Country
Portugal
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Azores Islands

Crash of a Boeing B-17E Flying Fortress off the Azores Islands

Date & Time: Dec 21, 1943
Type of aircraft:
Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress
Operator:
Registration:
FK210
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Survey / Patrol / Reconnaissance
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Lake, Sea, Ocean, River
MSN:
2672
YOM:
1941
Location:
Azores Islands
Azores Islands
Country:
Portugal
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
10
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
Crashed in unknown circumstances into the Atlantic Ocean off the Azores Island, while completing a maritime patrol flight. While all 10 crew members were rescued, the aircraft was lost.

Crash of a Boeing B-17E Flying Fortress off Lajes

Date & Time: Dec 4, 1943
Type of aircraft:
Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress
Operator:
Registration:
FK206
Flight Phase:
Takeoff (climb)
Flight Type:
Survey / Patrol / Reconnaissance
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Lake, Sea, Ocean, River
MSN:
2674
YOM:
1941
Location:
Lajes
Azores Islands
Country:
Portugal
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
8
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
Shortly after take off from Lajes Airport, the aircraft stalled and crashed into the sea. All eight crew members were quickly rescued while the aircraft sank and was lost.

Crash of a Boeing B-17E Flying Fortress off Lajes

Date & Time: Oct 25, 1943
Type of aircraft:
Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress
Operator:
Registration:
FK202
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Military
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Lake, Sea, Ocean, River
MSN:
2610
YOM:
1941
Location:
Lajes
Azores Islands
Country:
Portugal
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
0
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
Crashed in unknown circumstances off Lajes Airport, on Terceira Island. All crew members were rescued and uninjured while the aircraft sank and was lost.

Crash of a Junkers JU.52 in Rabo de Peixe

Date & Time: Sep 16, 1943
Type of aircraft:
Junkers JU.52
Operator:
Registration:
210
Flight Phase:
Landing (descent or approach)
Flight Type:
Military
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Plain, Valley
Location:
Rabo de Peixe (São Miguel Island)
Azores Islands
Country:
Portugal
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
0
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
The crew was forced to make an emergency landing at Rabo de Peixe following an in-flight fire. There were no casualties but the aircraft was destroyed.

Crash of a Savoia S.55X off Ponta Delgada: 1 killed

Date & Time: Aug 8, 1933 at 0530 LT
Type of aircraft:
Savoia-Marchetti S.55
Operator:
Registration:
I-RANI
Flight Phase:
Takeoff (climb)
Flight Type:
Military
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Lake, Sea, Ocean, River
Schedule:
Ponta Delgada – Lisbon
Location:
Ponta Delgada
Azores Islands
Country:
Portugal
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
4
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
1
Circumstances:
The crew was taking part to a world tour under the command of General Italo Balbo. After takeoff from Ponta Delgada, the seaplane crashed into the sea and came to rest upside down. One crew member was killed.

Crash of an Amiot 123 in Horta: 1 killed

Date & Time: Jul 13, 1929 at 0800 LT
Type of aircraft:
Amiot 122/123
Operator:
Polish Government
Registration:
SP-APO
Flight Phase:
Landing (descent or approach)
Flight Type:
Private
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Airport (less than 10 km from airport)
Schedule:
Paris – New York
MSN:
1
YOM:
1929
Location:
Horta
Azores Islands
Country:
Portugal
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
2
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
1
Circumstances:
Both pilots Casimir Kubala and Ludwik Idzikowski attempted to cross the Atlantic Ocean from Paris to New York. A first attempt was made in July 1928 without success. Named 'Marszałek Piłsudski', the aircraft was bought by the Polish Government and was equipped with the Polish Air Force roundel. The crew departed Paris-Le Bourget Airport at 0345LT bound to the west to the Atlantic Ocean. More than an hour later, the engine surged and the crew decided to divert to the Azores Islands. Four hours later, the engine was about to fail so the crew diverted to Horta. On final approach, the aircraft was too low and hit a rocky wall short of runway. It overturned and came to rest upside down, bursting into flames. While Casimir Kubala was slightly injured, Ludwik Idzikowski was killed. The Amiot 123 was built at one example expressly for the Polish Government to attempt this cross Atlantic flight.
Probable cause:
Engine failure.

Crash of a CAMS 51/3R off Horta

Date & Time: Jul 23, 1928
Type of aircraft:
CAMS 51
Operator:
Registration:
F-AIMS
Flight Phase:
Takeoff (climb)
Flight Type:
Postal (mail)
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Lake, Sea, Ocean, River
Schedule:
Brest – Horta – New York
MSN:
001
YOM:
1928
Location:
Horta
Azores Islands
Country:
Portugal
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
2
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
The seaplane named 'La Frégate' crashed while taking off from the Horta Bay for unknown reasons. While both crew members were slightly injured, the aircraft was damaged beyond repair. It was on its way from Brest, France, to New York.

Crash of a Heinkel He.6b off Horta

Date & Time: Nov 13, 1927 at 0233 LT
Type of aircraft:
Heinkel He.6
Operator:
Registration:
D-1220
Flight Phase:
Takeoff (climb)
Flight Type:
Private
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Lake, Sea, Ocean, River
Schedule:
Warnemünde - Brunsbüttel - Wilhelmshaven - Amsterdam - Vigo - Lisbon - Horta
MSN:
286
YOM:
1927
Location:
Horta
Azores Islands
Country:
Portugal
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
3
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
The crew was performing a flight from Rostock to Newfoundland on behalf of the German manufacturer Heinkel Flugzeugbau. The aircraft departed Warnemünde harbor (north of Rostock) at 1221LT on 12OCT1927 and made several intermediate stops en route: Brunsbüttel on 12OCT, Wilhelmshaven on 13OCT, Amsterdam on 14OCT, Vigo on 16OCT, Lisbon on 18OCT and Horta on 04NOV. After few days on Faial Island, the crew decided to continue his trip to Canada and started on the night of 12 to 13 of November. Two takeoff attempts were abandoned due to unfavorable winds, and during the third attempt, while climbing, the aircraft crashed in the sea, in the harbor of Horta. While all three occupants escaped uninjured, the aircraft was destroyed.
Crew:
Captain Horst Mertz, pilot,
Willem Bock, radio navigator,
Fritz Rohde, engineer.
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