from airport)
MSN:
2307
YOM:
1934
Location:
Darwin
Northern Territory
Country:
Australia
Region:
Oceania
Crew on board:
0
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Aircraft flight hours:
11664
Circumstances:
Crash landed in Darwin Airport and ended up in flames. There were no casualties but the aircraft was partially destroyed.

Crash of a De Havilland DH.86 Express near RAF Donibristle: 7 killed

Date & Time: Mar 31, 1943 at 1521 LT
Type of aircraft:
De Havilland DH.86 Express
Operator:
Registration:
AX844
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Military
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Airport (less than 10 km from airport)
MSN:
2322
YOM:
1934
Location:
Donibristle AFB
Fife
Country:
United Kingdom
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
1
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
7
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
7
Circumstances:
In unknown circumstances, the four-engine aircraft crashed in a field near the RAF Donibristle. A passenger was seriously injured while seven other occupants were killed.

Crash of a De Havilland DH.86 Express in Cochin

Date & Time: Sep 15, 1942
Type of aircraft:
De Havilland DH.86 Express
Operator:
Registration:
HX789
Flight Phase:
Takeoff (climb)
Flight Type:
Military
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Airport (less than 10 km from airport)
MSN:
2306
YOM:
1934
Location:
Cochin
Kerala
Country:
India
Region:
Asia
Crew on board:
0
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
Crashed on take off in unknown circumstances. No casualties.

Crash of De Havilland DH.86A Express in Siwa

Date & Time: Jun 24, 1942
Type of aircraft:
De Havilland DH.86 Express
Operator:
Registration:
AX762
Flight Phase:
Landing (descent or approach)
Flight Type:
Ambulance
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Airport (less than 10 km from airport)
Schedule:
Heliopolis - Siwa
MSN:
2333
YOM:
1936
Location:
Siwa
Matruh
Country:
Egypt
Region:
Africa
Crew on board:
0
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
On landing at Siwa, while on an ambulance flight from Heliopolis, the right main gear failed. The aircraft went out of control and veered off runway before coming to rest. While the aircraft was damaged beyond repair, there was no casualties.
Probable cause:
Right main gear failure on touchdown.

Crash of a De Havilland DH.86 Express in Maaten Bagush

Date & Time: Apr 10, 1942
Type of aircraft:
De Havilland DH.86 Express
Operator:
Registration:
HK844
Flight Phase:
Takeoff (climb)
Flight Type:
Military
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Airport (less than 10 km from airport)
MSN:
2300
YOM:
1934
Location:
Maaten Bagush
Matruh
Country:
Egypt
Region:
Africa
Crew on board:
0
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
Suffered a double engine failure upon takeoff and crashed. There were no casualties.
Probable cause:
Double engine failure.

Crash of a De Havilland DH.86 Express near Brisbane: 9 killed

Date & Time: Feb 20, 1942 at 0830 LT
Type of aircraft:
De Havilland DH.86 Express
Operator:
Registration:
VH-USE
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Scheduled Revenue Flight
Survivors:
No
Site:
Plain, Valley
Schedule:
Brisbane – Mount Isa – Darwin
MSN:
2309
YOM:
1935
Location:
Brisbane
Queensland
Country:
Australia
Region:
Oceania
Crew on board:
2
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
7
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
9
Circumstances:
The airplane was late and departed Brisbane-Archerfield with two hours delay. Few minutes after takeoff, it entered an area of clouds with heavy rain falls. It entered an uncontrolled descent, spiraled to the ground and crashed in a wooded area located in Belmont (Mount Petrie), some 13 km south of Archerfield Airport. All nine occupants were killed.
Crew:
Cpt Charles Henry Cecil Swaffield,
C/O Lindsay Stuart Marshall.
Photo: www.ozatwar.com
Probable cause:
Three quarters of the fin had been found quite some distance from the main wreckage of the aircraft. Nevertheless, the subsequent official inquiry into the loss was inconclusive.

Crash of a De Havilland DH.86B Express in Egypt

Date & Time: Dec 8, 1941
Type of aircraft:
De Havilland DH.86 Express
Operator:
Registration:
A31-8
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Ambulance
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Desert
MSN:
2359
YOM:
1936
Location:
Egypt
All Egypt
Country:
Egypt
Region:
Africa
Crew on board:
3
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
The crew was performing an ambulance flight within Egypt when the twin engine airplane was shot down by a German fighter and crashed in a desert area located in the western part of Egypt, bursting into flames. The airplane was destroyed by a post crash fire and all three crew members were rescued.
Probable cause:
Shot down by a German fighter.

Crash of a De Havilland DH.86A Express in Lydda

Date & Time: Nov 26, 1941
Type of aircraft:
De Havilland DH.86 Express
Operator:
Registration:
AX760
Flight Phase:
Landing (descent or approach)
Flight Type:
Military
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Airport (less than 10 km from airport)
MSN:
2328
YOM:
1935
Location:
Lydda
All Palestine
Country:
Palestine
Region:
Asia
Crew on board:
0
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
After touchdown, an undercarriage collapsed. The airplane slid for few dozen metres before coming to rest. There were no injuries among the occupants and the airplane was damaged beyond repair.
Probable cause:
Undercarriage collapsed on landing.
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