Douglas DC-2

Operator:

Registration:

NC14292

Flight Phase:

Takeoff (climb)

Flight Type:

Survivors:

Site:

Quito-Mariscal Sucre (City)

Schedule:

Guayaquil – Salinas – Manta – Esmeraldas – Quito – Cali

MSN:

1352

YOM:

1935

Location:

Pichincha

Country:

Ecuador

Region:

South America

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

The airplane departed Guayaquil on an international schedule service to Cali, Colombia, with intermediate stops in Salinas, Manta, Esmeraldas and Quito. About five minutes after takeoff from Quito-Mariscal Sucre (City) Airport, the aircraft crashed in unknown circumstances 3 km from the airport. All five occupants were injured.
Crew:
J. J. Schiedel, pilot,
Mr. Benninghoff, copilot,
Mr. Arba Mock, radio operator,
Mrs. Maya Tafur, stewardess.
Passenger:
Mr. Luis Luna.

Crash of a Douglas DC-2-221 in Changyi: 9 killed

Date & Time: Oct 29, 1940

Type of aircraft:

Operator:

Registration:

Flight Phase:

Taxiing

Flight Type:

Survivors:

Site:

Schedule:

Chongqing – Kunming

MSN:

1568

YOM:

1937

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

En route, the crew spotted a group of Japanese fighters and decided to divert quickly to the small airport of Changyi. After landing, the twin engine aircraft named 'Chungking' was attacked by the Japanese fighters and the left wing caught fire and exploded. The captain, the stewardess and seven passengers were killed while all other occupants were injured.

Probable cause:

Attacked by Japanese fighters.

Crash of a Douglas DC-2-115E in Lämershagen: 2 killed

Date & Time: Aug 9, 1940

Type of aircraft:

Operator:

Registration:

D-AIAV

Flight Phase:

Flight Type:

Survivors:

Site:

Plain, Valley

MSN:

1366

YOM:

1935

Location:

Lämershagen

North Rhine-Westphalia

Country:

Germany

Region:

Europe

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

The aircraft crashed in unknown circumstances in Lämershagen, southeast of Bielefeld. Two passengers were killed.

Probable cause:

Without explaining the exact causes and circumstances of the occurrence, German authorities reported that the accident was caused by a pilot error.

Crash of a Douglas DC-2-112 in Pittsburgh

Date & Time: Apr 3, 1940

Type of aircraft:

Landing (descent or approach)

Operator:

Registration:

NC13786

Flight Phase:

Flight Type:

Survivors:

Site:

Pittsburgh-Allegheny County

MSN:

1296

YOM:

1934

Location:

Pennsylvania

Country:

United States of America

Region:

North America

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

The approach was completed in a poor weather conditions with thunderstorm activity, turbulences, strong winds and heavy rain falls. After touchdown, the aircraft went out of control and came to rest upside down. All 1 occupants evacuated safely while the aircraft was destroyed.

Crash of a Douglas DC-2-112 in Oklahoma City: 8 killed

Date & Time: Mar 26, 1939 at 0248 LT

Type of aircraft:

Operator:

Registration:

NC13727

Flight Phase:

Takeoff (climb)

Flight Type:

Survivors:

Site:

Schedule:

Chicago – Kansas City – Wichita – Oklahoma City – Dallas

MSN:

1253

YOM:

1934

Flight number:

BR001

Location:

Oklahoma City

Oklahoma

Country:

United States of America

Region:

North America

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Captain / Total flying hours:

9060

Captain / Total hours on type:

1253.00

Copilot / Total flying hours:

2244

Copilot / Total hours on type:

526

Circumstances:

Shortly after takeoff, while in initial climb, the left engine exploded. The crew attempted to return when, during the last turn at 115°, at a speed of 80 knots, the left wing stalled and hit the ground. The aircraft cartwheeled and crashed some 600 metres from the runway end, bursting into flames. The stewardess and seven passengers were killed.
Crew:
Claude H. Seaton, pilot,
Malcolm Wallace, copilot,
Louise Zarr, stewardess.

Probable cause:

A stall, induced by a violent yaw, resulting in loss of control from which the pilot was unable to recover.
Contributing factors are:
Failure of hold down studs on the number six cylinder of the left engine which resulted in the cylinder being forced off, carrying with it the lower third of the engine ring cowling. Displacement of the remaining portion of the left engine ring cowling, which caused buffeting, as a result of disturbances of the air flow over the tail surfaces, and increased the drag on that side of the aircraft. Severe vibration induced by the continued rotation of the propeller. Lack of individual propeller pitch controls which would have permitted the pilot to increase the pitch of the propeller on the inoperative engine, thereby reducing the speed of rotation and consequently the vibration from the effect of "windmilling".

