Military | Bureau of Aircraft Accidents Archives

Shortly after takeoff from Bizerte-Sidi Ahmed AFB, while climbing at night, the crew encountered engine problems. The captain decided to return for a safe landing and completed a circuit from the south. At low height, the airplane collided with power cables and crashed in Azib, some 12 km southeast of the airbase, bursting into flames. The aircraft was destroyed and all four crew members were killed.
Crew:
Cpt Jean Desportes,
Mst/P Péan, pilot,
2nd Mst Berroche, radio operator,
Q/Mst Delahaye, mechanic.

Probable cause:

Engine failure.

Crash of a Fairey IIIF in Juba: 2 killed

Date & Time: Jul 28, 1932

Type of aircraft:

Fairey III

Operator:

Registration:

J9810

Flight Phase:

Takeoff (climb)

Flight Type:

Military

Survivors:

Yes

Site:

Airport (less than 10 km from airport)

MSN:

F.1210

YOM:

1929

Location:

Juba

Central Equatoria (الاستوائية الوسطى)

Country:

South Sudan

Region:

Africa

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

Crashed shortly after takeoff. One passenger survived while two other occupants were killed.

Crash of an Avro 504N at Brasschaat AFB: 2 killed

Date & Time: May 18, 1932

Type of aircraft:

Avro 504

Operator:

Flight Phase:

Landing (descent or approach)

Flight Type:

Military

Survivors:

Site:

Airport (less than 10 km from airport)

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

While approaching Brasschaat AFB, the aircraft entered an uncontrolled descent and crashed, bursting into flames. Both crew members were killed.

Crash of a Potez 25 Jupiter in Nürensdorf: 2 killed

Date & Time: May 12, 1932 at 0745 LT

Type of aircraft:

Potez 25

Operator:

Registration:

852

Flight Phase:

Flight

Flight Type:

Military

Survivors:

Site:

Mountains

Schedule:

Dübendorf - Dübendorf

MSN:

852

YOM:

1932

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

While flying at low altitude in limited visibility due to marginal weather conditions, the aircraft crashed on hilly terrain in Nürensdorf, some 6 km north of Dübendorf Airport. Both crew members were killed.

Probable cause:

Controlled flight into terrain.

Crash of a Lioré-et-Olivier LeO H-253bn.4 in Campo dos Afonsos AFB: 4 killed

Date & Time: May 12, 1932

Type of aircraft:

Lioré-et-Olivier LeO H-253

Operator:

Registration:

K-613

Flight Phase:

Flight

Flight Type:

Military

Survivors:

Yes

Site:

Airport (less than 10 km from airport)

Schedule:

Campo dos Afonsos - Campo dos Afonsos

MSN:

YOM:

1931

Location:

Campo dos Afonsos AFB

Rio de Janeiro

Country:

Brazil

Region:

South America

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

The airplane named 'Tuiuty' crashed in unknown circumstances at Campo dos Afonsos AFB and was destroyed. Four crew members were killed and two others survived.

Crash of a Savoia-Marchetti S.55A off Salvador: 3 killed

Date & Time: Apr 26, 1932

Type of aircraft:

Savoia-Marchetti S.55

Operator:

Registration:

Flight Phase:

Landing (descent or approach)

Flight Type:

Military

Survivors:

Yes

Site:

Lake, Sea, Ocean, River

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

Crashed in unknown circumstances while landing in the Bay of Salvador de Bahia. Two passengers and the radio navigator were killed while nine other occupants including the Minister José Américo de Almeida were injured.

Crash of an Avro 504N in East Winch: 1 killed

Date & Time: Apr 14, 1932 at 1300 LT

Type of aircraft:

Avro 504

Operator:

Registration:

K2352

Flight Phase:

Landing (descent or approach)

Flight Type:

Military

Survivors:

Site:

Plain, Valley

Schedule:

Digby – Marham – Bircham Newton

MSN:

K2352

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

The pilot was performing his first solo flight from RAF Digby to RAF Bircham Newton with an intermediate stop at RAF Marham. Aircraft left RAF Digby at 1145LT bound for RAF Marham. On approach to Marham, at a height of 200-300 feet, he lost control of the aircraft that crashed in flames in a field. The aircraft was destroyed by impact forces and postcrash fire and the pilot was killed. The pilot A. J. Warford-Mein was a 23 years old Australian pupil who arrives at RAF Digby last January. He was fully competent, and the flight was authorized by the chief flying instructor, in addition to the pupil’s own instructor.

Probable cause:

Leslie Ruskin, a team man, employed at Home Farm, East Winch, which adjoins Station Farm, said that about 1.30 on Thursday afternoon, he and another man were working in a meadow when they saw an aeroplane hovering over a field nearby. It circled three times as if looking for a landing place. It turned towards Ashwicken and then came round into the wind and dropped suddenly in a nose dive. They ran towards it and saw it crash. He thought the machine was 200 or 300 feet up when it crashed. It was blazing when they got to it, and almost burnt up. They heard the sound of an explosion. The pilot’s body was in the middle of the flames and there was no sign of life at all. They had to wait until the flames died down before they could get the body out. He had noticed nothing wrong with the machine before it crashed, only that the pilot was looking for a landing. A very strong wind was blowing at this time and it had started to rain.

Final Report:

Crash of a Keystone LB-4A on Guadalupe Peak

Date & Time: Feb 21, 1932

Type of aircraft:

Keystone LB-4

Operator:

Registration:

32-119

Flight Phase:

Flight Type:

Survivors:

Site:

Schedule:

Dallas – El Paso

Location:

Guadalupe Peak

Texas

Country:

United States of America

Region:

North America

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

En route from Dallas to El Paso, the crew encountered poor weather conditions. All four crew members bailed out and abandoned the aircraft that entered a dive and crashed near the Guadalupe Peak. All four occupants were uninjured and the aircraft was destroyed.

Crash of a Dornier Do J Wal off Melilla: 2 killed

Date & Time: Jan 18, 1932

Type of aircraft:

Dornier Do J Wal

Operator:

Spanish Air Force - Aeronáutica Militar (1917-1936)

Registration:

W-19

Flight Phase:

Takeoff (climb)

Flight Type:

Military

Survivors:

Yes

Site:

Lake, Sea, Ocean, River

Schedule:

Melilla – Málaga

Location:

Melilla

Country:

Spain

Region:

Europe

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

After takeoff from Melilla, the seaplane went out of control and crashed into the sea, bursting into flames. Three crew members were rescued and two others were killed.

Crash of a Keystone LB-3A in Manilla: 2 killed

Date & Time: Jan 15, 1932 at 0530 LT

Type of aircraft:

Keystone LB-3

Operator:

Registration:

30-286

Flight Phase:

Flight Type:

Survivors:

Site:

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

An engine failed in flight, forcing the crew to attempt an emergency landing. In a muddy field, the airplane nosed down and came to rest with the cockpit crushed. Both pilots were killed and three others crew members were injured.

Probable cause:

Engine failure in flight.