Crash of a De Havilland DH.60X Moth in Bulawayo: 2 killed

Date & Time: Nov 20, 1931
Type of aircraft:
De Havilland DH.60 Moth
Operator:
Registration:
VP-YAB
Flight Phase:
Takeoff (climb)
Flight Type:
Scheduled Revenue Flight
Survivors:
No
Site:
Airport (less than 10 km from airport)
MSN:
452
YOM:
1928
Location:
Bulawayo
Bulawayo
Country:
Zimbabwe
Region:
Africa
Crew on board:
1
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
1
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
2
Circumstances:
Shortly after takeoff from Bulawayo Airport, the single engine airplane went out of control and crashed, killing both occupants.
Crew:
Lt Daniel S. Judson, pilot.
Passenger:
Jock Speight.

Crash of a De Havilland DH.80 Puss Moth in Sir Lowrey’s Pass: 3 killed

Date & Time: Nov 13, 1931 at 1255 LT
Type of aircraft:
De Havilland DH.80 Puss Moth
Operator:
Registration:
ZS-ACD
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Scheduled Revenue Flight
Survivors:
No
Site:
Mountains
Schedule:
Durban - Cape Town
MSN:
2110
YOM:
1930
Location:
Sir Lowrey’s Pass
Western Cape
Country:
South Africa
Region:
Africa
Crew on board:
1
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
2
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
3
Circumstances:
While overflying the Hottentots Holland Mountain Range while on a flight from Durban to Cape Town, the pilot encountered stormy weather. The airplane entered an uncontrolled descent and crashed, bursting into flames. All three occupants were killed.
Crew:
William Frost Davenport, pilot.
Passengers:
J. Pouradier-Dutiel, a French businessman,
J. C. Young, a local farmer.
Probable cause:
The aircraft went out of control following a structural failure. A wing failed in flight due to heavy turbulences from the storm. The wing was located 229 metres from the main wreckage. It seems that atmospheric turbulences exceeded the wing's design.

Crash of a Latécoère 26.2R in Skhirat

Date & Time: Oct 25, 1931
Type of aircraft:
Latécoère 26
Operator:
Registration:
F-AIXU
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Postal (mail)
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Plain, Valley
Schedule:
Toulouse – Perpignan – Barcelona – Alicante – Casablanca
MSN:
684
YOM:
1928
Location:
Skhirat
Rabat-Salé-Zemmour-Zaer
Country:
Morocco
Region:
Africa
Crew on board:
1
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
En route from Alicante to Casablanca, the aircraft crashed in unknown circumstances southwest of Rabat. The pilot was injured and the aircraft was destroyed.

Crash of a De Havilland DH.60G Moth in Steynsburg

Date & Time: Oct 6, 1931
Type of aircraft:
De Havilland DH.60 Moth
Operator:
E. Kelley-Patterson
Registration:
ZS-ABN
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Private
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Plain, Valley
MSN:
803
YOM:
1929
Location:
Steynsburg
Eastern Cape
Country:
South Africa
Region:
Africa
Crew on board:
1
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
Crashed in unknown circumstances in Steynsburg. The pilot, sole on board, was injured.

Crash of a Fairey IIIF in Nimule: 2 killed

Date & Time: Jul 10, 1931
Type of aircraft:
Fairey III
Operator:
Air Survey Company
Registration:
G-AATT
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Survey / Patrol / Reconnaissance
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Lake, Sea, Ocean, River
MSN:
F.1315
YOM:
1930
Location:
Nimule
Eastern Equatoria (شرق الاستوائية)
Country:
South Sudan
Region:
Africa
Crew on board:
1
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
2
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
2
Circumstances:
En route, weather conditions deteriorated. While flying in heavy rain falls, the pilot lost control of the airplane that crashed in the White Nile, northwest of Nimule. The wreckage was found near the border between Sudan and Uganda. A passenger survived while both other occupants were killed.

Crash of a Vickers 56 Victoria at Deversoir AFB: 1 killed

Date & Time: Jul 7, 1931
Type of aircraft:
Vickers Victoria
Operator:
Registration:
J8927
Flight Phase:
Landing (descent or approach)
Flight Type:
Military
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Airport (less than 10 km from airport)
Schedule:
Heliopolis – Deversoir
Location:
Deversoir AFB
Ismailia
Country:
Egypt
Region:
Africa
Crew on board:
7
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
1
Circumstances:
Crashed in unknown circumstances while on approach to Deversoir AFB, Egypt. One crew member was killed.

Crash of an Armstrong AW.154 Whitworth Argosy IA in Aswan

Date & Time: Jun 16, 1931
Type of aircraft:
Armstrong Whitworth AW.154 Argosy
Operator:
Registration:
G-EBLO
Flight Phase:
Takeoff (climb)
Flight Type:
Scheduled Revenue Flight
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Airport (less than 10 km from airport)
Schedule:
Aswan - Cairo
MSN:
AW.155
YOM:
1925
Location:
Aswan
Aswan
Country:
Egypt
Region:
Africa
Crew on board:
3
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
4
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
Shortly after takeoff from Aswan Airport, the airplane stalled and crashed. All seven occupants were injured, among them two crew seriously. The aircraft named 'City of Birmingham' was damaged beyond repair. It was en route to Cairo while on a flight from Johannesburg to London.

Crash of a De Havilland DH.60G Moth in Voi: 2 killed

Date & Time: May 14, 1931
Type of aircraft:
De Havilland DH.60 Moth
Operator:
Denys Finch Hatton
Registration:
G-ABAK
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Private
Survivors:
No
Site:
Airport (less than 10 km from airport)
Schedule:
Voi - Nairobi
MSN:
1265
YOM:
1930
Location:
Voi
Coast
Country:
Kenya
Region:
Africa
Crew on board:
1
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
1
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
2
Circumstances:
After departure from Voi, the pilot completed two circuits around the airport. Suddenly, it entered a dive and crashed into the ground, bursting into flames. Both occupants, Denys Finch Hatton (pilot and owner) and his servant Kamau were killed.

Crash of a De Havilland DH.80 Puss Moth on Mt Tandjiesberg: 2 killed

Date & Time: May 5, 1931 at 1130 LT
Type of aircraft:
De Havilland DH.80 Puss Moth
Operator:
Glenn L. Bateman
Registration:
ZS-ACC
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Private
Survivors:
No
Site:
Mountains
Schedule:
Johannesburg – Pietermaritzburg
MSN:
2058
YOM:
1930
Location:
Mt Tandjiesberg
Free State
Country:
South Africa
Region:
Africa
Crew on board:
2
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
2
Circumstances:
The aircraft was owned by Glenn L. Bateman and piloted by Lieutenant Glen Kidston and Captain Thomas Anthony Gladstone. They were looking for a new route from Johannesburg to Pietermaritzburg. While cruising at an altitude of 300 metres, the aircraft entered clouds, lost a wing and crashed in a rocky area located on Mt Tandjiesberg, some 25 km northeast from Harrismith, Free State. Both occupants were killed and the lost wing was found 183 metres from the main wreckage.
Probable cause:
A wing failed in flight, most probably due to atmospheric turbulences encountered in the cloudy area.
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