Crash of a Savoia-Marchetti SM.83 in Léopoldville

Date & Time: May 5, 1940
Type of aircraft:
Savoia-Marchetti SM.83
Operator:
Registration:
OO-AUC
Flight Type:
Scheduled Revenue Flight
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Airport (less than 10 km from airport)
MSN:
34003
YOM:
1938
Location:
Kinshasa
Kinshasa City Province
Country:
Democratic Republic of Congo
Region:
Africa
Crew on board:
0
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
Crashed in unknown circumstances. There were no casualties.

Crash of a De Havilland DH.85 Leopard Moth in Carolina: 2 killed

Date & Time: May 4, 1940
Type of aircraft:
De Havilland DH.85 Leopard Moth
Operator:
Registration:
ZS-AEP
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Private
Survivors:
No
Site:
Plain, Valley
Schedule:
Lourenço Marques – Germiston
MSN:
7020
YOM:
1934
Location:
Carolina
Mpumalanga
Country:
South Africa
Region:
Africa
Crew on board:
1
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
1
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
2
Circumstances:
En route from Lourenço Marques to Germiston, the single engine airplane crashed in unknown circumstances in Carolina. Both occupants were killed.

Crash of an Avro 618 Ten in Cairo

Date & Time: Apr 3, 1940
Type of aircraft:
Avro 618 Ten
Operator:
Registration:
G-AASP
Flight Phase:
Takeoff (climb)
Flight Type:
Cargo
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Airport (less than 10 km from airport)
MSN:
384
YOM:
1929
Location:
Cairo-Almaza
Cairo
Country:
Egypt
Region:
Africa
Crew on board:
2
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
The aircraft crashed while taking off from Almaza Airport in Cairo. Both crew members were injured.

Crash of a Bristol 142 Blenheim I in El Alamein

Date & Time: Mar 13, 1940
Type of aircraft:
Bristol 142 Blenheim
Operator:
Registration:
L1537
Flight Phase:
Landing (descent or approach)
Flight Type:
Training
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Airport (less than 10 km from airport)
Schedule:
El Alamein - El Alamein
MSN:
8820
YOM:
1939
Location:
El Alamein
Matruh
Country:
Egypt
Region:
Africa
Crew on board:
1
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
The pilot was completing a night training mission at El Alamein Airport. For unknown reasons, the airplane landed hard and lost its undercarriage. The aircraft was damaged beyond repair and the pilot was uninjured.
Crew:
P/O E. Garrad-Cole.

Crash of a Bristol 142 Blenheim I in El Alamein

Date & Time: Mar 13, 1940
Type of aircraft:
Bristol 142 Blenheim
Operator:
Registration:
L1486
Flight Phase:
Landing (descent or approach)
Flight Type:
Training
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Airport (less than 10 km from airport)
Schedule:
El Alamein - El Alamein
MSN:
8769
YOM:
1939
Location:
El Alamein
Matruh
Country:
Egypt
Region:
Africa
Crew on board:
2
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
The crew departed El Alamein Airport on a local night training exercice. On final approach, the pilot failed to realize his altitude was too low when the airplane impacted the ground and crashed short of runway. The aircraft was destroyed and both crew members were seriously injured.
Crew:
P/O C. P. R. Collier,
LAC C. E. Thomas.
Probable cause:
Too low approach on part of the pilot.

Crash of a Caudron C.282/10 Phalène in Kankan

Date & Time: Feb 20, 1940
Type of aircraft:
Caudron C.280 Phalène
Operator:
Aéroclub de Guinée
Registration:
F-ANBI
Flight Phase:
Landing (descent or approach)
Flight Type:
Postal (mail)
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Airport (less than 10 km from airport)
Schedule:
Conakry – Kindia – Dabola – Kankan
MSN:
6949.2
YOM:
1934
Location:
Kankan
Kankan Region
Country:
Guinea
Region:
Africa
Crew on board:
1
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
Crashed on landing for unknown reason. The pilot, sole on board, was injured.

Crash of a Savoia-Marchetti SM.83T in Dar el Caïd Allal Bou Fenzi: 7 killed

Date & Time: Dec 24, 1939
Type of aircraft:
Savoia-Marchetti SM.83
Operator:
Registration:
I-ARPA
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Scheduled Revenue Flight
Survivors:
No
Site:
Plain, Valley
Schedule:
Rio de Janeiro – Recife – Sal – Villa Cisneros – Lisbon – Seville – Rome
MSN:
34017
YOM:
1939
Location:
Dar el Caïd Allal Bou Fenzi
Marrakech-Tensift-El Haouz
Country:
Morocco
Region:
Africa
Crew on board:
4
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
3
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
7
Circumstances:
While overflying Morocco in poor weather conditions, the pilot lost control of the aircraft that crashed in Dar el Caïd Allal Bou Fenzi, some 60 km southeast of Mogador. All seven occupants, three Italian journalists and four crew members, were killed. This route was inaugurated from Rome to Rio de Janeiro three days ago, on December 21, 1939 and this was the first back trip to Italy with the German diplomatic mail on board.

Crash of a Lockheed 14-WF62 Super Electra into the Mediterranean Sea: 5 killed

Date & Time: Dec 21, 1939 at 1300 LT
Type of aircraft:
Lockheed 14 Super Electra
Operator:
Registration:
G-AFYU
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Scheduled Revenue Flight
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Lake, Sea, Ocean, River
Schedule:
Alexandria – El Salloum – Valetta – Croydon
MSN:
1444
YOM:
1939
Location:
Libya
All Libya
Country:
Libya
Region:
Africa
Crew on board:
5
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
6
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
5
Circumstances:
Less than an hour after his departure from El Salloum Airport, at the border between Egypt and Libya, the pilot sent a mayday message due to unknown technical problems. He was forced to ditch the aircraft into the Mediterranean Sea. The crew of a ship was quickly on the scene and was able to rescue six occupants, among them the pilot, while five other occupants were killed.
Probable cause:
Unknown technical problem.

Crash of a Junkers JU.52/3m off Tarfaya: 10 killed

Date & Time: Nov 17, 1939
Type of aircraft:
Junkers JU.52
Operator:
Registration:
22-94
Flight Phase:
Landing (descent or approach)
Flight Type:
Military
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Lake, Sea, Ocean, River
Schedule:
Tan-Tan – Tarfaya
Location:
Tarfaya
Laâyoune-Boujdour-Sakia El Hamra
Country:
Western Sahara
Region:
Africa
Crew on board:
3
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
8
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
10
Circumstances:
While approaching Tarfaya Airport, the pilot encountered poor weather conditions and was unable to locate the airfield. Control was lost and the airplane crashed into the ocean off Cape Juby. A crew member was rescued while 10 other occupants were killed.

Crash of a Bristol 142 Blenheim I in Ismailia

Date & Time: Oct 18, 1939
Type of aircraft:
Bristol 142 Blenheim
Operator:
Registration:
L8673
Flight Phase:
Landing (descent or approach)
Flight Type:
Training
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Airport (less than 10 km from airport)
Schedule:
Ismailia - Ismailia
Location:
Ismailia
Ismailia
Country:
Egypt
Region:
Africa
Crew on board:
1
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
After landing at Ismailia Airport, the airplane encountered difficulties to stop within the remaining distance. It overran and came to rest, damaged beyond repair. The pilot, sole on board, was uninjured.
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