Military

Registered I-DONA, the Savoia-Marchetti S.55TA was taking part to a huge international rally organized by the Italian General Italo Balbo on a trip from Italy (Orbetello) to Brazil (Rio de Janeiro). A total of 14 Savoia-Marchetti S.55TA were involved in this rally. The group departed Orbetello on 17DEC1930, arrived in Kenitra on 21DEC1930, Villa Cisneros on 23DEC1930 and finally Bolama (Guinea Bissau, ex Portuguese Guinea) on Christmas Day. Due to poor weather conditions, it was not possible to continue so all crews observed a rest time on Bolama Island till 06JAN1931. This day, crew left Bolama without problems and continued along the route to Natal, some 3,000 km in total. At a distance of approximately 1,000 km off the Brazilian coast, crew encountered technical problems and attempted to make an emergency landing into the ocean. Several ships of the Italian Navy were cruising along the route, so all four crew were quickly rescued while the aircraft sunk and was lost. It was registered I-DONA, referring to the name of its captain Renato Donadelli.

Registered I-RECA, the Savoia-Marchetti S.55TA was taking part to a huge international rally organized by the Italian General Italo Balbo on a trip from Italy (Orbetello) to Brazil (Rio de Janeiro). A total of 14 Savoia-Marchetti S.55TA were involved in this rally. The group departed Orbetello on 17DEC1930, arrived in Kenitra on 21DEC1930, Villa Cisneros on 23DEC1930 and finally Bolama (Guinea Bissau, ex Portuguese Guinea) on Christmas Day. Due to poor weather conditions, it was not possible to continue so all crews observed a rest time on Bolama Island till 06JAN1931. After takeoff from the harbor of Bolama, during initial climb, the float plane encountered problems, stalled and hit the water surface before coming to rest. Three crew members were injured while the fourth was killed. The aircraft was damaged beyond repair. It was registered I-RECA, referring to the name of its captain Silvio Recagno. Sergeant-Major Luigi Fois was killed.

Registered I-BOER, the Savoia-Marchetti S.55TA was taking part to a huge international rally organized by the Italian General Italo Balbo on a trip from Italy (Orbetello) to Brazil (Rio de Janeiro). A total of 14 Savoia-Marchetti S.55TA were involved in this rally. The group departed Orbetello on 17DEC1930, arrived in Kenitra on 21DEC1930, Villa Cisneros on 23DEC1930 and finally Bolama (Guinea Bissau, ex Portuguese Guinea) on Christmas Day. Due to poor weather conditions, it was not possible to continue so all crews observed a rest time on Bolama Island till 06JAN1931. After takeoff from the harbor of Bolama, while climbing, the float plane lost height and crashed into the sea, killing all four crew members. Their bodies were never recovered. It was registered I-BOER, referring to the name of its captain Luigi Boer.

En route from Worthy Down to Henlow, the pilot lost control of the aircraft that crashed in a park located in Pinner, bursting into flames. The pilot, Lt Douglas Wells Gibbon was killed.

The pilot, sole on board, departed Salvador on a flight to Belmonte. While approaching Belmonte, he lost control of the airplane that crashed into the sea and sank. The pilot Cpt Emilio Gaelzer was killed.

On approach to RAF Hawkinge, the aircraft crashed in a field. The pilot George Ninian Warrington was injured and the aircraft was damaged beyond repair.

The crew departed Reims on a flight to Metz. At destination, he encountered poor weather conditions with a thick layer of clouds. The aircraft deviated to the north by 150 km before crashing in a field located in Aywaille. The aircraft was destroyed and both crew members were killed.
Crew:
Lt Col Maurice Happe, pilot,
Roger Huet, mechanic.

On a clearly day, while in the process of an overshoot following an aborted landing attempt, the aircraft hit tree tops and crashed in a wooded area. Both occupants were uninjured while the aircraft was damaged beyond repair.

The crew departed Ferrol on a flight to Santander to take part to manoeuvres. Few minutes after takeoff, while flying over Cape Ortegal, weather conditions deteriorated and due to an insufficient visibility caused by fog, the captain decided to return to Ferrol. While descending to Ferrol, the seaplane was too low and crashed on the slope of a mountain located near Cape Prioriño, west of Ferrol. The aircraft disintegrated on impact and all six crew members were killed.
Crew:
Ens Fernando Cano-Manuel y Auberede
Mst Jaime Planas Pujol,
Mst Luis Azcárate Escudero,
Mst José Sánchez Mariscal,
Mst Manuel Rubio Rodríguez,
Cpl Juan Bautista Navarro Ros.

Upon landing, the three engine airplane went out of control and came to rest, bursting into flames. All three crew members were injured and the aircraft was destroyed.