Zone
New York

Crash of a Stinson Model A in Pavilion: 2 killed

Date & Time: Apr 1, 1936
Type of aircraft:
Stinson Model A
Operator:
Registration:
NC15152
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Scheduled Revenue Flight
Survivors:
No
Site:
Plain, Valley
Schedule:
New York – Buffalo
MSN:
9112
YOM:
1935
Location:
Pavilion
New York
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 New York to Buffalo, the aircraft crashed in unknown circumstances in Pavilion, bursting into flames. Both occupants were killed and the aircraft was destroyed by a post crash fire.

Crash of a Douglas DC-2-112 in Atlanta: 5 killed

Date & Time: May 6, 1935 at 0330 LT
Type of aircraft:
Douglas DC-2
Operator:
Registration:
NC13785
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Scheduled Revenue Flight
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Plain, Valley
Schedule:
Los Angeles – Albuquerque – Kansas City – New York
MSN:
1295
YOM:
1934
Flight number:
TW006
Location:
Atlanta
Missouri
Country:
United States of America
Region:
North America
Crew on board:
3
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
8
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
5
Circumstances:
While cruising 10 km west from Macon, Missouri, the crew encountered poor weather conditions and was unable to contact the base in Kansas City. In low visibility due to fog, the crew was unable to fix his position and attempted to make an emergency landing in an open field. The aircraft impacted ground and crashed. Both pilots and three passengers were killed, among them Bronson M. Cutting, Senator of New Mexico.
Probable cause:
It is the opinion of the Accident Board that the probable direct cause of this accident was an unintentional collision with the ground while the airplane was being maneuvered at a very low altitude in fog and darkness. The probable contributory causes of this accident were:
- A forecast by the United States Weather Bureau which did not predict the hazardous weather that developed during the latter part of the forecast period.
- Improper clearance of the airplane from Albuquerque by the company's ground personnel because of their knowledge that the plane's two-way radio was not functioning on the Western night frequency.
- Improper control by the company's ground personnel at Albuquerque for not calling the airplane back or ordering it to stop at an intermediate point when it was found that two-way radio communication could not be established.
- Error on the part of the pilot for proceeding in the flight after discovering that he was unable to effectively communicate with the ground.
- Failure of the company's ground personnel at Kansas City to expeditiously redispatch the airplane to a field where better weather existed when it became apparent that the ceiling at Kansas City was dropping to and below the authorized minimum for landing and while the airplane still had sufficient fuel to meet the Department of Commerce requirement of 45-minute fuel reserve after effecting a landing.

Crash of a Northrop Alpha 4A in Cross Fork

Date & Time: Feb 26, 1933 at 0615 LT
Type of aircraft:
Northrop Alpha 4
Operator:
Registration:
NC985Y
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Postal (mail)
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Mountains
Schedule:
New York – Cleveland
MSN:
10
YOM:
1931
Location:
Cross Fork
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:
While on a night mail flight from New York to Cleveland, the pilot encountered poor visibility due to foggy conditions. He got lost and eventually decided to bail out because the airplane ran out of fuel. He abandoned the airplane that entered a dive and crashed in a wooded area located near Cross Fork. The pilot was uninjured and the aircraft was destroyed.

Crash of a Lockheed 5 Vega in Floyd Bennett Field

Date & Time: Nov 4, 1932 at 0248 LT
Type of aircraft:
Lockheed 5 Vega
Operator:
Registration:
NR496M
Flight Phase:
Takeoff (climb)
Flight Type:
Private
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Airport (less than 10 km from airport)
Schedule:
New York - Paris
MSN:
619
YOM:
1930
Location:
Floyd Bennett Field
New York
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 American aviator Ruth Nichols was attempting a new solo transatlantic flight from New York to Paris on this Lockheed 5 Vega named 'Akita' and owned by the Crosley Radio Corporation. Shortly after takeoff from Floyd Bennett Field in New York, the airplane lost height and crashed. The aircraft was damaged beyond repair and the pilot was uninjured.

