Crash of a Curtiss BT-32 Condor II off Santa Bárbara de Pinto

Date & Time: Nov 17, 1942
Type of aircraft:
Curtiss T-32 Condor II
Operator:
Registration:
651
Flight Type:
Military
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Lake, Sea, Ocean, River
MSN:
54
YOM:
1934
Location:
Santa Bárbara de Pinto
Magdalena
Country:
Colombia
Region:
South America
Crew on board:
0
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
Crashed in unknown circumstances into the Río Magdalena, off Santa Bárbara de Pinto. No casualties.

Crash of a Curtiss CT-32 Condor II near La Masica: 5 killed

Date & Time: Feb 27, 1942
Type of aircraft:
Curtiss T-32 Condor II
Operator:
Registration:
7
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Military
Survivors:
No
Site:
Mountains
Schedule:
La Ceiba – Tegucigalpa
MSN:
35
YOM:
1934
Location:
La Masica
Atlántida
Country:
Honduras
Region:
Central America
Crew on board:
5
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
5
Circumstances:
While on a flight from La Ceiba to Tegucigalpa, the airplane impacted the slope of a mountain located near La Masica, 29 km southwest of La Ceiba. As the airplane failed to arrive at destination, SAR operations were initiated but eventually suspended few days later as no trace of the airplane nor the crew was found. The wreckage was spotted in March 1999 near the La Masica Pass.

Crash of a Curtiss BT-32 Condor II near Villavicencio

Date & Time: Jan 31, 1942
Type of aircraft:
Curtiss T-32 Condor II
Operator:
Registration:
653
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Military
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Plain, Valley
Schedule:
Mitú – Bogotá
MSN:
56
YOM:
1934
Location:
Villavicencio
Meta
Country:
Colombia
Region:
South America
Crew on board:
5
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
9
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
The floatplane caught fire in flight, forcing the pilot to reduce his altitude and to attempt an emergency landing. The airplane crash landed in a pasture located 26 km southeast of Villavicencio, bursting into flames. All 14 occupants escaped unhurt while the airplane was destroyed by fire.
Probable cause:
In flight fire for unknown reason.

Crash of a Curtiss BT-32C Condor II near Mórrope

Date & Time: Feb 19, 1941
Type of aircraft:
Curtiss T-32 Condor II
Operator:
Registration:
OB-IIC
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Scheduled Revenue Flight
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Desert
Schedule:
Lima - Chiclayo
MSN:
61
YOM:
1935
Location:
Mórrope
Lambayeque
Country:
Peru
Region:
South America
Crew on board:
3
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
11
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
The airplane named 'Madre de Dios' departed Lima on a schedule service to Chiclayo. En route, the crew encountered poor weather conditions and the captain passed over Chiclayo with any visual contact with the ground. Eventually, due to fuel exhaustion, he was forced to make an emergency landing when the airplane crash landed in a desert area located near Mórrope. The pilot Hugh Welles and two passengers walked away till the city of Mórrope to find help and all other 11 occupants were rescued.
Probable cause:
Fuel exhaustion.

Crash of a Curtiss YC-30 Condor II at Maxwell AFB

Date & Time: Jul 2, 1938
Type of aircraft:
Curtiss T-32 Condor II
Operator:
Registration:
33-321
Flight Phase:
Landing (descent or approach)
Flight Type:
Training
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Airport (less than 10 km from airport)
Schedule:
Maxwell - Maxwell
MSN:
27
YOM:
1933
Location:
Maxwell AFB (Montgomery)
Alabama
Country:
United States of America
Region:
North America
Crew on board:
0
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
Crashed for unknown reasons upon landing, veered off runway and collided with another aircraft. There were no casualties.

Ground fire of a Curtiss AT-32C Condor II in Copiapó

Date & Time: Jul 29, 1936
Type of aircraft:
Curtiss T-32 Condor II
Operator:
Registration:
2
Flight Phase:
Parking
Flight Type:
Scheduled Revenue Flight
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Airport (less than 10 km from airport)
MSN:
38
YOM:
1934
Location:
Copiapó
Región de Atacama
Country:
Chile
Region:
South America
Crew on board:
2
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
12
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
While parked on the apron, the airplane was prepared for a flight and the crew started the engine when a fire erupted. All 14 occupants evacuated safely and the aircraft was totally destroyed by fire.
Probable cause:
Fire at engine start for unknown reasons.

