Date & Time:
Sep 29, 1928 at 1500 LT
Type of aircraft:
Dornier Do J Wal
Operator:
Registration:
I-PLIF
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Ferry
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Lake, Sea, Ocean, River
MSN:
66
YOM:
1928
Country:
France
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
5
Crew fatalities:
3
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
0
Other fatalities:
0
Total fatalities:
3
Circumstances:
The crew was returning to Italy from the Svalbard (Spitzberg) archipelago after taking part to a SAR mission for the Italian Dirigible named 'Italia' that crashed during the summer time. En route, while cruising along the Rhône River, some 2 km south of Valence, weather conditions deteriorated and the visibility was poor due to heavy rain falls. The captain decided to return and made a sharp turn to the right at low altitude. The seaplane hit the power cables of the electricity company of Vercors, stalled and crashed in the Rhône River. Three crew members, among them both pilots, were killed. Two mechanics were slightly injured. The aircraft named 'Marina II' was destroyed.
Crew:
Cpt Gian Luigi Pinzo, pilot, †
Lt Tulio Crosio, copilot, †
Off Giuseppe Della Gatta, engineer, †
Mr. Codoniosto, mechanic,
Mr. Barrachini, mechanic.
Crew:
Cpt Gian Luigi Pinzo, pilot, †
Lt Tulio Crosio, copilot, †
Off Giuseppe Della Gatta, engineer, †
Mr. Codoniosto, mechanic,
Mr. Barrachini, mechanic.
Probable cause:
Poor judgement on part of the crew who made a sharp turn at low altitude, allowing the aircraft to hit power cables.
