Long Island | Bureau of Aircraft Accidents Archives

Crashed into the sea off Long Island, Bahamas, while performing a night flight from Roosevelt Roads NAS (Ceiba, Porto Rico) to Key West. No trace of the aircraft nor the crew was ever found.

Crash of a Short S.23 Empire Flying Boat into the Atlantic Ocean: 3 killed

Date & Time: Jan 21, 1939 at 1309 LT

Type of aircraft:

Short S.23 Empire Flying Boat

Operator:

Registration:

G-ADUU

Flight Phase:

Flight

Flight Type:

Scheduled Revenue Flight

Survivors:

Yes

Site:

Lake, Sea, Ocean, River

Schedule:

Port Washington – Hamilton – Southampton

MSN:

S.812

YOM:

1936

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Circumstances:

The seaplane named 'Cavalier' departed Port Washington Seaplane Base in Long Island at 1038LT on a transatlantic flight to Southampton with an intermediate stop in Hamilton, Bermuda. About two hours later, the crew encountered poor weather conditions and decided to modify his route to avoid a cumulonimbus area. Doing so, the aircraft lost height and while cruising in poor weather with low temperature, the pilot decided to return to his initial route when both inner engines stopped while both outboard engines lost power. In such situation, the captain decided to ditch the aircraft some 285 miles southeast of Port Washington. The radio operator was able to report his position and the aircraft sank about 15 minutes after ditching. The tanker named 'Esso Baytown' arrived on scene aroung midnight and his crew was able to evacuated 10 injured people while three others were killed, among them one crew member.
Crew:
M. R. Alderson, pilot,
Neil Richardson, copilot.

Probable cause:

The fact of the descent was entirely due to complete loss of power in the case of the two inner engines and partial loss of power in the outboard engines owing to carburetor icing trouble. The sea conditions were such that a safe landing was impossible and, as a result of damage to the hull, the machine sank in about fifteen minutes after breaking in half.

Crash of a Stinson SM-1 Detroiter in the Atlantic Ocean: 2 killed

Date & Time: Mar 13, 1928 at 1400 LT

Type of aircraft:

Stinson SM-1 Detroiter

Operator:

Elsie Mackay

Registration:

NC4183

Flight Phase:

Flight

Flight Type:

Private

Survivors:

Site:

Lake, Sea, Ocean, River

Schedule:

Cranwell – Long Island

MSN:

M223

YOM:

1928

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Circumstances:

The pilot Raymond Hinchliffe and the British actress Elsie Mackay were engaged in a nonstop transatlantic flight from UK to Long Island. The aircraft named 'Endeavour' departed RAF Cranwell, Lincolnshire, at 0845LT bound to the US. The single engine was spotted over Crookhaven, in the Cork county, and later by the crew of the French steamer 'Josiah Macy'. As the aircraft failed to arrive at destination, SAR operations were undertaken for several days but eventually suspended as no trace of the aircraft nor the crew was found. On December 1928, a wheel from the aircraft (with a serial number proving it was from this aircraft) was found on a beach in the Donegal county, Ireland. This was the only trace ever found. According to authorities, it is believed that the aircraft probably crashed into the ocean around 1400LT.