Crash of a Dornier Do J Wal in Ferrol: 6 killed

Date & Time: Sep 3, 1930
Type of aircraft:
Registration:
D-5
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Site:
Schedule:
Ferrol – Santander
Location:
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
6
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
6
Circumstances:
The crew departed Ferrol on a flight to Santander to take part to manoeuvres. Few minutes after takeoff, while flying over Cape Ortegal, weather conditions deteriorated and due to an insufficient visibility caused by fog, the captain decided to return to Ferrol. While descending to Ferrol, the seaplane was too low and crashed on the slope of a mountain located near Cape Prioriño, west of Ferrol. The aircraft disintegrated on impact and all six crew members were killed.
Crew:
Ens Fernando Cano-Manuel y Auberede
Mst Jaime Planas Pujol,
Mst Luis Azcárate Escudero,
Mst José Sánchez Mariscal,
Mst Manuel Rubio Rodríguez,
Cpl Juan Bautista Navarro Ros.
Probable cause:
Controlled flight into terrain.

Crash of a Dornier Do J Wal off Bornholm Island: 5 killed

Date & Time: Jul 7, 1930 at 1620 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
D-864
Flight Phase:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Szczecin – Stockholm
MSN:
27/44
YOM:
1925
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
3
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
5
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
5
Circumstances:
En route from Szczecin to Stockholm, while approaching the Bornholm Island, an engine failed, forcing the crew to ditch the aircraft into the Baltic Sea at 1620LT. SAR were initiated in rough sea. Five occupants including the radio navigator were killed while three others were rescued. The aircraft was later towed but eventually sank and was lost.
Probable cause:
Engine malfunction caused by a crankshaft failure.

Crash of a Dornier Do J Wal Eagle IX Cabina in the Mediterranean Sea

Date & Time: Jan 3, 1930
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
I-DAER
MSN:
48
YOM:
1926
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
0
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
Crashed in unknown circumstances in the Mediterranean Sea off the Italian coast.

Crash of a Dornier Do J Wal off El Atalayón

Date & Time: Sep 20, 1929 at 1030 LT
Type of aircraft:
Registration:
W-5
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
El Atalayón - El Atalayón
MSN:
5
YOM:
1924
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
5
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
The seaplane was engaged in a loca training flight out from El Atalayón Naval Station. In unknown circumstances, the airplane crashed in the sea few hundred metres offshore. All five crew members were injured, three seriously.

Crash of a Dornier Do J Wal in Basra: 1 killed

Date & Time: May 2, 1929
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
D-22
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Texel - Basra - Batavia
MSN:
17
YOM:
1929
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
3
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
1
Circumstances:
The seaplane was on a delivery flight from The Netherlands to the Dutch Indies. It crashed in unknown circumstances in Basra, Iraq. The pilot P. S. Everts was killed while both other occupants were seriously injured. The aircraft was destroyed.

Crash of a Dornier Do J Wal off Cape Figalo: 3 killed

Date & Time: Dec 31, 1928
Type of aircraft:
Registration:
W-8
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Los Alcázares - Melilla
MSN:
31
YOM:
1925
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
3
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
3
Circumstances:
The seaplane departed the bay of Los Alcázares at 0900LT on a flight to Melilla, carrying three crew members. As the aircraft failed to arrive at destination, SAR operations were initiated. Five days later, on 5 January 1929, the wreckage was found four km west of Cape Figalo, Algeria. All three crew members were killed.
Crew:
Cdt Caulac,
Cpt Pauler +1.

Crash of a Dornier Do J Wal off Rio de Janeiro: 14 killed

Date & Time: Dec 3, 1928 at 0800 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
P-BACA
Flight Phase:
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Rio de Janeiro - Rio de Janeiro
MSN:
83
YOM:
1927
Country:
Crew on board:
5
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
9
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
14
Circumstances:
The aircraft named 'Santos Dumont' was engaged in a special flight over the Guanabara Bay to take part to the celebrations for the return of Alberto Santos Dumont in Brazil. While cruising at a height of 300 feet, the pilot was forced to make a sharp turn to avoid a collision with another Dornier Do J Wal registered P-BAIA and named 'Guanabara'. During the turn, a part of a wing failed due to a structural failure and the seaplane entered a dive and crashed in the Guanabara Bay, near the German ship named 'Cap Arcona' that just arrived in Rio with the Brazilian Aviator Alberto Santos Dumont on board. The seaplane crashed off the Cobras Island, killing all 14 people aboard.
Probable cause:
Structural failure of a wing during a sharp turn to avoid a collision with another aircraft.

Crash of a Dornier Do J Wal off Valence: 3 killed

Date & Time: Sep 29, 1928 at 1500 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
I-PLIF
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
MSN:
66
YOM:
1928
Location:
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
5
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
3
Circumstances:
The crew was returning to Italy from the Svalbard (Spitzberg) archipelago after taking part to a SAR mission for the Italian Dirigible named 'Italia' that crashed during the summer time. En route, while cruising along the Rhône River, some 2 km south of Valence, weather conditions deteriorated and the visibility was poor due to heavy rain falls. The captain decided to return and made a sharp turn to the right at low altitude. The seaplane hit the power cables of the electricity company of Vercors, stalled and crashed in the Rhône River. Three crew members, among them both pilots, were killed. Two mechanics were slightly injured. The aircraft named 'Marina II' was destroyed.
Crew:
Cpt Gian Luigi Pinzo, pilot, †
Lt Tulio Crosio, copilot, †
Off Giuseppe Della Gatta, engineer, †
Mr. Codoniosto, mechanic,
Mr. Barrachini, mechanic.
Probable cause:
Poor judgement on part of the crew who made a sharp turn at low altitude, allowing the aircraft to hit power cables.

Crash of a Dornier DO J Wal in the Atlantic Ocean

Date & Time: Aug 1, 1928
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
G-CAJI
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Pisa – Lisbon – Horta – Halifax – New York
MSN:
077
YOM:
1928
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
3
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
Owned by the Canadian E. Hosmer, the twin engine seaplane was completing a transatlantic flight from Pisa to New York with intermediate stops in Lisbon, Horta and Halifax. On 28JUL1928, the crew departed Lisbon at 0800LT and arrived in the Azores Island the same day at 1700LT. On 01AUG1928, the aircraft departed Horta bound for Canada but en route, crew should make an emergency landing due to an engine fire some 500 miles offshore. The crew was rescued a day later by the crew of the ship named 'Minnewaska' and transferred to the US. The aircraft was recovered few days later by the crew of the ship named 'Valprato' and transferred to Canadian Vickers manufactury. Repair costs were considered as too high so the aircraft was withdrawn from use.
Probable cause:
Engine fire in flight.