Postal (mail) | Bureau of Aircraft Accidents Archives

The aircraft was completing a regular schedule flight from Paris-Le Bourget to Croydon with three passengers and a crew of two on board. While cruising at a height of 500 feet in foggy conditions, the aircraft collided with a De Havilland DH.18A operated by Daimler Airway and registered G-EAWO. It appears that the DH.18 hit the upper left wing of the Farman which detached. Both aircraft crashed in an open field (a piece of wing crashed on the roof of a house) and were destroyed. While the British pilot was seriously injured, all other six occupants were killed. The only survivor died from his injuries few hours later. The collision occurred in Thieuloy-Saint-Antoine, some four km south of Grandvilliers and 27 km north of Beauvais, Oise. At the time of the accident, the visibility was reduced due to fog. First collision in commercial aviation history.
Crew:
Robin E. Duke, pilot
Edward Hesterman, steward.

Probable cause:

Both crews were apparently trying to maintain visual contact with the ground while flying under a low overcast, and must have simply failed to see each other in time to prevent the accident. It was also reported that G-EAWO had been slightly to the left of the proper course, maybe due to the inexperience of the pilot on this line. Priority rules should be the same in aviation as on the road but in the present case, experts confirmed these rules were not the same in UK and France. So new priority rules will come into force following this tragic event.

Crash of a Breguet 14 in Algemesí

Date & Time: Nov 8, 1921

Type of aircraft:

Breguet 14

Operator:

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En route, the pilot encountered technical problems and elected to make an emergency landing in Algemesí, some 30 km south of Valencia. While the aircraft was damaged beyond repair, the pilot escaped with minor injuries.

Crash of a Fokker F3 in Rotterdam

Date & Time: Oct 26, 1921

Type of aircraft:

Fokker F3

Operator:

Registration:

H-NABL

Flight Phase:

Landing (descent or approach)

Flight Type:

Postal (mail)

Survivors:

Yes

Site:

Airport (less than 10 km from airport)

Schedule:

Croydon - Rotterdam

MSN:

1533

YOM:

1921

Location:

Waalhaven (Rotterdam)

South Holland

Country:

Netherlands

Region:

Europe

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The pilot was performing a night mail flight from Rotterdam to Croydon. While flying over The Channel, the pilot encountered foggy conditions and decided to return to Rotterdam. On approach to Waalhaven, the aircraft impacted ground and came to rest. The pilot was uninjured and the aircraft was damaged beyond repair. It was rebuilt with another MSN 1530 and registration H-NABR.

Crash of a Breguet 14T Bis in Croydon

Date & Time: Sep 17, 1921

Type of aircraft:

Breguet 14

Operator:

Registration:

F-ADBN

Flight Phase:

Landing (descent or approach)

Flight Type:

Postal (mail)

Survivors:

Yes

Site:

Airport (less than 10 km from airport)

Schedule:

Paris – Croydon

MSN:

1913

YOM:

1921

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Following an unventful mail flight from Paris-Le Bourget, the pilot was approaching Croydon Airfield when he encountere strong winds and lost control of the airplane that crashed in Wallingont, west of the aerodrome. The aircraft was damaged beyond repair and the pilot Rousselin escaped with minor injuries.

Probable cause:

Loss of control due to high winds.

Crash of a Farman F.60 Goliath off Calais: 2 killed

Date & Time: Aug 26, 1921 at 1332 LT

Type of aircraft:

Farman F.60 Goliath

Operator:

Registration:

O-BLAN

Flight Phase:

Flight

Flight Type:

Postal (mail)

Survivors:

Site:

Lake, Sea, Ocean, River

Schedule:

Croydon - Brussels

MSN:

17/7248

YOM:

1920

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The aircraft was on its way from Croydon to Brussels-Haren Airport, a daily mail service, with a crew of two on board. While overflying The Channel, the aircraft caught fire and crashed in the sea some 6 km off Calais, France. The crew of a tug-boat named 'Champion' arrived on the scene but found only some debris floating on water and no trace of both crew members who were later considered as deceased.
Crew:
Lt Paul Delsenne, pilot
Raymond Rijckers, mechanic.

French pilot Delsenne was a freelance in the Belgian aviation since July 1920 and this was his last official flight as he should join the Armée de l'Air in Châteauroux on 01SEP1921. On his side, Raymond Rijckers was a young mechanic aged 21 and should obtain his pilot licence in a short time.

Probable cause:

A loss of control following an in-flight fire.

Crash of a Salmson 2.A2 in Toulouse: 2 killed

Date & Time: Aug 11, 1921

Type of aircraft:

Salmson 2.A2

Operator:

Registration:

F-ALBI

Flight Phase:

Takeoff (climb)

Flight Type:

Postal (mail)

Survivors:

Site:

Airport (less than 10 km from airport)

Schedule:

Toulouse - Barcelona

MSN:

YOM:

1921

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The crew was completing a mail flight to Barcelona. Shortly after takeoff from Toulouse-Montaudran Airport, while climbing, the engine failed. The aircraft lost height and crashed, killing both crew members.
Crew:
Roger Portal, pilot
François Gaye, mechanic.

Probable cause:

Engine failure on takeoff.

Crash of a De Havilland DH.4K in San Francisco: 1 killed

Date & Time: Jul 6, 1921

Type of aircraft:

De Havilland DH.4

Operator:

Registration:

222

Flight Phase:

Takeoff (climb)

Flight Type:

Postal (mail)

Survivors:

Site:

Airport (less than 10 km from airport)

Schedule:

San Francisco – Sacramento

Location:

Marina Field (San Francisco)

California

Country:

United States of America

Region:

North America

Crew on board:

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Circumstances:

Shortly after takeoff from Marina Field in San Francisco, while climbing to a height of about 500 feet, the aircraft was caught in an air pocket. The pilot lost control of the airplane that entered a dive and crashed. The pilot was killed.

Crash of a Blériot Spad 27 near Dieppe

Date & Time: Jun 8, 1921

Type of aircraft:

Blériot Spad 27

Operator:

Registration:

F-CMAV

Flight Phase:

Flight Type:

Survivors:

Site:

Schedule:

Paris - Croydon

MSN:

1252

YOM:

1920

Location:

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Circumstances:

The pilot, sole on board, was completing a mail flight from Paris-Le Bourget to Croydon. While flying in the region of Dieppe, he encountered low visibility due to foggy conditions. At a too low altitude, the airplane impacted trees with one of its wings, stalled and crashed in the Arques forest. While the pilot was seriously injured, the aircraft was destroyed.

Crash of a Breguet 14.A2 in El Campello

Date & Time: May 8, 1921

Type of aircraft:

Breguet 14

Operator:

Registration:

F-ALHE

Flight Phase:

Landing (descent or approach)

Flight Type:

Postal (mail)

Survivors:

Site:

Plain, Valley

Schedule:

Barcelone – Alicante

MSN:

103

YOM:

1920

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While approaching Alicante, the pilot encountered stormy weather. He lost control of the airplane that crashed near El Campello, about 10 km northeast of Alicante. The aircraft was destroyed by a post crash fire and the pilot Marcel Stichter was killed.