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Crash of a Caproni Ca.133 in Djibouti City

Date & Time: Oct 13, 1939
Type of aircraft:
Caproni Ca.133
Operator:
Registration:
I-DIRE
Flight Phase:
Landing (descent or approach)
Flight Type:
Scheduled Revenue Flight
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Airport (less than 10 km from airport)
YOM:
1936
Location:
Djibouti City
Djibouti City District
Country:
Djibouti
Region:
Africa
Crew on board:
2
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
4
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
The crew was completing a turn to join the runway when the aircraft stalled and crashed in Gabode, near the airport. All six occupants were injured and the aircraft was destroyed.
Probable cause:
Loss of control on approach following an engine failure.

Crash of a Savoia-Marchetti SM.73 in Heliopolis

Date & Time: Dec 13, 1938
Type of aircraft:
Savoia-Marchetti SM.73
Operator:
Registration:
I-ATRI
Flight Phase:
Landing (descent or approach)
Flight Type:
Scheduled Revenue Flight
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Airport (less than 10 km from airport)
Schedule:
Benghazi – Héliopolis
MSN:
30018
YOM:
1936
Location:
Heliopolis
Cairo
Country:
Egypt
Region:
Africa
Crew on board:
0
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
On approach to Heliopolis, the airplane suffered an engine failure. The crew attempted an emergency landing when the airplane crashed. There were no casualties but two crew members were seriously injured. The aircraft was damaged beyond repair.
Probable cause:
Engine failure on approach.

Crash of a Savoia-Marchetti SM.75C in Winklern: 4 killed

Date & Time: Nov 22, 1938
Type of aircraft:
Savoia-Marchetti SM.75
Operator:
Registration:
I-TUON
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Scheduled Revenue Flight
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Mountains
Schedule:
Munich – Rome
MSN:
32017
YOM:
1938
Location:
Winklern
Carinthia
Country:
Austria
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
5
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
4
Circumstances:
While cruising in bad weather conditions, the aircraft impacte the slope of a mountain shrouded in clouds and located near Winklern. A crew member was seriously injured while four other occupants were killed.
Probable cause:
Controlled flight into terrain. It it believed that the aircraft drifted off course due to strong winds, and the crew was unable to the faulty heading due to poor visibility.

Crash of a Savoia-Marchetti S.66 into the Tyrrhenian Sea: 20 killed

Date & Time: Jul 14, 1938 at 0800 LT
Type of aircraft:
Savoia-Marchetti S.66
Operator:
Registration:
I-VOLO
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Scheduled Revenue Flight
Survivors:
No
Site:
Lake, Sea, Ocean, River
Schedule:
Cagliari – Rome
MSN:
15013
YOM:
1935
Location:
Tyrrhenian Sea
All World
Country:
World
Region:
World
Crew on board:
4
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
16
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
20
Circumstances:
The three engine float plane departed Cagliari in the early morning and continued its route along the east coast of Sardinia. While overflying over the Tyrrhenian Sea, the aircraft entered an uncontrolled descent and crashed. The crew did not send any mayday message. Debris were found floating on water some 145 km east of Olbia and none of the 20 occupants survived the crash.

Crash of a Savoia-Marchetti SM.73 in Maranola: 19 killed

Date & Time: Apr 30, 1938 at 1400 LT
Type of aircraft:
Savoia-Marchetti SM.73
Operator:
Registration:
I-MEDA
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Scheduled Revenue Flight
Survivors:
No
Site:
Mountains
Schedule:
Tirana – Rome
MSN:
30020
YOM:
1937
Flight number:
422
Location:
Maranola
Lazio
Country:
Italy
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
5
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
14
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
19
Circumstances:
En route from Tirana to Rome, the crew encountered poor weather conditions. Too low, the airplane impacted the slope of a mountain located in Maranela, northeast of Formia. The aircraft disintegrated on impact and all 19 occupants were killed.
Probable cause:
Controlled flight into terrain.

Crash of a Junkers JU.52/3m off Venice

Date & Time: Mar 30, 1938
Type of aircraft:
Junkers JU.52
Operator:
Registration:
I-BEZI
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Training
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Lake, Sea, Ocean, River
Schedule:
Venice - Venice
MSN:
4062
YOM:
1935
Location:
Venice-Lido
Veneto
Country:
Italy
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
2
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
The crew was performing a local training flight out from Venice-Lido Airport. While flying at full power, the pilot-in-command lost control of the airplane that stalled and crashed into the sea off the Lido coast. Both crewmen were injured and the aircraft sank.

