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

Date & Time: May 2, 1940
Type of aircraft:
De Havilland DH.86 Express
Operator:
Registration:
OH-IPA
Flight Phase:
Takeoff (climb)
Flight Type:
Positioning
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Airport (less than 10 km from airport)
Schedule:
Helsinki – Jyväskylä
MSN:
2353
YOM:
1936
Location:
Helsinki-Malmi
Uusimaa
Country:
Finland
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
1
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
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:
De Havilland DH.86 Express
Operator:
Registration:
VH-UYW
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Scheduled Revenue Flight
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Lake, Sea, Ocean, River
MSN:
2361
YOM:
1936
Location:
Kavieng
New Ireland
Country:
Papua New Guinea
Region:
Oceania
Crew on board:
0
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
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:
De Havilland DH.86 Express
Operator:
Registration:
L7596
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Government
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Plain, Valley
Schedule:
Biggin Hill - Belfast
MSN:
2348
YOM:
1936
Location:
Kirby-in-Furness
Cumbria
Country:
United Kingdom
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
2
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
1
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
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:
De Havilland DH.86 Express
Operator:
Registration:
G-ACZN
Flight Phase:
Takeoff (climb)
Flight Type:
Scheduled Revenue Flight
Survivors:
No
Site:
Airport (less than 10 km from airport)
Schedule:
Jersey – Southampton
MSN:
2316
YOM:
1934
Location:
Jersey
Channel Islands
Country:
United Kingdom
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
1
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
12
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
14
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:
De Havilland DH.86 Express
Operator:
Registration:
G-ACVZ
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Charter/Taxi (Non Scheduled Revenue Flight)
Survivors:
No
Site:
Plain, Valley
Schedule:
Croydon – Cologne
MSN:
2303
YOM:
1934
Location:
Elsdorf
North Rhine-Westphalia
Country:
Germany
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
2
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
1
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
3
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:
De Havilland DH.86 Express
Operator:
Registration:
G-ADYF
Flight Phase:
Takeoff (climb)
Flight Type:
Postal (mail)
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Airport (less than 10 km from airport)
Schedule:
London – Hamburg
MSN:
2347
YOM:
1936
Location:
London-Gatwick
West Sussex
Country:
United Kingdom
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
4
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
3
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:
De Havilland DH.86 Express
Operator:
Registration:
G-ADEB
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Postal (mail)
Survivors:
No
Site:
Plain, Valley
Schedule:
Hanover – Cologne – London-Gatwick
MSN:
2324
YOM:
1935
Location:
Altenkirchen
Rhineland-Palatinate
Country:
Germany
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
2
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
2
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:
De Havilland DH.86 Express
Operator:
Registration:
G-ADCM
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Scheduled Revenue Flight
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Plain, Valley
Schedule:
Croydon – Vienne
MSN:
2317
YOM:
1935
Location:
Zwettl
Lower Austria
Country:
Austria
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
0
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
En route from Croydon to Vienna, the crew encountered marginal weather with severe icing conditions. The situation became critical so the captain decided to reduce his altitude and to attempt an emergency landing. The airplane crash landed in an open field located near Zwettl, some 80 km northwest of Vienna. All occupants evacuated safely and the aircraft named 'Draco' was damaged beyond repair.
Probable cause:
Icing.

Crash of a De Havilland DH.86 off Whitemark: 5 killed

Date & Time: Oct 2, 1935 at 0955 LT
Type of aircraft:
De Havilland DH.86 Express
Operator:
Registration:
VH-URT
Flight Phase:
Landing (descent or approach)
Flight Type:
Scheduled Revenue Flight
Survivors:
No
Site:
Lake, Sea, Ocean, River
Schedule:
Sydney – Melbourne – Whitemark – Launceston – Hobart
MSN:
2312
YOM:
1935
Location:
Whitemark (Flinders Island)
Tasmania
Country:
Australia
Region:
Oceania
Crew on board:
3
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
2
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
5
Circumstances:
The airplane was approaching Whitemark Airport (Flinders Island) when it crashed in unknown circumstances into the sea, some 3 km offshore. The aircraft named Loina was destroyed and all five occupants were killed.
Crew:
Norman Evans, pilot,
Maxwell Brown, copilot,
Edward Best, flight engineer.
Passengers:
G. S. Anderson,
G. Garlick.
Probable cause:
It was determined that VH-URT had gone into an uncontrollable spin, and three possible precipitating factors were: a loss of control after a power plant failure, the fouling of the tail surfaces while the trailing aerial was being reeled in or a structural failure. There was also evidence of a small fire in the rear of its cabin, which may have occurred before the crash, but this probably did not factor in the accident. And in view of two fatal accidents and other difficulties with the type, Australia would subsequently suspend the certificate of airworthiness of the De Havilland 86.

Crash of a De Havilland DH.86 Express in Ilfracombe: 4 killed

Date & Time: Nov 15, 1934 at 0547 LT
Type of aircraft:
De Havilland DH.86 Express
Operator:
Registration:
VH-USG
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Delivery
Survivors:
No
Site:
Plain, Valley
Schedule:
London – Singapore – Darwin – Longreach – Brisbane – Sydney
MSN:
2311
YOM:
1934
Location:
Ilfracombe
Queensland
Country:
Australia
Region:
Oceania
Crew on board:
2
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
2
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
4
Circumstances:
The aircraft departed Longreach Airport at 0530LT bound for Brisbane with a crew of two and two passengers on board. Less than 20 minutes later, while flying at a height of some 1,000 feet, the aircraft went out of control and crashed in a prairie. Quickly on the scene, local residents were able to evacuate the captain who was seriously injured while all three others occupants were killed. Unfortunately, the captain died from his injuries few hours later. Weather conditions were excellent at the time of the accident and the crew was performing a delivery flight from London when the accident occurred. The aircraft was named 'Adelaide'.
Crew:
R. A. Prendergast, pilot,
W. C. Creastes, copilot.
Passengers:
F. R. Charlton, engineer by Imperial Airways,
E. H. Broadfoot, serviceman by Shell Company at Sydney-Mascot Airport.
Probable cause:
Investigators expressed concern at apparent defects in the forward pin post, posing the question that a failure in that component apparently caused the loss of control. Further investigation revealed that VH-USG had been loaded with a spare engine in the rear of the cabin, and that one of the crew members was in the lavatory in the extreme aft of the cabin when control was lost. It was theorized that the aft center of gravity condition that thus existed resulted in a loss-of-control at an altitude insufficient for recovery (the aircraft was at an estimated height of 1,000 ft (300 m) prior to the crash.
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