Crash of a Junkers F.13 in Hemkenrode: 1 killed

Date & Time: Apr 3, 1933 at 1600 LT
Type of aircraft:
Junkers F.13
Operator:
Registration:
D-534
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Postal (mail)
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Plain, Valley
Schedule:
Dortmund – Hanover
MSN:
694
YOM:
1926
Location:
Hemkenrode
Lower Saxony
Country:
Germany
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
2
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
1
Circumstances:
En route from Dortmund to Hanover, the airplane caught fire in flight. The crew attempted an emergency landing when the aircraft crashed in a pasture located in Hemkenrode, bursting into flames. A pilot was killed while the second occupant was seriously injured.
Probable cause:
In-flight fire of unknown origin.

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 Kalinin K-5 in Moscow: 2 killed

Date & Time: Feb 13, 1933 at 0855 LT
Type of aircraft:
Kalinin K-5
Operator:
Registration:
CCCP-L455
Flight Phase:
Landing (descent or approach)
Flight Type:
Postal (mail)
Survivors:
No
Site:
Plain, Valley
Schedule:
Moscow - Kharkiv
MSN:
210
YOM:
1932
Location:
Moscow
Moscow oblast
Country:
Russia
Region:
Asia
Crew on board:
2
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
2
Aircraft flight hours:
339
Circumstances:
The crew departed Moscow at 0815LT on a mail flight to Kharkiv. Approaching Podolsk, weather conditions deteriorated and the captain decided to return to Moscow. But on approach, weather conditions were also poor in Moscow and the visibility was very limited due to fog. On approach, at a height of about 110-120 metres, the airplane collided with an antenna, causing the right wing to be partially torn off. Out of control, the aircraft descended and crashed 65 metres further. Both crew members were killed.
Probable cause:
The immediate cause of the accident was the strong deterioration of the weather conditions in Moscow. The aircraft was flying low with stabilizers in a neutral position, confirming it was apparently in a flat attitude. There were no radio in the aircraft and the antenna was not equipped with lights, which was considered as a contributing factor.

Crash of a Potez 33 near Mahatsinjo: 1 killed

Date & Time: Feb 11, 1933 at 1130 LT
Type of aircraft:
Potez 33
Operator:
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Postal (mail)
Survivors:
No
Site:
Plain, Valley
Schedule:
Mahajanga – Antananarivo
Location:
Mahatsinjo
Mahajanga Province
Country:
Madagascar
Region:
Africa
Crew on board:
1
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
1
Circumstances:
The pilot, sole on board, departed Mahajanga on a mail flight to Antananarivo. En route, the single engine airplane crashed in unknown circumstances 7 km from the village of Mahatsinjo. The pilot Sgt Lucien Dewost was killed.

Crash of a Ford 5 in Eugene: 2 killed

Date & Time: Jan 24, 1933
Type of aircraft:
Ford 5
Operator:
Registration:
NC431H
Flight Phase:
Takeoff (climb)
Flight Type:
Postal (mail)
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Airport (less than 10 km from airport)
Schedule:
Portland – Eugene – Medford
MSN:
5-AT-098
YOM:
1931
Location:
Eugene
Oregon
Country:
United States of America
Region:
North America
Crew on board:
3
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
2
Circumstances:
The three engine airplane was ready for a schedule service from Portland to Medford. As the weather was iffy, all passengers tickets were canceled but the crew has to deliver the mail. The airplane departed Portland-Swan Island Airport at 1015LT bound for Eugene. Approaching Eugene, the crew encountered marginal weather conditions with low clouds but was able to land without further problems. After the mail was deplaned, the crew was cleared for takeoff. Following a normal takeoff run, the pilot-in-command initiated the rotation when the right engine failed. The airplane stalled, collided with a runway light and eventually crashed onto a vacant house. All three crew members were injured, both pilots seriously. The following day, they both died from their injuries. The aircraft named 'Dawson' was destroyed.
Crew:
Harold Adams, pilot, †
Kenneth Householder, copilot, †
Cornelia Pederman, stewardess.
Probable cause:
Failure of the right engine at takeoff.

Crash of a Stearman 4-CM1 in Marietta: 1 killed

Date & Time: Jan 20, 1933 at 1015 LT
Type of aircraft:
Stearman 4
Operator:
Registration:
NC490W
Flight Phase:
Landing (descent or approach)
Flight Type:
Postal (mail)
Survivors:
No
Site:
Mountains
Schedule:
Chattanooga – Atlanta
MSN:
4038
YOM:
1931
Location:
Marietta
Georgia
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:
The pilot was completing a mail flight from Chattanooga to Atlanta. On approach to Atlanta, he encountered poor visibility due to foggy conditions when the airplane impacted trees and crashed on Mt Little Kennesaw, in Marietta. The aircraft was destroyed and the pilot Glen Fields was killed.
Probable cause:
Controlled flight into terrain.

Crash of a Stearman 4-CM1 in Boerne: 1 killed

Date & Time: Jan 20, 1933 at 0200 LT
Type of aircraft:
Stearman 4
Operator:
Registration:
NC11721
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Postal (mail)
Survivors:
No
Site:
Mountains
Schedule:
San Angelo – San Antonio
MSN:
4039
YOM:
1931
Location:
Boerne
Texas
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:
The pilot, sole on board, departed San Angelo on a night mail flight to San Antonio. En route, he encountered poor visibility due to foggy conditions when the airplane impacted the slope of a mountain near Boerne. The aircraft was destroyed and the pilot was killed.
Probable cause:
Controlled flight into terrain.

Crash of a Junkers W.33f in Tanagra

Date & Time: Jan 13, 1933
Type of aircraft:
Junkers W.33
Operator:
Registration:
D-2018
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Postal (mail)
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Plain, Valley
Schedule:
Berlin – Thessaloniki – Athens
MSN:
2584
YOM:
1931
Location:
Tanagra
Central Greece / Στερεά Ελλάδα
Country:
Greece
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
2
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
The crew departed Berlin on a mail flight to Athens with an intermediate stop in Thessaloniki. On the leg to Athens, the crew lost his orientation due to foggy conditions and was unable to localize the airport of Dekelia-Tatoi near Athens. So, he decided to return to Thessaloniki when, at night, the aircraft crash landed in a pasture near Tanagra. Both occupants escaped uninjured and the aircraft was damaged beyond repair.

Crash of a Pitcairn PA-6 Mailwing in Edgemoor

Date & Time: Nov 19, 1932 at 0315 LT
Type of aircraft:
Pitcairn PA-6 Mailwing
Operator:
Registration:
NC546K
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Postal (mail)
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Plain, Valley
Schedule:
Richmond – Jacksonville
MSN:
86
YOM:
1929
Location:
Edgemoor
South Carolina
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 Richmond on a night mail flight to Jacksonville. En route, weather conditions deteriorated and the visibility was poor due to foggy conditions. The pilot got lost and because the aircraft ran out of fuel, the pilot decided to bail out and abandoned the airplane that crashed in a pasture. The pilot was found alive.
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