Zone
Kansas

Crash of a Northrop Delta 1A in Moriarty

Date & Time: Nov 12, 1933 at 0040 LT
Type of aircraft:
Northrop Delta
Operator:
Registration:
NC12292
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Postal (mail)
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Plain, Valley
Schedule:
Kansas City – Albuquerque
MSN:
03
YOM:
1933
Location:
Moriarty
New Mexico
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:
The pilot, sole on board, departed Kansas City on a night mail flight to Albuquerque. While cruising at an altitude of 6,000 feet, the engine caught fire. The pilot Harlan William Hull decided to abandon the aircraft and bailed out. The airplane dove into the ground and crashed near Moriarty, bursting into flames. The pilot was uninjured while the airplane was destroyed.
Probable cause:
Engine fire in flight.

Crash of a Lockheed 9A Orion in Kansas City: 1 killed

Date & Time: Jul 28, 1933 at 2125 LT
Type of aircraft:
Lockheed 9 Orion
Operator:
Registration:
NC12277
Flight Phase:
Takeoff (climb)
Flight Type:
Postal (mail)
Survivors:
No
Site:
Lake, Sea, Ocean, River
Schedule:
Kansas City – Wichita
MSN:
192
YOM:
1933
Location:
Kansas City
Kansas
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:
Shortly after takeoff from Kansas City Airport, while climbing, the engine failed. The aircraft stalled and crashed into the Missouri River. The pilot Earl J. Noe was killed.
Probable cause:
Engine failure shortly after takeoff.

Crash of a Lockheed 5C Vega in Kewanee: 2 killed

Date & Time: Dec 5, 1931
Type of aircraft:
Lockheed 5 Vega
Operator:
Registration:
NC433E
Flight Phase:
Landing (descent or approach)
Flight Type:
Scheduled Revenue Flight
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Airport (less than 10 km from airport)
Schedule:
Kansas City – Chicago
MSN:
49
YOM:
1929
Location:
Kewanee
Illinois
Country:
United States of America
Region:
North America
Crew on board:
2
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
4
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
2
Circumstances:
En route from Kansas City to Chicago, the crew encountered poor weather conditions with snow falls. The crew decided to divert to Kewanee for an emergency landing. On approach, the airplane impacted the roof of a barn and crashed. Two passengers were killed and four other occupants were injured.

Crash of a Lockheed 1 Vega in Lansing: 2 killed

Date & Time: Sep 22, 1931
Type of aircraft:
Lockheed 1 Vega
Operator:
Navin Air Transport
Registration:
NC35E
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Charter/Taxi (Non Scheduled Revenue Flight)
Survivors:
No
Site:
Plain, Valley
Schedule:
Chicago – Kansas City
MSN:
37
YOM:
1929
Location:
Lansing
Kansas
Country:
United States of America
Region:
North America
Crew on board:
1
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
1
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
2
Circumstances:
En route from Chicago to Kansas City, the pilot encountered poor visibility due to foggy conditions. While attempting an emergency landing, he lost control of the airplane that crashed in a field. Both occupants were killed.

Crash of a Fokker F10A in Bazaar: 8 killed

Date & Time: Mar 31, 1931 at 1045 LT
Type of aircraft:
Fokker F10
Operator:
Registration:
NC999E
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Scheduled Revenue Flight
Survivors:
No
Site:
Plain, Valley
Schedule:
Kansas City – Wichita – Amarillo – Albuquerque – Winslow – Los Angeles
MSN:
1063
YOM:
1929
Flight number:
TWA599
Location:
Bazaar
Kansas
Country:
United States of America
Region:
North America
Crew on board:
2
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
6
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
8
Captain / Total flying hours:
2000
Circumstances:
The aircraft departed Kansas City Airport at 0915LT bound for Wichita. At 1022LT, the copilot reported his position south of Emporia. At this time, weather conditions were poor with snow falls, drizzle, icing conditions, clouds and mist. The three engine airplane started to lose altitude then entered an uncontrolled descent and crashed in an open field. The aircraft was destroyed by impact forces and all eight occupants were killed, among them the US football player and trainer Knute Rockne.
Crew:
Robert Fry, captain,
Jesse Mathias, copilot.
Passengers:
Knute Kenneth Rockne,
H. J. Christiansen,
J. H. Hooper,
W. B. Miller,
F. Goldthwaite,
C. A. Lobrech.
Probable cause:
The right wing severed in flight, maybe following an excessive ice accumulation. The aircraft was probably in a spiral dive when it broke up. An excessive speed almost certainly was a contributory cause of the accident, probably not through control mishandling but through flutter. By late June 1931, 20 of the 36 grounded F-10As were back in service, and five others would follow. There was no rejoicing.

Crash of a Lockheed 5B Vega in Aransas Pass: 5 killed

Date & Time: Jul 10, 1930
Type of aircraft:
Lockheed 5 Vega
Operator:
Cross Airways
Registration:
NC394H
Flight Phase:
Takeoff (climb)
Flight Type:
Charter/Taxi (Non Scheduled Revenue Flight)
Survivors:
No
Site:
Plain, Valley
Schedule:
Port Aransas – Kansas City
MSN:
87
YOM:
1929
Location:
Aransas Pass
Texas
Country:
United States of America
Region:
North America
Crew on board:
1
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
4
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
5
Circumstances:
Few minutes after takeoff from Port Aransas Airport, while climbing to a height of 4,000 feet, the aircraft went out of control, dove into the ground and crashed in an open field located in Aransas Pass, some 10 miles northwest of Port Aransas Airport. All five occupants were killed. They were returning to Kansas City following a fishing trip. There was an explosion aboard according to those who saw the accident. The plane did not catch fire, however. Persons who viewed the accident expressed the opinion that lightning struck the plane while flying high, as the aircraft seems to lose a wing before diving into the ground.
Crew:
Gene Gabbert.
Passengers:
Murat Boyle,
Raymond Watson,
Eugene Lynn,
Roy Dellano.

Crash of a Travel Air 5000 in Davenport

Date & Time: Jan 30, 1929 at 1815 LT
Type of aircraft:
Travel Air 5000
Operator:
Registration:
NC769
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Postal (mail)
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Plain, Valley
Schedule:
Kansas City – Moline
MSN:
176A
YOM:
1927
Location:
Davenport
Iowa
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 Kansas City to Moline, while approaching Davenport, weather conditions deteriorate with heavy snow falls and icing conditions. The pilot lost his orientation and decided to bail out. He abandoned the airplane that entered a dive and crashed in a field. The aircraft was destroyed and the pilot John 'Jack' Barton was uninjured.
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