Postal (mail) | Bureau of Aircraft Accidents Archives

The crew encountered strong headwinds all along the flight from Algiers to Marseille. After overflying Cape of Creus in Catalonia, both engines failed due to fuel exhaustion. The crew ditched the aircraft off Banyuls-sur-Mer, Pyrénées Orientales. The crew of the Spanish cargo named 'Stella' was quickly on the scene but during the towing operations, the float plane sank and the radio navigator Bossard drowned. The pilot Edmond Larbonne and the mechanic were rescued.

Probable cause:

Double engine failure caused by a fuel exhaustion due to strong headwinds in flight.

Crash of a Sikorsky S-38B off Colón

Date & Time: Feb 7, 1931 at 1730 LT

Type of aircraft:

Sikorsky S-38

Operator:

Registration:

NC306N

Flight Phase:

Landing (descent or approach)

Flight Type:

Postal (mail)

Survivors:

Yes

Site:

Lake, Sea, Ocean, River

Schedule:

Talara – Colón

MSN:

414-04

YOM:

1929

Location:

Colón

Country:

Panama

Region:

Central America

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

The crew was completing a mail flight from Talara, Peru, to France Field (Colón). Upon arrival, the seaplane crashed in unknown circumstances in the Limón Bay. All three occupants were injured.

Crash of a Latécoère 25/3R in Saint-Gilles

Date & Time: Feb 4, 1931

Type of aircraft:

Latécoère 25

Operator:

Registration:

F-AIHD

Flight Phase:

Flight Type:

Survivors:

Site:

Schedule:

Barcelona – Marseille

MSN:

605

YOM:

1927

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

An unknown technical failure forced the crew to attempt an emergency landing in Saint-Gilles, south of Nimes. While both occupants were uninjured, the aircraft was damaged beyond repair. The pilot was Louis Roidot.

Crash of a Fairchild FC-2W2 off Caleta Buena

Date & Time: Feb 3, 1931 at 1640 LT

Type of aircraft:

Fairchild FC-2

Operator:

Registration:

NC8026

Flight Phase:

Flight

Flight Type:

Postal (mail)

Survivors:

Yes

Site:

Lake, Sea, Ocean, River

Schedule:

Arauca – Antofagasta

MSN:

168

YOM:

1928

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

The aircraft was performing a mail flight from Arauca to Antofagasta, carrying two crew members and eight mail bags. En route, in unclear circumstances, the airplane crashed into the sea off the beach of Piedra de las Montijitas, about 11 km north of Caleta Buena. Both crew members were uninjured and rescued by fishermen. The aircraft, written off, was later recovered and parked on a pier. Six mail bags were recovered.
Crew:
C. Thompson, pilot,
Luis Morales, pilot.

Crash of a Boeing 40B-4 on Mt Bluff: 1 killed

Date & Time: Jan 22, 1931

Type of aircraft:

Boeing 40

Operator:

Registration:

NC741K

Flight Phase:

Flight

Flight Type:

Postal (mail)

Survivors:

Site:

Mountains

Schedule:

Portland – Pasco

MSN:

1422

YOM:

1930

Location:

Mt Bluff

Washington

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 Portland to Pasco, the pilot encountered poor visibility due to foggy conditions. Too low, the airplane struck the slope of Mt Bluff located some 22 km northeast of Washougal. The aircraft was destroyed and the pilot was killed.

Crash of a Blériot Spad 56/4 in Genas

Date & Time: Jan 17, 1931

Type of aircraft:

Blériot Spad 56

Operator:

Registration:

F-AIEE

Flight Phase:

Landing (descent or approach)

Flight Type:

Postal (mail)

Survivors:

Yes

Site:

Airport (less than 10 km from airport)

Schedule:

Paris – Lyon – Marseille

MSN:

4211.1

YOM:

1926

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

While approaching Lyon-Bron Airport on a mail flight from Paris-Le Bourget, the pilot lost control of the aircraft following an in-flight fire. The aircraft crashed and came to rest upside down in a field located in Genas, some 3 km east of the airfield. The pilot was injured and the aircraft was destroyed. It is possible that the engine caught fire in flight.

Crash of a Sabca F7b/3m in Melle: 2 killed

Date & Time: Jan 8, 1931 at 2345 LT

Type of aircraft:

Sabca F7

Operator:

Registration:

OO-AIL

Flight Phase:

Flight

Flight Type:

Postal (mail)

Survivors:

Site:

Plain, Valley

Schedule:

Brussels - Croydon

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

The crew was performing a night mail flight from Brussels to Croydon and departed Brussels-Haren Airport at 2327LT. Some 15 minutes later, the crew encountered foggy conditions and decided to return to Brussels after he contacted his base. Apparently to maintain a visual contact with the ground, the pilot reduced his altitude when the right wing hit the ground. The aircraft crashed in a field and was destroyed. Both occupants were killed.
Crew:
Gabriel Dery, pilot,
Pierre De Ceuster, flight engineer.

Crash of a Boeing 40B-4 in Crescent Lake

Date & Time: Jan 1, 1931

Type of aircraft:

Boeing 40

Operator:

Registration:

NC743K

Flight Phase:

Flight Type:

Survivors:

Site:

Schedule:

Medford – Seattle

MSN:

1150

YOM:

1929

Location:

Crescent Lake

Oregon

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 Medford to Seattle, the pilot lost his orientation due to foggy conditions. He attempted an emergency landing when the aircraft crashed in an uninhabited area. The pilot walked for about 24 hours in deep snow to find help.

Crash of a Latécoère 26.2R in Ubatuba

Date & Time: Nov 22, 1930

Type of aircraft:

Latécoère 26

Operator:

Registration:

F-AILZ

Flight Phase:

Flight Type:

Survivors:

Site:

MSN:

670

YOM:

1928

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

The pilot was performing a mail flight from South America to France. En route, he encountered unknown technical problems and attempted an emergency landing. While the aircraft was damaged beyond repair, the pilot was unhurt.

Probable cause:

Forced landing due to unknown technical problem.

Crash of a Pitcairn PA-6 Mailwing in Casar

Date & Time: Nov 12, 1930 at 0330 LT

Type of aircraft:

Pitcairn PA-6 Mailwing

Operator:

Registration:

NC298E

Flight Phase:

Flight Type:

Survivors:

Site:

Schedule:

Charlotte – Greensboro

MSN:

YOM:

1929

Location:

Casar

North Carolina

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 Charlotte to Greensboro, the engine failed. As the pilot was unable to attempt an emergency landing, he decided to bail out. The aircraft crashed in a field and was destroyed. The pilot Henry Tyndall 'Dick' Merrill was unhurt.

Probable cause:

Engine failure caused by fuel exhaustion.