Crash of a Savoia-Marchetti SM.73 in Heliopolis

Date & Time: Dec 13, 1938
Type of aircraft:
Savoia-Marchetti SM.73
Operator:
Registration:
I-ATRI
Flight Phase:
Landing (descent or approach)
Flight Type:
Scheduled Revenue Flight
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Airport (less than 10 km from airport)
Schedule:
Benghazi – Héliopolis
MSN:
30018
YOM:
1936
Location:
Heliopolis
Cairo
Country:
Egypt
Region:
Africa
Crew on board:
0
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
On approach to Heliopolis, the airplane suffered an engine failure. The crew attempted an emergency landing when the airplane crashed. There were no casualties but two crew members were seriously injured. The aircraft was damaged beyond repair.
Probable cause:
Engine failure on approach.

Crash of a Junkers JU.90V2 in Bathurst: 12 killed

Date & Time: Nov 26, 1938 at 1520 LT
Type of aircraft:
Junkers JU.90
Operator:
Registration:
D-AIVI
Flight Phase:
Takeoff (climb)
Flight Type:
Scheduled Revenue Flight
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Airport (less than 10 km from airport)
Schedule:
Buenos Aires – Rio de Janeiro – Natal – Bathurst – Dakar – Las Palmas – Marseille – Francfort
MSN:
4914
YOM:
1937
Location:
Banjul
Banjul City District
Country:
Gambia
Region:
Africa
Crew on board:
3
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
12
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
12
Circumstances:
Shortly after take off from Bathurst Airport, while in initial climb, both left engines failed simultaneously. The aircraft named 'Preussen' stalled, collided with a palm and crashed, bursting into flames. Three passengers were seriously injured and 12 other occupants were killed.
Crew:
Robert Untucht, pilot,
Joachim Blankenburg, pilot.
Probable cause:
Double engine failure shortly after rotation.

Crash of a Bloch M.B.120 near Coquilhatville

Date & Time: Nov 16, 1938
Type of aircraft:
Bloch MB.120
Operator:
Registration:
F-ANNX
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Scheduled Revenue Flight
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Plain, Valley
Schedule:
Algiers – Antananarivo
MSN:
05
YOM:
1934
Location:
Mbandaka
Équateur
Country:
Democratic Republic of Congo
Region:
Africa
Crew on board:
3
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
While approaching Coquilhatville (now Mbandaka) from the north, the three engine aircraft named 'Sirius' crashed in unknown circumstances on an island located on the River Congo, some 40 km north of Coquilhatville. All three crew members were rescued and the aircraft was damaged beyond repair.

Crash of a De Havilland DH.90 Dragonfly in Selukwe: 5 killed

Date & Time: Oct 20, 1938
Type of aircraft:
De Havilland DH.90 Dragonfly
Operator:
Registration:
VP-YBB
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Executive/Corporate/Business
Survivors:
No
Site:
Plain, Valley
MSN:
7520
YOM:
1936
Location:
Selukwe
Midlands
Country:
Zimbabwe
Region:
Africa
Crew on board:
2
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
3
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
5
Circumstances:
Crashed in unknown circumstances in Selukwe, killing all five occupants.

Crash of a Dornier DO.18E off Bathurst: 5 killed

Date & Time: Oct 1, 1938 at 0338 LT
Type of aircraft:
Dornier DO.18
Operator:
Registration:
D-AROZ
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Cargo
Survivors:
No
Site:
Lake, Sea, Ocean, River
Schedule:
Natal – Bathurst
MSN:
255
YOM:
1937
Location:
Banjul
Banjul City District
Country:
Gambia
Region:
Africa
Crew on board:
5
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
5
Circumstances:
The float plane named 'Pampero' crashed in unknown circumstances into the Atlantic Ocean few minutes prior to its arrival in Bathurst, Gambia. No trace was ever found.
Crew:
FF1 Hans Erich Lochner,
FF2 Albin Hartmann,
Bw Werner Schwanke,
Bf Gerhard Rabe,
Dr. Ernst Dierbach.