Final Report:

Crash of a Douglas DC-2-115B in Senlis: 5 killed

Date & Time: Jan 7, 1939 at 1630 LT

Type of aircraft:

Operator:

Registration:

HB-ITA

Flight Phase:

Flight Type:

Survivors:

Site:

Plain, Valley

Schedule:

Zurich – Paris

MSN:

1329

YOM:

1935

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

While descending to Paris-Le Bourget Airport in marginal weather conditions, the crew failed to realize he was flying too low. The twin engine aircraft hit the ground and lost partially its both wings before coming to rest in an open field located in Senlis, some 30 km northeast of Le Bourget Airport. The cabin remained relatively intact while the cockpit was destroyed. Two passengers and all three crew members were killed.
Crew:
Egon Frei, pilot,
Kurt Walter, radio navigator,
Josie Brooke, stewardess.

Crash of a Douglas DC-2-210 in Mont Dandenong: 18 killed

Date & Time: Oct 25, 1938 at 1345 LT

Type of aircraft:

Operator:

Registration:

VH-UYC

Flight Phase:

Flight Type:

Survivors:

Site:

Mountains

Schedule:

Adelaide – Melbourne

MSN:

1566

YOM:

1937

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

While descending to Melbourne, the crew lost his orientation and was unable to locate the airport of Essendon. The pilot continued the descent and the aircraft named 'Kyeema' went through a thick layer of cloud when it impacted trees and crashed in a wooded and hilly terrain located in Mont Dandenong, some 40 km east of Essendon Airport. The aircraft was destroyed by impact forces and a post crash fire and all 18 occupants were killed.
Crew:
A. C. Webb, pilot,
A. J. Steen, copilot,
Phillip Pring, pilot, acting as radio operator,
Elva Jones, stewardess,

Probable cause:

The following deficiencies were identified as contributing to the accident:
1) The aircraft’s navigational log was either not kept or had not been properly utilized during the latter part of the flight, as required by the carrier;
2) The company’s procedure for descent through an overcast into this airport was not adopted, and
3) A request for a bearing from the aircraft was not received by the radio operator at the airport nor logged at any other operating station. Also noted in the investigative report was the lack in Australia of an ultra-high frequency (UHF) beacon network, and indeed, the crash of VH-UYC would prove pivotal in the development of the nation’s airway system.

Crash of a Douglas DC-2-112 in Montgomery

Date & Time: Oct 18, 1938 at 2244 LT

Type of aircraft:

Operator:

Registration:

NC13735

Flight Phase:

Takeoff (climb)

Flight Type:

Survivors:

Site:

Schedule:

San Antonio – Houston – New Orleans – Mobile – Montgomery – Atlanta – Spartanburg – Charlotte – Greensboro – Richmond – Washington DC – Baltimore – Camden – Newark

MSN:

1261

YOM:

1934

Flight number:

EA002

Location:

Montgomery

Alabama

Country:

United States of America

Region:

North America

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Captain / Total flying hours:

8000

Captain / Total hours on type:

2546.00

Copilot / Total flying hours:

1400

Copilot / Total hours on type:

1092

Circumstances:

After takeoff, while climbing to a height of 1,000 feet, the pilot retracted the landing gear when he felt several vibrations coming from the right engine. A fire erupted on the right engine and the crew decided to return to Montgomery. Because the situation deteriorated rapidly, the captain decided to attempt an emergency landing in a field located near the airport. The aircraft slid for few dozen metres before the right wing was partially torn off while contacting a tree. All occupants escaped uninjured, except the captain who was slightly burned. The aircraft was destroyed by a post crash fire.

Probable cause:

Fire in the right engine nacelle, resulting from progressive failure of engine parts, which increased in area and intensity to such an extent as to make it impossible to continue the aircraft in flight. The fire on the right engine was caused by the failure of the sixth cylinder.

Crash of a Douglas DC-2-221 in Wangmoon: 14 killed

Date & Time: Aug 24, 1938

Type of aircraft:

Operator:

Registration:

Flight Phase:

Flight Type:

Survivors: