Zone
Ohio

Crash of a Boeing 95 in Bedford

Date & Time: May 24, 1930
Type of aircraft:
Boeing 95
Operator:
Registration:
NC418E
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Postal (mail)
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Plain, Valley
Schedule:
Cleveland – New York
MSN:
1062
YOM:
1929
Location:
Bedford
Ohio
Country:
United States of America
Region:
North America
Crew on board:
1
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
En route from Cleveland to New York, the engine caught fire. The pilot decided to abandon the aircraft and bailed out. The airplane entered an uncontrolled descent and crashed in a pasture, bursting into flames. The pilot was uninjured.
Probable cause:
The engine caught fire in flight for unknown reasons.

Crash of a Pitcairn PA-6 Mailwing in Flint

Date & Time: Feb 18, 1930
Type of aircraft:
Pitcairn PA-6 Mailwing
Operator:
Registration:
NC129E
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Postal (mail)
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Plain, Valley
Schedule:
Cleveland – Bay City
MSN:
15
YOM:
1928
Location:
Flint-Bishop
Michigan
Country:
United States of America
Region:
North America
Crew on board:
1
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
While cruising at an altitude of 1,000 feet in poor weather conditions (heavy snow falls), the engine failed. The pilot decided to bail out and abandoned the aircraft that entered a spin and crashed in a field located one mile northeast of Flint. The plane was wrecked but three pouches of mail were saved. The pilot Clifford William March was uninjured.
Probable cause:
Engine failure in flight.

Crash of a Douglas M-3 in Chagrin Falls: 1 killed

Date & Time: Dec 2, 1929
Type of aircraft:
Douglas M-3
Operator:
Registration:
NC789
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Postal (mail)
Survivors:
No
Site:
Plain, Valley
Schedule:
Bellefonte – Cleveland
MSN:
622
Location:
Chagrin Falls
Ohio
Country:
United States of America
Region:
North America
Crew on board:
1
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
1
Circumstances:
En route from Bellefonte to Cleveland, the single engine aircraft went out of control and crashed in a snow covered field located in an uninhabited area close to Chagrin Falls. The wreckage was found four days later. The pilot Thomas P. Nelson, sole on board, was killed.

Crash of a Douglas M-4 in Rattlesnake Hill

Date & Time: Nov 9, 1929
Type of aircraft:
Douglas M-4
Operator:
Registration:
NC1646
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Postal (mail)
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Mountains
Schedule:
Bellefonte – Cleveland
MSN:
304
Location:
Rattlesnake Hill
Pennsylvania
Country:
United States of America
Region:
North America
Crew on board:
1
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
En route from Bellefonte to Cleveland, while flying in poor weather conditions, the aircraft lost height and descended until it struck the slope of Rattlesnake Hill. The aircraft was damaged beyond repair and the pilot was slightly injured.
Probable cause:
Loss of control caused by an excessive accumulation of ice on the airplane.

Crash of a Boeing 95 in Ringtown

Date & Time: Nov 6, 1929
Type of aircraft:
Boeing 95
Operator:
Registration:
NC426E
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Postal (mail)
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Plain, Valley
Schedule:
Cleveland – Newark
MSN:
1070
YOM:
1929
Location:
Ringtown
Pennsylvania
Country:
United States of America
Region:
North America
Crew on board:
1
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
En route from Cleveland to Newark, a fire erupted on board for unknown reasons. Unable to make an emergency landing, the pilot decided to bail out and abandoned the aircraft that crashed in a pasture, bursting into flames. The aircraft was destroyed and the pilot was uninjured.
Probable cause:
In-flight fire of undetermined origin.

Crash of a Stearman C-3B in Mount Vernon: 1 killed

Date & Time: Oct 29, 1929
Type of aircraft:
Stearman C-3
Operator:
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Postal (mail)
Survivors:
No
Site:
Plain, Valley
Schedule:
Cleveland – Louisville
Location:
Mount Vernon
Ohio
Country:
United States of America
Region:
North America
Crew on board:
1
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
1
Circumstances:
The pilot was performing a postal flight from Cleveland to Louisville. En route, he encountered low visibility due to foggy conditions and decided to reduce his altitude to establish a visual contact with the ground. The aircraft impacted trees and crashed in a wooded area. The pilot, sole on board, was killed.

Crash of a Lockheed 5 Vega in Needles: 1 killed

Date & Time: Sep 2, 1929
Type of aircraft:
Lockheed 5 Vega
Operator:
Associated Aviators
Registration:
NR859E
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Charter/Taxi (Non Scheduled Revenue Flight)
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Plain, Valley
Schedule:
Van Nuys – Cleveland
MSN:
67
YOM:
1929
Location:
Needles
California
Country:
United States of America
Region:
North America
Crew on board:
2
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
1
Circumstances:
En route from Van Nuys to Cleveland, the crew encountered stormy weather. In strong turbulences, the pilot lost control of the airplane that entered a dive. The mechanic was able to bail out before the aircraft crashed near Needles, east California. The wreckage was found three days later. The mechanic was found alive while the pilot was killed.
Crew:
John Wood, pilot,
Ward Miller, mechanic.

Crash of a Hamilton H-47 in Edgerton: 3 killed

Date & Time: Nov 24, 1928
Type of aircraft:
Hamilton H-47
Operator:
Registration:
NC7521
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Scheduled Revenue Flight
Survivors:
No
Site:
Plain, Valley
Schedule:
Cleveland – Cambridge City
MSN:
46
YOM:
1928
Location:
Edgerton
Ohio
Country:
United States of America
Region:
North America
Crew on board:
1
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
2
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
3
Circumstances:
En route from Cleveland to Cambridge City, Indiana, weather conditions deteriorated. Due to poor visibility caused by heavy snow falls, the pilot reduced his altitude and attempted an emergency landing when the aircraft crashed. All three occupants were killed.

Crash of a Douglas M-3 near Franklin: 1 killed

Date & Time: Oct 18, 1928
Type of aircraft:
Douglas M-3
Operator:
Registration:
NC1064
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Postal (mail)
Survivors:
No
Site:
Mountains
Schedule:
Cleveland – New York
MSN:
658
Location:
Franklin
Pennsylvania
Country:
United States of America
Region:
North America
Crew on board:
1
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
1
Circumstances:
The pilot William Hopson was performing a mail flight from Cleveland to New York. En route, weather conditions worsened and the visibility was poor due to heavy rain falls. While cruising at low altitude, the aircraft impacted trees and crashed in wooded and hilly terrain. The wreckage was found a day later and the pilot was killed.

Crash of a Ford 2 in Cleveland

Date & Time: Apr 15, 1928
Type of aircraft:
Ford 2
Operator:
Registration:
NC2432
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Scheduled Revenue Flight
Site:
Airport (less than 10 km from airport)
MSN:
2-AT-005
YOM:
1928
Location:
Cleveland
Ohio
Country:
United States of America
Region:
North America
Crew on board:
0
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
Named 'Maiden Dearborn V', the aircraft crashed in unknown circumstances. Occupant fate unknown.
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