Crash of an Armstrong Whitworth AW.15 Atalanta in Kisumu: 4 killed

Date & Time: Jul 27, 1938
Type of aircraft:
Armstrong Whitworth AW.15 Atalanta
Operator:
Registration:
G-ABTG
Flight Phase:
Takeoff (climb)
Flight Type:
Scheduled Revenue Flight
Survivors:
No
Site:
Airport (less than 10 km from airport)
Schedule:
London – Kisumu – Cape Town
MSN:
AW.785
YOM:
1932
Location:
Kisumu
Nyanza
Country:
Kenya
Region:
Africa
Crew on board:
4
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
4
Circumstances:
Shortly after takeoff from Kisumu Airport, the four engine aircraft lost height and impacted the ground nose first before coming to rest. All four crew members were killed.

Crash of a Caudron C.440 Goéland in Nikki: 2 killed

Date & Time: Jul 10, 1938
Type of aircraft:
Caudron C.440 Goéland
Operator:
Registration:
F-AOMT
Flight Phase:
Landing (descent or approach)
Flight Type:
Postal (mail)
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Airport (less than 10 km from airport)
Schedule:
Paris - Nikki
MSN:
4/7269
YOM:
1936
Location:
Nikki
Borgou
Country:
Benin
Region:
Africa
Crew on board:
3
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
2
Circumstances:
On final approach to Nikki Airport, one of the engine caught fire and exploded. The pilot lost control of the aircraft that crashed on runway, bursting into flames. Both pilots were killed while the third occupant was seriously injured.
Probable cause:
Engine explosion upon landing.

Crash of a De Havilland DH.84 Dragon 2 in El Aria

Date & Time: Jun 13, 1938 at 1000 LT
Type of aircraft:
De Havilland DH.84 Dragon
Operator:
Registration:
F-AMUZ
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Scheduled Revenue Flight
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Plain, Valley
Schedule:
Tunis – Algiers
MSN:
6064
YOM:
1934
Location:
El Aria
Constantine
Country:
Algeria
Region:
Africa
Crew on board:
2
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
4
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
En route from Tunis to Algiers, the crew encountered poor visibility due to foggy conditions. The pilot attempted an emergency landing when the airplane crash landed in an area located near El Aria, some 45 km from Constantine. The airplane was damaged beyond repair and all six occupants were slightly injured.

Crash of a De Havilland DH.85 Leopard Moth near Mbuga: 3 killed

Date & Time: Jun 8, 1938
Type of aircraft:
De Havilland DH.85 Leopard Moth
Operator:
Registration:
VP-KBE
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Scheduled Revenue Flight
Survivors:
No
Site:
Plain, Valley
Schedule:
Dar es Salaam – Dodoma
MSN:
7055
YOM:
1934
Location:
Mbuga
Morogoro
Country:
Tanzania
Region:
Africa
Crew on board:
1
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
2
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
3
Circumstances:
En route from Dar es Salaam to Dodoma, the single engine airplane crashed in unknown circumstances near Mbuga. All three occupants were killed.
crew:
W. M. Bawden, pilot.
Passengers:
Bernard Dearman Burtt,
Charles Francis Massy Swynnerton.

Crash of an Airspeed AS.6B Envoy II near Beitbridge: 6 killed

Date & Time: Jun 6, 1938
Type of aircraft:
Airspeed AS.6 Envoy
Operator:
Registration:
256
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Military
Survivors:
No
Site:
Plain, Valley
Schedule:
Salisbury - Pretoria
MSN:
46
YOM:
1935
Location:
Beitbridge
Matabeleland South
Country:
Zimbabwe
Region:
Africa
Crew on board:
2
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
4
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
6
Circumstances:
En route from Salisbury to Pretoria, while cruising over South Rhodesia, weather conditions deteriorated and the visibility was poor due to thick clouds. The crew lost control of the airplane that crashed 30 km north of the Limpopo River, northwest of Beitbridge. The aircraft was totally destroyed and all six occupants were killed. The four passengers were members of the SAAF Boxing Team flying back to Pretoria (Roberts Heights) after taking part to a competition in Salisbury.
Crew:
Cpt A. C. Koch, pilot,
P/O Rodney Moseby, copilot.
Passengers:
Sgt Marais Pierre le Roux,
Cpl Raymond Boxshall,
AC1 Robert Pring,
Patrick Bowden Peters.
Subscribe to Africa