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Crash of a Northrop Alpha 4A in Portage

Date & Time: Dec 11, 1933 at 0256 LT
Type of aircraft:
Northrop Alpha 4
Operator:
Registration:
NC127W
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Cargo
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Plain, Valley
Schedule:
Pittsburgh – Harrisburg
MSN:
2
YOM:
1931
Location:
Portage
Pennsylvania
Country:
United States of America
Region:
North America
Crew on board:
1
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
The pilot departed Pittsburgh on a night cargo flight to Harrisburg. En route, weather conditions worsened with snow falls. Ice accumulated on wings and airframe so the pilot decided to bail out and abandoned the airplane that entered a dive and crashed. The pilot was uninjured and the airplane was destroyed.
Probable cause:
Icing.

Crash of a Northrop Alpha 4A in Roaring Springs

Date & Time: Dec 11, 1933 at 0250 LT
Type of aircraft:
Northrop Alpha 4
Operator:
Registration:
NC947Y
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Cargo
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Plain, Valley
Schedule:
Harrisburg – Pittsburgh
MSN:
7
YOM:
1931
Location:
Roaring Springs
Pennsylvania
Country:
United States of America
Region:
North America
Crew on board:
1
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
The pilot departed Harrisburg on a night cargo flight to Pittsburgh. En route, weather conditions worsened with snow falls. Ice accumulated on wings and airframe so the pilot decided to bail out and abandoned the airplane that entered a dive and crashed. The pilot was uninjured and the airplane was destroyed.
Probable cause:
Icing.

Crash of a Pitcairn PA-7M Mailwing in Bedford

Date & Time: May 13, 1933 at 2315 LT
Type of aircraft:
Pitcairn PA-7 Mailwing
Operator:
Registration:
NC351V
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Postal (mail)
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Plain, Valley
Schedule:
Washington DC – Pittsburgh
MSN:
140
YOM:
1930
Location:
Bedford
Pennsylvania
Country:
United States of America
Region:
North America
Crew on board:
1
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
The pilot departed Washington DC on a night mail flight to Pittsburgh. While cruising at an altitude of 3,000 feet, the engine failed. As he was unable to find a suitable terrain for an emergency landing, the pilot bailed out and abandoned the aircraft that dove into the ground. The pilot was uninjured and the airplane was destroyed.
Probable cause:
Engine failure in flight.

Crash of a Northrop Alpha 4A in Cross Fork

Date & Time: Feb 26, 1933 at 0615 LT
Type of aircraft:
Northrop Alpha 4
Operator:
Registration:
NC985Y
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Postal (mail)
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Mountains
Schedule:
New York – Cleveland
MSN:
10
YOM:
1931
Location:
Cross Fork
Pennsylvania
Country:
United States of America
Region:
North America
Crew on board:
1
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
While on a night mail flight from New York to Cleveland, the pilot encountered poor visibility due to foggy conditions. He got lost and eventually decided to bail out because the airplane ran out of fuel. He abandoned the airplane that entered a dive and crashed in a wooded area located near Cross Fork. The pilot was uninjured and the aircraft was destroyed.

Crash of a Northrop Alpha 4 in Pittsburgh

Date & Time: Jan 10, 1933 at 0405 LT
Type of aircraft:
Northrop Alpha 4
Operator:
Registration:
NC992Y
Flight Phase:
Takeoff (climb)
Flight Type:
Cargo
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Airport (less than 10 km from airport)
Schedule:
Pittsburgh – Columbus
MSN:
12
YOM:
1931
Location:
Pittsburgh-Intl
Pennsylvania
Country:
United States of America
Region:
North America
Crew on board:
1
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
Shortly after a night takeoff from Pittsburgh Airport, the airplane went out of control and crashed, bursting into flames. The pilot, sole on board, was seriously injured.