Crash of a Curtiss AT-32B Condor II in Nashville

Date & Time: Jul 27, 1935
Type of aircraft:
Curtiss T-32 Condor II
Operator:
Registration:
NC12393
Flight Phase:
Landing (descent or approach)
Flight Type:
Scheduled Revenue Flight
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Airport (less than 10 km from airport)
MSN:
45
YOM:
1934
Location:
Nashville
Tennessee
Country:
United States of America
Region:
North America
Crew on board:
3
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
10
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
The crew completed the approach in low visibility due to fog. The airplane landed too far down the runway, overran and came to rest in an open field. Four passengers were slightly injured while the aircraft was damaged beyond repair.
Probable cause:
The crew completed the approach in poor visibility due to foggy conditions and failed to locate the runway threshold. This caused the airplane to land too far down the runway, reducing the landing distance. In such conditions, the airplane was unable to stop within the remaining runway. A poor approach configuration on part of the crew and a low visibility due to fog were considered as a contributing factors.

Crash of a Curtiss AT-32C Condor II near Wilmurt

Date & Time: Dec 28, 1934 at 2035 LT
Type of aircraft:
Curtiss T-32 Condor II
Operator:
Registration:
NC12363
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Scheduled Revenue Flight
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Plain, Valley
Schedule:
Syracuse – Albany
MSN:
23
YOM:
1933
Location:
Wilmurt
New York
Country:
United States of America
Region:
North America
Crew on board:
2
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
2
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
The left engine encountered problems some 30 minutes after takeoff from Syracuse Airport. Due to heavy snow falls, the crew was unable to maintain a visual contact with the ground and radio communications with ATC were difficult. Few minutes later, the right engine lost power and the crew elected to make an emergency landing. The aircraft impacted a tree with its right wing and crashed in a wooded area. All four occupants were rescued few hours later, seriously injured by low temperature and outside conditions (snow). Carburetors failed due to icing conditions.
Probable cause:
It is the opinion of the Accident Board that the probable cause of this accident is the failure of the company to have on duty in the Division Control Office a dispatcher in charge of flight control.

Crash of a Curtiss AT-32B Condor in Buffalo

Date & Time: Dec 19, 1934
Type of aircraft:
Curtiss T-32 Condor II
Operator:
Registration:
NC12395
Flight Phase:
Landing (descent or approach)
Flight Type:
Scheduled Revenue Flight
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Airport (less than 10 km from airport)
Schedule:
Newark – Buffalo – Chicago
MSN:
47
YOM:
1934
Location:
Buffalo
New York
Country:
United States of America
Region:
North America
Crew on board:
2
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
3
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
The twin engine airplane departed Newark on a flight to Chicago with an intermediate stop in Buffalo, carrying three passengers and two crew members. After landing at Buffalo Airport, one of the engine caught fire. The pilot was able to stop the airplane and all five occupants evacuated safely. The aircraft was destroyed by fire.

Probable cause:
Engine fire after landing.

Crash of a Curtiss AT-32C Condor II in Tuttlingen: 12 killed

Date & Time: Jul 27, 1934 at 0950 LT
Type of aircraft:
Curtiss T-32 Condor II
Operator:
Registration:
CH-170
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Scheduled Revenue Flight
Survivors:
No
Site:
Plain, Valley
Schedule:
Zurich – Stuttgart – Leipzig – Berlin
MSN:
53
YOM:
1934
Location:
Tuttlingen
Baden-Württemberg
Country:
Germany
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
3
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
9
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
12
Circumstances:
The airplane departed Dübendorf Airport on a schedule service to Berlin with intermediate stops in Stuttgart and Leipzig. After passing the border between Switzerland and Germany, while cruising at an altitude of 3,000 feet, the crew encountered poor weather conditions with thunderstorm activity and turbulences. The right wing detached and the aircraft entered an uncontrolled descent then crashed in a wooded area located in Tuttlingen, some 30 km north of the Swiss/German border. The aircraft was completely demolished by impact forces and all 12 occupants were killed. This was the first accident involving a Swissair's aircraft since its foundation in 1931. Brand new, the aircraft was in service by the Swiss National carrier since March 28, 1934.
Crew:
Armin Mühlematter, pilot,
Hans Daschinger, radio navigator,
Nelly Diener, stewardess. First official stewardess in Europe, she started her carrier by Swissair on May 1st, 1934.
Probable cause:
The break-up was attributed to the failure of the aircraft’s starboard wing due to fractures in the power plant/wing structure. Oscillations were blamed for causing the original fractures in the structure, with stress from unfavorable winds encountered in the cloud through which CH-170 had flown factoring in the ultimate failure. The German investigative commission ruled that one of the original fractures was facilitated by defects with respect to construction and welding technology. A second fracture, occurring later, apparently resulted from what was described as ‘brute’ force.
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