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Crash of a Short S.23 Empire Flying Boat in Ouroux: 5 killed

Date & Time: Mar 24, 1937 at 1411 LT
Type of aircraft:
Short S.23 Empire Flying Boat
Operator:
Registration:
G-ADVA
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Scheduled Revenue Flight
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Mountains
Schedule:
Southampton – Brindisi – Mirabella – Alexandria – Durban
MSN:
S.818
YOM:
1936
Location:
Ouroux
Rhône
Country:
France
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
5
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
1
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
5
Aircraft flight hours:
10
Circumstances:
The float plane departed Southampton at 1150LT on a flight to Durban with intermediate stops in Brindisi, Mirabella and Alexandria. On board were one passenger, five crew members and a load of mail, four boxes with 160 kg of gold, one box of gemstone et tree bags of bank notes from the National British and Egyptian Banks. While overflying the Morvan Mountain Range, the radio navigator contacted ground control in Lyon-Bron to obtain a position briefing. While flying in snow falls, the four engine aircraft named 'Capricornus' deviated from the flight plan then impacted two pine trees and crashed near Ouroux, some 20 km southwest of Mâcon. The radio navigator survived and walked few km to find help. When he returned to the aircraft, he found that all five other occupants were killed.
Crew:
A. Paterson, pilot,
G. E. Klein, copilot,
Denis R. O'Brien, flight clerk,
James L. Cooper, radio navigator,
F. A. E. Jeffcoate, steward.
Passenger:
Beatrix 'Betty' Mercy Coats.
Probable cause:
Controlled flight into terrain following a navigational error due to zero visibility in snow falls. The crew thought he was overflying the Saône Valley when the accident occurred.

Crash of a De Havilland DH.86 Express in Elsdorf: 3 killed

Date & Time: Mar 15, 1937 at 2320 LT
Type of aircraft:
De Havilland DH.86 Express
Operator:
Registration:
G-ACVZ
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Charter/Taxi (Non Scheduled Revenue Flight)
Survivors:
No
Site:
Plain, Valley
Schedule:
Croydon – Cologne
MSN:
2303
YOM:
1934
Location:
Elsdorf
North Rhine-Westphalia
Country:
Germany
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
2
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
1
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
3
Circumstances:
The four engine aircraft departed Croydon Airport for Cologne at 2130LT with no mail on board. At 2258LT, while overflying Belgium, the radio navigator informed ATC he was flying in good visibility with no icing conditions. Descending to Cologne-Butzweilerhof Airport, the aircraft crashed in unknown circumstances in Elsdorf, some 42 km northwest of the airport. All three occupants were killed.
Crew:
C. B. Holmes, pilot,
C. E. Langman, wireless operator.
Passenger:
C. F. Wolley Dod, Imperial Airways European Manager.

Crash of a Boulton & Paul P.71A off Dungeness: 2 killed

Date & Time: Sep 25, 1936
Type of aircraft:
Boulton & Paul P.71
Operator:
Registration:
G-ACOX
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Postal (mail)
Survivors:
No
Site:
Lake, Sea, Ocean, River
Schedule:
Croydon – Paris
MSN:
P.71/1
YOM:
1934
Location:
Dungeness
Kent
Country:
United Kingdom
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
2
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
2
Circumstances:
The twin engine aircraft named 'Boadicea' departed Croydon on a mail flight to Paris-Le Bourget with two crew members on board. It crashed in unknown circumstances into The Channel off Dungeness, Kent. Both crew members were killed.
crew:
Cpt Alfred Cecil Thomas, pilot,
Harold Eugene Percival, wireless operator.

Crash of a Short S.17 Kent off Mirabella: 2 killed

Date & Time: Aug 22, 1936
Type of aircraft:
Short S.17 Kent
Operator:
Registration:
G-ABFA
Flight Phase:
Landing (descent or approach)
Flight Type:
Scheduled Revenue Flight
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Lake, Sea, Ocean, River
Schedule:
Alexandria – Mirabella – Brindisi – Southampton
MSN:
S.758
YOM:
1930
Location:
Mirabella
Crete / Κρήτη
Country:
Greece
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
3
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
8
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
2
Circumstances:
Named 'Scipio', the float plane was landing in the bay of Mirabella harbor, Crete when it was caught by strong winds. It struck waves, came to a stop and partially sank with broken wings. Two passengers were killed while nine other occupants were injured.
Those killed were:
Lt Richard Glen Wilson Dickson,
Thomas Alexander Cecil (Whimmie) Forbes.
Probable cause:
Loss of control following strong lateral winds while landing on rough sea.