Crash of a Sikorsky S-38B off Angmagssalik

Date & Time: Sep 13, 1932
Type of aircraft:
Sikorsky S-38
Operator:
George R. Hutchinson
Registration:
NC159H
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Private
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Lake, Sea, Ocean, River
Schedule:
New York – London
MSN:
114-19
YOM:
1929
Location:
Angmagssalik (Tasiilaq)
Kommuneqarfik Sermersooq
Country:
Greenland
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
2
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
7
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
Owned by the American Lt Colonel George R. Hutchinson, the seaplane was on its way from New York to London on a private and nonstop transatlantic flight with seven passengers and a crew of two on board. En route, the crew encountered snow falls and the aircraft was too heavy due to snow accumulation. The pilot attempted an emergency landing off the Greenland coast but after landing, the airplane struck an iceberg and was seriously damaged. Several distress calls were sent but the aircraft moved on rough seas. The aircraft was eventually localized by the crew of the British fishing trawler named 'Lord Talbot' on September 18, five days after the accident, some 40 miles southwest of Angmagssalik (Tasiilaq). All nine occupants were rescued and repatriated to Europe. Lt Colonel Hutchinson was travelling with his wife Blanche and his two girls, Kathryn (8) and Janet Lee (6). The aircraft was lost and abandoned as a wing was torn off.
Crew:
Lt Colonel George R. Hutchinson +1.
Passengers:
Blanche Hutchinson,
Kathryn Hutchinson,
Janet Lee Hutchinson,
Peter Redpath,
Joseph Ruff,
Gerald Altfilisch,
Norman Alley, American filmmaker.

Crash of a Sikorsky S-38B off New York

Date & Time: Jun 14, 1932
Type of aircraft:
Sikorsky S-38
Operator:
Registration:
NC944M
Flight Phase:
Takeoff (climb)
Flight Type:
Scheduled Revenue Flight
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Lake, Sea, Ocean, River
MSN:
314-02
YOM:
1929
Location:
New York
New York
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:
Crashed in the harbor of New York shortly after takeoff. There were no casualties.

Crash of a Boeing 95 in Bedford: 1 killed

Date & Time: Mar 31, 1932 at 0230 LT
Type of aircraft:
Boeing 95
Operator:
Registration:
NC191E
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Postal (mail)
Survivors:
No
Site:
Plain, Valley
Schedule:
New York – Cleveland
MSN:
1054
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:
1
Circumstances:
While on a night mail flight from New York to Cleveland, the pilot encountered poor weather conditions with rain and snow. He reduced his altitude to establish a visual contact with the ground when the aircraft crashed in a farm area near Bedford. The aircraft was destroyed and the pilot, sole on board, was killed.

Crash of a Lockheed 1 Vega on Mt Sherman: 2 killed

Date & Time: Jan 5, 1932
Type of aircraft:
Lockheed 1 Vega
Operator:
Ruth Stewart
Registration:
NR7973
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Private
Survivors:
No
Site:
Mountains
Schedule:
Pittsburgh – New York
MSN:
32
YOM:
1929
Location:
Mt Sherman
Pennsylvania
Country:
United States of America
Region:
North America
Crew on board:
2
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
2
Circumstances:
En roue from Pittsburgh to New York, the single engine airplane impacted the slope of Mt Sherman, some 17 km northwest of Newville. The aircraft was destroyed and both occupants were killed.
Crew:
Ruth Stewart,
Debbie Stanford.
Probable cause:
Controlled flight into terrain.

Crash of a Curtiss Carrier Pigeon II in Allport

Date & Time: Dec 24, 1931
Type of aircraft:
Curtiss Carrier Pigeon
Operator:
Registration:
NC369N
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Postal (mail)
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Plain, Valley
Schedule:
Cleveland – New York
MSN:
G-3
Location:
Allport
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:
The pilot, sole on board, departed Cleveland on a mail flight to New York. While cruising at an altitude of 14,000 feet, the airplane suffered a wing failure. It entered an uncontrolled descent when, at 4,000 feet, the pilot was able to bail out. The airplane crash and was destroyed and the pilot was uninjured.
Probable cause:
Wing failure in flight.

Crash of a Heinkel He.12 in the Cobequid Bay: 2 killed

Date & Time: Oct 6, 1931 at 2200 LT
Type of aircraft:
Heinkel He.12
Operator:
Norddeutsche Luftverkehr (NOLAG)
Registration:
D-1717
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Postal (mail)
Survivors:
No
Site:
Lake, Sea, Ocean, River
Schedule:
Sydney - New York
MSN:
334
YOM:
1929
Location:
Cobequid Bay
Nova Scotia
Country:
Canada
Region:
North America
Crew on board:
2
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
2
Circumstances:
The crew was performing a mail flight from Germany to New York. The aircraft was catapulted from the German ship named 'Bremen' some 1,500 km from the Canadian coast. The crew made a fuel stop in Sydney and departed the harbor at 2130LT, bound for New York. While flying near Truro, the crew encountered poor visibility due to mist and night when the airplane crashed in the Cobequid Bay. The keeper of the local lighthouse said he heard the engine of an aircraft that crashed and later some shout or cries. The wreckage of the aircraft named 'New York' was found the following day. A first dead body was found the same day and the second dead body three days later.
Crew:
Fritz Simon, pilot,
Rudolph Wagenknecht, engineer.
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