Crash of a Pitcairn PA-6 Mailwing near Mishawaka

Date & Time: Mar 11, 1930
Type of aircraft:
Pitcairn PA-6 Mailwing
Operator:
Registration:
NC878M
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Postal (mail)
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Plain, Valley
Schedule:
Kalamazoo – Chicago
MSN:
55
YOM:
1929
Location:
Mishawaka
Indiana
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 approaching South Bend, the pilot encountered poor weather conditions with heavy snow falls. As he lost his orientation and was unable to fix his position, he decided to abandon the aircraft and bailed out. He landed about four miles southeast of Mishawaka, half a mile from where the plane crashed and was destroyed. Two sacks of mail were undamaged. The pilot Albert Hunt "Al" DeWitt was uninjured.

Crash of a Pitcairn PA-6 Mailwing in Flint

Date & Time: Feb 18, 1930
Type of aircraft:
Pitcairn PA-6 Mailwing
Operator:
Registration:
NC129E
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Postal (mail)
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Plain, Valley
Schedule:
Cleveland – Bay City
MSN:
15
YOM:
1928
Location:
Flint-Bishop
Michigan
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 cruising at an altitude of 1,000 feet in poor weather conditions (heavy snow falls), the engine failed. The pilot decided to bail out and abandoned the aircraft that entered a spin and crashed in a field located one mile northeast of Flint. The plane was wrecked but three pouches of mail were saved. The pilot Clifford William March was uninjured.
Probable cause:
Engine failure in flight.

Crash of a Pitcairn PA-6 Mailwing in Silver Creek

Date & Time: Feb 3, 1930
Type of aircraft:
Pitcairn PA-6 Mailwing
Operator:
Registration:
NC355E
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Postal (mail)
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Plain, Valley
MSN:
23
YOM:
1928
Location:
Silver Creek
New York
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 cruising by night, the pilot failed to realize his altitude was insufficient when the aircraft impacted trees and crashed in a wooded area. The pilot was seriously injured and the aircraft was destroyed.

Crash of a Pitcairn PA-6 Mailwing in Hartford: 1 killed

Date & Time: Feb 3, 1930
Type of aircraft:
Pitcairn PA-6 Mailwing
Operator:
Registration:
NC801H
Flight Phase:
Landing (descent or approach)
Flight Type:
Postal (mail)
Survivors:
No
Site:
Lake, Sea, Ocean, River
Schedule:
Newark – Hartford
MSN:
41
YOM:
1929
Location:
Hartford
Connecticut
Country:
United States of America
Region:
North America
Crew on board:
1
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
1
Circumstances:
The pilot was completing a mail flight from Newark to Hartford, Connecticut. While approaching the destination, he failed to realize his altitude was insufficient when the airplane impacted the roof of a house and crashed in the Connecticut River. The pilot, sole on board, was killed.

Crash of a Pitcairn PA-6 Mailwing on Mt Lamentation: 1 killed

Date & Time: Sep 17, 1929
Type of aircraft:
Pitcairn PA-6 Mailwing
Operator:
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Postal (mail)
Survivors:
No
Site:
Mountains
Schedule:
Hartford - Newark
Location:
Mt Lamentation
Connecticut
Country:
United States of America
Region:
North America
Crew on board:
1
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
1
Circumstances:
Few minutes after takeoff from Hartford-Brainard Airport, en route to Newark. The pilot encountered poor visibility due to foggy conditions. Too low, the aircraft impacted trees and crashed in a wooded area located on Mt Lamentation, northeast of Meriden. The aircraft was destroyed by impact forces and a post crash fire and the pilot, sole on board, was killed.

Crash of a Pitcairn PA-6 Mailwing in Atlanta: 1 killed

Date & Time: Sep 13, 1929
Type of aircraft:
Pitcairn PA-6 Mailwing
Operator:
Registration:
NC38E
Flight Phase:
Landing (descent or approach)
Flight Type:
Postal (mail)
Survivors:
No
Site:
Airport (less than 10 km from airport)
Schedule:
New York – Atlanta
MSN:
13
YOM:
1928
Location:
Atlanta
Georgia
Country:
United States of America
Region:
North America
Crew on board:
1
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
1
Circumstances:
On approach to Atlanta, the aircraft was too low and collided with the mast of radio antenna. Out of control, it crashed in a field located in Fort McPherson, north of the airport. The pilot Rushton Sidney 'Sid' Molloy was killed.

Crash of a Pitcairn PA-6 Mailwing in Jetersville

Date & Time: Sep 5, 1929
Type of aircraft:
Pitcairn PA-6 Mailwing
Operator:
Registration:
NC36E
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Postal (mail)
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Plain, Valley
MSN:
11
YOM:
1928
Location:
Jetersville
Virginia
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, the pilot decided to abandon the aircraft due to a fuel exhaustion and bailed out. The aircraft entered a dive and crashed in an uninhabited area. The pilot was found alive.
Probable cause:
Fuel exhaustion.

Crash of a Pitcairn PA-6 Mailwing in Blue Plains

Date & Time: Apr 25, 1929
Type of aircraft:
Pitcairn PA-6 Mailwing
Operator:
Registration:
NC127E
Flight Phase:
Landing (descent or approach)
Flight Type:
Postal (mail)
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Plain, Valley
MSN:
14
YOM:
1928
Location:
Blue Plains
Washington DC
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:
On approach to Washington DC Airport, the engine failed. The pilot attempted an emergency landing in Blue Plains when the airplane hit a fence and crashed. The pilot was injured and the airplane was destroyed.
Probable cause:
Engine failure on approach.

Crash of a Pitcairn PA-6 Mailwing in Saint-Jean-sur-Richelieu

Date & Time: Apr 8, 1929
Type of aircraft:
Pitcairn PA-6 Mailwing
Operator:
International Airways of Canada
Registration:
G-CAWG
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Postal (mail)
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Plain, Valley
Schedule:
Montraal – Toronto
MSN:
17
YOM:
1929
Location:
Saint-Jean-sur-Richelieu
Quebec
Country:
Canada
Region:
North America
Crew on board:
1
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
Few minutes after takeoff from Montreal, while flying in poor weather conditions, the engine failed. The pilot attempted an emergency landing when the aircraft crash landed in a pasture located about 5 km north of Saint-Jean-sur-Richelieu. The aircraft was damaged beyond repair and the pilot was injured.
Probable cause:
Engine failure in flight.
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