Zone
Apulia

Crash of a Savoia-Marchetti SM.73P in Brindisi: 27 killed

Date & Time: Nov 19, 1940
Type of aircraft:
Savoia-Marchetti SM.73
Operator:
Registration:
MM60513
Flight Phase:
Takeoff (climb)
Flight Type:
Military
Survivors:
No
Site:
Airport (less than 10 km from airport)
MSN:
5
Location:
Brindisi
Apulia
Country:
Italy
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
3
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
24
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
27
Circumstances:
The three engine airplane was used by the Regia Aeronautica to transfer troops in the Mediterranean area. Shortly after takeoff from Brindisi, while in initial climb, the airplane stalled and crashed. All 27 occupants, three crew members and 24 soldiers, were killed.

Crash of a Savoia-Marchetti SM.75C in Aiello Calabro: 10 killed

Date & Time: Feb 10, 1940 at 1500 LT
Type of aircraft:
Savoia-Marchetti SM.75
Operator:
Registration:
I-LEAL
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Scheduled Revenue Flight
Survivors:
No
Site:
Mountains
Schedule:
Rhodes - Catania – Brindisi – Rome
MSN:
32031
YOM:
1939
Location:
Aiello Calabro
Calabria
Country:
Italy
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
6
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
4
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
10
Circumstances:
On the leg from Catania to Brindisi, while cruising in bad weather conditions, the pilot informed ATC he was encountering severe icing conditions. In fog and low overcast, the aircraft impacted the slope of a mountain located in Aiello Calabro, southwest of Cosenza. All 10 occupants were killed.
Crew:
Angelo Negri, pilot,
Gaetano Montello, copilot,
Basile Valassiadis, copilot,
Dino Zoin, mechanic,
Pietro Clerici, flight engineer,
Guido Avon, steward.
Passengers:
Alfredo Dentice,
Guido Zacchetti,
Girolamo Casazza,
Eduardo Aleozer.
Probable cause:
Controlled flight into terrain.

Crash of a Short S.23 Empire Flying Boat off Brindisi: 2 killed

Date & Time: Dec 5, 1937
Type of aircraft:
Short S.23 Empire Flying Boat
Operator:
Registration:
G-ADUZ
Flight Phase:
Takeoff (climb)
Flight Type:
Scheduled Revenue Flight
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Lake, Sea, Ocean, River
MSN:
S.817
YOM:
1937
Location:
Brindisi
Apulia
Country:
Italy
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
4
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
4
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
2
Circumstances:
Shortly after takeoff from the harbor of Brindisi, the seaplane named 'Cygnus' stalled and crashed into the sea. Six people were injured while two other (a crew member and a passenger) were killed.
Probable cause:
Wrong takeoff configuration on part of the flying crew who wrongly set up the flaps for takeoff, causing the aircraft to stall.

Crash of a Short S.23 Empire Flying Boat in Ouroux: 5 killed

Date & Time: Mar 24, 1937 at 1411 LT
Type of aircraft:
Short S.23 Empire Flying Boat
Operator:
Registration:
G-ADVA
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Scheduled Revenue Flight
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Mountains
Schedule:
Southampton – Brindisi – Mirabella – Alexandria – Durban
MSN:
S.818
YOM:
1936
Location:
Ouroux
Rhône
Country:
France
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
5
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
1
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
5
Aircraft flight hours:
10
Circumstances:
The float plane departed Southampton at 1150LT on a flight to Durban with intermediate stops in Brindisi, Mirabella and Alexandria. On board were one passenger, five crew members and a load of mail, four boxes with 160 kg of gold, one box of gemstone et tree bags of bank notes from the National British and Egyptian Banks. While overflying the Morvan Mountain Range, the radio navigator contacted ground control in Lyon-Bron to obtain a position briefing. While flying in snow falls, the four engine aircraft named 'Capricornus' deviated from the flight plan then impacted two pine trees and crashed near Ouroux, some 20 km southwest of Mâcon. The radio navigator survived and walked few km to find help. When he returned to the aircraft, he found that all five other occupants were killed.
Crew:
A. Paterson, pilot,
G. E. Klein, copilot,
Denis R. O'Brien, flight clerk,
James L. Cooper, radio navigator,
F. A. E. Jeffcoate, steward.
Passenger:
Beatrix 'Betty' Mercy Coats.
Probable cause:
Controlled flight into terrain following a navigational error due to zero visibility in snow falls. The crew thought he was overflying the Saône Valley when the accident occurred.