Crash of a CRDA CANT Z.506 Airone into the Mediterranean Sea: 14 killed

Date & Time: Feb 13, 1938 at 1430 LT
Type of aircraft:
CRDA CANT Z.506 Airone
Operator:
Registration:
I-ORIA
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Scheduled Revenue Flight
Survivors:
No
Site:
Lake, Sea, Ocean, River
Schedule:
Cadiz – Pollença –Alghero – Rome
MSN:
297
YOM:
1936
Location:
Mediterranean Sea
All World
Country:
World
Region:
World
Crew on board:
4
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
10
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
14
Circumstances:
The float plane departed Cadiz on a flight to Rome with intermediate stops in Pollença (Balearic Islands) and Alghero, Sardinia, carrying 10 passengers and four crew members. It took off from Pollença around noon. At 1430LT, while cruising over the Mediterranean Sea, the radio operator reported his position and informed ground he was encountering very bad weather conditions with storms. This was the last transmission received from the crew. As the airplane failed to arrive in Alghero, SAR operations were initiated but eventually suspended few days later as no trace of the aircraft nor the 14 occupants was ever found.

Crash of a Caproni Ca.312 Libeccio in Paris

Date & Time: Feb 10, 1938
Type of aircraft:
Caproni Ca.310/311/312/313
Operator:
Registration:
I-ALAL
Flight Phase:
Landing (descent or approach)
Flight Type:
Positioning
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Airport (less than 10 km from airport)
Schedule:
Milan – Paris – Croydon
MSN:
7
YOM:
1938
Location:
Paris-Le Bourget
Seine-Saint-Denis
Country:
France
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
1
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
The pilot, sole on board, was completing a positioning flight from Milan to Croydon. In unknown circumstances, the twin engine airplane crashed upon landing at Paris-Le Bourget Airport. The pilot escaped uninjured while the aircraft was damaged beyond repair.

Crash of a Savoia-Marchetti SM.73 in Wadi Halfa: 8 killed

Date & Time: Aug 2, 1937 at 0530 LT
Type of aircraft:
Savoia-Marchetti SM.73
Operator:
Registration:
I-SUSA
Flight Phase:
Landing (descent or approach)
Flight Type:
Scheduled Revenue Flight
Survivors:
No
Site:
Airport (less than 10 km from airport)
Schedule:
Rome - Cairo - Wadi Halfa - Asmara - Addis Ababa
MSN:
30014
YOM:
1936
Location:
Wadi Halfa
Northern (الشمالية)
Country:
Sudan
Region:
Africa
Crew on board:
4
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
4
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
8
Circumstances:
On final approach to Wadi Halfa Airport at night, the crew initiated a go around procedure for unknown reasons. The three engine airplane stalled and crashed short of runway. All eight occupants. were killed.
Crew:
Mr. Mondi, pilot,
Mr. Gallatti, copilot,
Mr. Damiani, engineer,
Mr. Carcavallo, radio navigator.
Passengers:
Mr. Blanetti,
Mr. Tavoletti,
Mr. Cohen,
Mrs. Lucienne Pottier.

Sincere thanks to Mr. Frédéric Thomas, son of Mrs. Pottier.

Crash of a CRDA CANT Z.506 Airone off Benghazi: 9 killed

Date & Time: Sep 24, 1936
Type of aircraft:
CRDA CANT Z.506 Airone
Operator:
Registration:
I-RODI
Flight Phase:
Landing (descent or approach)
Flight Type:
Scheduled Revenue Flight
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Lake, Sea, Ocean, River
Schedule:
Addis Ababa – Benghazi – Rome
MSN:
301
YOM:
1936
Location:
Benghazi
Benghazi (بنغازي)
Country:
Libya
Region:
Africa
Crew on board:
3
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
7
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
9
Circumstances:
On approach to Benghazi, one of the three engines exploded. The pilot decided to hurry the descent when the float plane hit the mast of a boat and crashed in a huge explosion into the bay off Benghazi. The radio navigator was seriously injured and all nine others occupants were killed. The airplane was en route to Rome with the mail from the Italian troops based in Ethiopia.
Probable cause:
Engine explosion on approach.
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