Crash of a New Standard D-27 near Somerset

Date & Time: Oct 21, 1932 at 1215 LT
Type of aircraft:
New Standard D-27
Operator:
Registration:
NC9124
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Postal (mail)
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Mountains
Schedule:
Washington DC – Cleveland
MSN:
118
YOM:
1929
Location:
Somerset
Pennsylvania
Country:
United States of America
Region:
North America
Crew on board:
1
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
The pilot departed Washington DC on a mail flight to Cleveland. While cruising over the Allegheny Mountain Range, the aircraft caught fire for unknown reasons. The pilot bailed out and abandoned the aircraft that entered a dive and crashed in a hilly and wooded terrain located near Somerset. The aircraft was destroyed and the pilot was uninjured.
Probable cause:
In-flight fire for undetermined reason.

Crash of a Boeing 95 near Snow Shoe

Date & Time: Sep 27, 1932 at 0900 LT
Type of aircraft:
Boeing 95
Operator:
Registration:
NC417E
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Postal (mail)
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Mountains
Schedule:
Bellefonte – Cleveland
MSN:
1056
YOM:
1929
Location:
Snow Shoe
Pennsylvania
Country:
United States of America
Region:
North America
Crew on board:
1
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
En route from Bellefonte to Cleveland, the pilot encountered poor visibility due to foggy conditions. While flying too low, the airplane impacted trees and crashed on the slope of a mountain located near Snow Shoe. The aircraft was destroyed by a post crash fire and the pilot was injured.
Probable cause:
Controlled flight into terrain.

Crash of a Lockheed 1 Vega on Mt Sherman: 2 killed

Date & Time: Jan 5, 1932
Type of aircraft:
Lockheed 1 Vega
Operator:
Ruth Stewart
Registration:
NR7973
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Private
Survivors:
No
Site:
Mountains
Schedule:
Pittsburgh – New York
MSN:
32
YOM:
1929
Location:
Mt Sherman
Pennsylvania
Country:
United States of America
Region:
North America
Crew on board:
2
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
2
Circumstances:
En roue from Pittsburgh to New York, the single engine airplane impacted the slope of Mt Sherman, some 17 km northwest of Newville. The aircraft was destroyed and both occupants were killed.
Crew:
Ruth Stewart,
Debbie Stanford.
Probable cause:
Controlled flight into terrain.

Crash of a Curtiss Carrier Pigeon II in Allport

Date & Time: Dec 24, 1931
Type of aircraft:
Curtiss Carrier Pigeon
Operator:
Registration:
NC369N
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Postal (mail)
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Plain, Valley
Schedule:
Cleveland – New York
MSN:
G-3
Location:
Allport
Pennsylvania
Country:
United States of America
Region:
North America
Crew on board:
1
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
The pilot, sole on board, departed Cleveland on a mail flight to New York. While cruising at an altitude of 14,000 feet, the airplane suffered a wing failure. It entered an uncontrolled descent when, at 4,000 feet, the pilot was able to bail out. The airplane crash and was destroyed and the pilot was uninjured.
Probable cause:
Wing failure in flight.

Crash of a New Standard D-27 in Pittsburgh

Date & Time: Nov 28, 1931 at 1155 LT
Type of aircraft:
New Standard D-27
Operator:
Registration:
NC9123
Flight Phase:
Takeoff (climb)
Flight Type:
Postal (mail)
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
City
Schedule:
Pittsburgh – Akron
MSN:
117
YOM:
1929
Location:
Pittsburgh-Allegheny County
Pennsylvania
Country:
United States of America
Region:
North America
Crew on board:
1
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
After takeoff from Pittsburgh-Bettis Field Airport, while climbing to an altitude of 1,500 feet, the engine failed. In fog, the pilot decided to bail out and abandoned the aircraft that crashed in a residential area. The aircraft was destroyed and ground damages were important. However, nobody was injured and the pilot Melvin 'Mel' Christopher Garlow was unhurt.
Probable cause:
Engine failure.
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