Crash of a Vickers 212 Vellox in Croydon: 4 killed

Date & Time: Aug 10, 1936 at 0200 LT
Type of aircraft:
Vickers Vellox
Operator:
Registration:
G-ABKY
Flight Phase:
Takeoff (climb)
Flight Type:
Postal (mail)
Survivors:
No
Site:
City
Schedule:
Croydon – Paris
MSN:
1
YOM:
1934
Location:
Croydon
Surrey
Country:
United Kingdom
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
4
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
4
Circumstances:
The airplane departed Croydon Airport on a night mail flight to Paris-Le Bourget, carrying four crew members. Shortly after takeoff, while in initial climb, the airplane encountered difficulties to gain height then stalled and crashed in a garden located in Hillside Gardens, less than a km from the airport, bursting into flames. The aircraft was totally destroyed and all four occupants were killed.
Crew:
Cpt Lionel Frank Hastings Orr, pilot,
Cpt Stanley Miles Fergusson, pilot,
Robert Arbuckle, wireless operator,
Jeffrey Denis Dear, wireless operator.
Probable cause:
The following factors were identified:
- The accident was due to a sudden loss of engine power occurring in circumstances that were unfavourable for and may even have rendered impossible the carrying out of a successful forced landing,
- That the cause of the sudden loss of engine power cannot be determined, but that the evidence is suggestive of the starboard engine having been either the first or the only engine to fail, and
- The most likely cause was either some obstruction of the fuel system or incorrect setting of the fuel controls.

Crash of a Short S.8 Calcutta off Alexandria: 12 killed

Date & Time: Dec 31, 1935 at 1915 LT
Type of aircraft:
Short S.8 Calcutta
Operator:
Registration:
G-AASJ
Flight Phase:
Landing (descent or approach)
Flight Type:
Scheduled Revenue Flight
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Lake, Sea, Ocean, River
Schedule:
London – Brindisi – Mirabella – Alexandria
MSN:
S.752
YOM:
1929
Location:
Alexandria
Alexandria
Country:
Egypt
Region:
Africa
Crew on board:
4
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
9
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
12
Circumstances:
On final approach to Alexandria at night, the float plane stalled and crashed into the sea, some two km offshore. The captain was injured and all twelve other occupants were killed.
Probable cause:
Failure of all three engines on approach due to a fuel exhaustion.

Crash of a De Havilland DH.66 Hercules in Entebbe

Date & Time: Nov 23, 1935
Type of aircraft:
De Havilland DH.66 Hercules
Operator:
Registration:
G-ABCP
Flight Phase:
Takeoff (climb)
Flight Type:
Scheduled Revenue Flight
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Airport (less than 10 km from airport)
Schedule:
Entebbe – Juba
MSN:
347
YOM:
1929
Location:
Entebbe
Central
Country:
Uganda
Region:
Africa
Crew on board:
0
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
Shortly after takeoff from Entebbe Airport, while climbing, the three engine aircraft stalled and crashed in a muddy field. All occupants evacuated safely and the aircraft named 'City of Jodhpur' was damaged beyond repair.

Crash of a Short S.17 Kent in Brindisi: 12 killed

Date & Time: Nov 9, 1935
Type of aircraft:
Short S.17 Kent
Operator:
Registration:
G-ABFB
Flight Phase:
Parking
Flight Type:
Scheduled Revenue Flight
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Lake, Sea, Ocean, River
Schedule:
London – Brindisi – Alexandria
MSN:
S.759
YOM:
1930
Location:
Brindisi
Apulia
Country:
Italy
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
3
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
10
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
12
Circumstances:
Just prior to takeoff, while the crew was preparing the departure, a fire erupted. The aircraft named 'Sylvanus' exploded in the harbor of Brindisi and was rapidly consumed by fire. A passenger was injured while 12 other occupants were killed.
Probable cause:
According to the Italian Authorities, the fire erupted while the ground crew just ended tanking up.

Crash of a Boulton & Paul P.71A in Brussels

Date & Time: Oct 25, 1935 at 0256 LT
Type of aircraft:
Boulton & Paul P.71
Operator:
Registration:
G-ACOY
Flight Phase:
Landing (descent or approach)
Flight Type:
Scheduled Revenue Flight
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Airport (less than 10 km from airport)
Schedule:
Croydon – Brussels
MSN:
P.71A/2
YOM:
1934
Location:
Brussels
Flemish Brabant
Country:
Belgium
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
3
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
12
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
On final approach to Brussels-Haren Airport at night, the twin engine aircraft impacted the ground and crashed 10 metres short of runway. All 15 occupants were rescued, among them seven were injured, two seriously. The aircraft named 'Britomart' was damaged beyond repair.

Crash of a De Havilland DH.86 in Zwettl

Date & Time: Oct 22, 1935
Type of aircraft:
De Havilland DH.86 Express
Operator:
Registration:
G-ADCM
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Scheduled Revenue Flight
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Plain, Valley
Schedule:
Croydon – Vienne
MSN:
2317
YOM:
1935
Location:
Zwettl
Lower Austria
Country:
Austria
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
0
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
En route from Croydon to Vienna, the crew encountered marginal weather with severe icing conditions. The situation became critical so the captain decided to reduce his altitude and to attempt an emergency landing. The airplane crash landed in an open field located near Zwettl, some 80 km northwest of Vienna. All occupants evacuated safely and the aircraft named 'Draco' was damaged beyond repair.
Probable cause:
Icing.
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