Crash of a Short S.17 Kent in Brindisi: 12 killed

Date & Time: Nov 9, 1935
Type of aircraft:
Short S.17 Kent
Operator:
Registration:
G-ABFB
Flight Phase:
Parking
Flight Type:
Scheduled Revenue Flight
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Lake, Sea, Ocean, River
Schedule:
London – Brindisi – Alexandria
MSN:
S.759
YOM:
1930
Location:
Brindisi
Apulia
Country:
Italy
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
3
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
10
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
12
Circumstances:
Just prior to takeoff, while the crew was preparing the departure, a fire erupted. The aircraft named 'Sylvanus' exploded in the harbor of Brindisi and was rapidly consumed by fire. A passenger was injured while 12 other occupants were killed.
Probable cause:
According to the Italian Authorities, the fire erupted while the ground crew just ended tanking up.

Crash of an Airspeed AS.5 Courier in Grenoble

Date & Time: Oct 17, 1934
Type of aircraft:
Airspeed AS.5 Courier
Operator:
Air Taxis
Registration:
G-ACLS
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Ferry
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Plain, Valley
Schedule:
Brindisi – Croydon
MSN:
13
YOM:
1934
Location:
Grenoble
Isère
Country:
France
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
1
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
Crashed in unknown circumstances near Grenoble. The pilot Mr. Crundall was uninjured and the aircraft was damaged beyond repair.

Crash of a Farman F.199 near Veroli: 4 killed

Date & Time: May 25, 1932
Type of aircraft:
Farman F.190
Operator:
Marcel Goulette
Registration:
F-AJRY
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Private
Survivors:
No
Site:
Mountains
Schedule:
Brindisi – Paris
MSN:
7203
YOM:
1930
Location:
Veroli
Lazio
Country:
Italy
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
2
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
2
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
4
Circumstances:
On 17 May 1932, the French ship named 'Georges Philippar' burned and sank in the Gulf of Aden. The survivors were evacuated to Brindisi and the French daily newspaper 'L'Excelsior' asked several pilots and crews to repatriate in France the couple Sarah Suzanne Picard and Alfred Lang-Willar, both friends of the French writer Albert Londres who died in this shipwreck. On the 25th of May 1932, both pilots Marcel Goulette and Lucien Moreau accepted to fly to Brindisi to repatriate this couple to Paris. En route, while flying east of Frosinone, the crew encountered low visibility due to mist and did not realized his altitude was too low. The airplane impacted the slope of Mt Ernici located near Veroli. SThe wreckage was found two days later and all four occupants were killed.
Crew:
Marcel Goulette, pilot,
Lucien Moreau, pilot.
Passengers:
Sarah Suzanne Picard,
Alfred Lang-Willar.
Probable cause:
Controlled flight into terrain.

Crash of a CMASA Wal off Kerkira: 2 killed

Date & Time: Jan 25, 1929
Type of aircraft:
CMASA Wal
Operator:
Registration:
I-AZDA
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Scheduled Revenue Flight
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Lake, Sea, Ocean, River
Schedule:
Brindisi – Athens – Istanbul
MSN:
073
YOM:
1927
Location:
Kerkyra
Ionian Islands / Ιόνια νησιά
Country:
Greece
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
4
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
5
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
2
Circumstances:
While cruising over the Ionian Sea, the crew encountered poor weather conditions with thunderstorm activity and decided to make a precautionary landing off Kerkira. Upon landing in rough sea, the aircraft was hit by big waves and came to rest. One crew member and one passenger were killed while seven other occupants were injured.
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