De Havilland DH.86 Express

Operator:

Registration:

G-ACWC

Flight Phase:

Flight Type:

Survivors:

Site:

Schedule:

Cairo – Leopoldville

MSN:

2304

YOM:

1935

Location:

Country:

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Circumstances:

En route from Cairo to Leopoldville, the crew encountered an unexpected situation and was forced to attempt an emergency landing. The airplane named 'Delia' crash landed near Minna and was damaged beyond repair. There were no casualties.

Crash of a De Havilland DH.86B Express in Helsinki-Malmi

Date & Time: May 2, 1940

Type of aircraft:

Operator:

Registration:

OH-IPA

Flight Phase:

Takeoff (climb)

Flight Type:

Positioning

Survivors:

Airport (less than 10 km from airport)

Site:

Schedule:

Helsinki – Jyväskylä

MSN:

2353

YOM:

1936

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

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Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

The pilot, sole on board, was performing a positioning flight from Malmi Airport to Tikkakoski Airport in Jyväskylä. During the take off run, in unclear circumstances, the four engine aircraft collided with a Finnish Air Force (Suomen Ilmavoimat) Brewster 239 BW-394. Both aircraft were damaged beyond repair and the pilot was injured.

Probable cause:

It is believed that the pilot was unaccustomed with this type of aircraft and miscalculated the takeoff distance.

Crash of a De Havilland DH.86B Express off Kavieng

Date & Time: Mar 15, 1940

Type of aircraft:

Operator:

Registration:

VH-UYW

Flight Phase:

Flight Type:

Survivors:

Site:

Lake, Sea, Ocean, River

MSN:

2361

YOM:

1936

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

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Circumstances:

Crashed into the sea off Kavieng. No casualties.

Crash of a De Havilland DH.86A Express in Kirby-in-Furness

Date & Time: Jul 29, 1939

Type of aircraft:

Operator:

Registration:

L7596

Flight Phase:

Flight Type:

Survivors:

Site:

Schedule:

Biggin Hill - Belfast

MSN:

2348

YOM:

1936

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

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Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

On approach to Belfast, the crew encountered technical problems in low visibility due to fog. The Captain decided to divert to Blackpool but was forced to attempt an emergency landing in a field due to fuel shortage. The aircraft eventually crash landed near Kirby-in-Furness, some three miles northwest of Ulverston. All three occupants, among them the British State Secretary for Aviation Sir Kingsley Wood, were uninjured. The aircraft was damaged beyond repair.

Probable cause:

Emergency landing due to fuel exhaustion.

Crash of a De Havilland DH.86 Express in Jersey: 14 killed

Date & Time: Nov 4, 1938 at 1050 LT

Type of aircraft:

Operator:

Registration:

G-ACZN

Flight Phase:

Takeoff (climb)

Flight Type:

Airport (less than 10 km from airport)

Survivors:

Site:

Schedule:

Jersey – Southampton

MSN:

2316

YOM:

1934

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

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Circumstances:

Less than a minute after takeoff from Jersey-States Airport, while climbing to a height of 120 feet, the twin engine aircraft named 'Saint Catherines Bay' entered clouds when the pilot initiated a turn to the left. The aircraft slid then stalled and crashed in an open field located 500 yards from the airport, bursting into flames. All 13 occupants were killed as well as a farmer who was working his field.

Probable cause:

It is believed that the pilot had allowed the De Havilland to fall into a side-slip while climbing through a low overcast, and at an insufficient altitude for him to regain control. The aircraft was seen to emerge from the cloud base at a height of around 120 feet and plunge to earth, and after impact it slid across the ground until it struck a solid earth bank, whereupon it burst into flames.

Crash of a De Havilland DH.86 Express in Elsdorf: 3 killed

Date & Time: Mar 15, 1937 at 2320 LT

Type of aircraft:

Operator:

Registration:

G-ACVZ

Flight Phase:

Charter/Taxi (Non Scheduled Revenue Flight)

Flight Type:

Survivors:

Site:

Schedule:

Croydon – Cologne

MSN:

2303

YOM:

1934

Location:

Elsdorf

North Rhine-Westphalia

Country:

Germany

Region:

Europe

Crew on board:

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Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

The four engine aircraft departed Croydon Airport for Cologne at 2130LT with no mail on board. At 2258LT, while overflying Belgium, the radio navigator informed ATC he was flying in good visibility with no icing conditions. Descending to Cologne-Butzweilerhof Airport, the aircraft crashed in unknown circumstances in Elsdorf, some 42 km northwest of the airport. All three occupants were killed.
Crew:
C. B. Holmes, pilot,
C. E. Langman, wireless operator.
Passenger:
C. F. Wolley Dod, Imperial Airways European Manager.

Crash of a De Havilland DH.86A Express in London-Gatwick: 3 killed

Date & Time: Sep 15, 1936

Type of aircraft:

Operator:

Registration:

G-ADYF

Flight Phase:

Takeoff (climb)

Flight Type:

Postal (mail)

Survivors:

Airport (less than 10 km from airport)

Site:

Schedule:

London – Hamburg

MSN:

2347

YOM:

1936

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

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Circumstances:

The airplane departed London-Gatwick Airport on a night mail flight to Hamburg, carrying four crew members. After takeoff, while climbing, the pilot-in-command initiated a 180 turn, apparently to return to Gatwick. Doing so, the airplane lost height, impacted trees and crashed. A crew member was injured while three others were killed, including Cpt W. F. Anderson.

Probable cause:

There is no suggestion of mechanical failure, though it is possible that the rudder control was accidentally interfered with at a critical moment after takeoff.

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

Date & Time: Aug 12, 1936 at 0300 LT

Type of aircraft:

Operator:

Registration:

G-ADEB

Flight Phase:

Flight Type:

Postal (mail)

Survivors:

Site:

Schedule:

Hanover – Cologne – London-Gatwick

MSN:

2324

YOM:

1935

Location:

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Region:

Crew on board:

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Circumstances:

The crew was performing a night mail flight from Hanover to London-Gatwick with an intermediate stop in Cologne. In unknown circumstances, the four engine aircraft went out of control and crashed 50 km southeast of Cologne. Both crew members were killed.

Crash of a De Havilland DH.86 in Zwettl

Date & Time: Oct 22, 1935

Type of aircraft:

Operator:

Registration:

G-ADCM

Flight Phase:

Flight Type:

Survivors:

Site: