Crash of a Savoia-Marchetti SM.73 in Stromboli: 14 killed

Date & Time: Mar 16, 1940
Type of aircraft:
Savoia-Marchetti SM.73
Operator:
Registration:
I-SUTO
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Scheduled Revenue Flight
Survivors:
No
Site:
Mountains
Schedule:
Tripoli – Catania – Rome – Milan
MSN:
30024
YOM:
1937
Location:
Stromboli
Sicily
Country:
Italy
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
4
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
10
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
14
Circumstances:
While overflying the Tyrrhenian sea by night on a night flight from Catania to Rome, the crew was unaware that his altitude was insufficient and did not sea the volcano Stromboli. The three engine aircraft hit the south slope of the Stromboli volcano and was totally destroyed. First rescuers arrived on the scene the next morning and all 14 occupants were killed.

Crash of a De Havilland DH.86B Express off Kavieng

Date & Time: Mar 15, 1940
Type of aircraft:
De Havilland DH.86 Express
Operator:
Registration:
VH-UYW
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Scheduled Revenue Flight
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Lake, Sea, Ocean, River
MSN:
2361
YOM:
1936
Location:
Kavieng
New Ireland
Country:
Papua New Guinea
Region:
Oceania
Crew on board:
0
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
Crashed into the sea off Kavieng. No casualties.

Crash of a Ford 5 in San Martín

Date & Time: Mar 5, 1940
Type of aircraft:
Ford 5
Operator:
Registration:
XA-BCW
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Scheduled Revenue Flight
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Plain, Valley
Schedule:
Mexico City – Chetumal
MSN:
5-AT-045
YOM:
1929
Location:
San Martín
Veracruz
Country:
Mexico
Region:
Central America
Crew on board:
5
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
7
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
En route from Mexico to Chetumal, while flying over the State of Veracruz, pilots encountered very bad weather conditions with heavy rain falls. Due to poor visibility, the captain decided to reduce his altitude and attempted an emergency landing when the three engine aircraft crashed in a wooded area located near San Martín. While all 12 occupants were uninjured, the aircraft was damaged beyond repair.

Crash of a Handley Page H.P.42E into the Gulf of Oman: 8 killed

Date & Time: Mar 1, 1940 at 1320 LT
Type of aircraft:
Handley Page H.P.42
Operator:
Registration:
G-AAGX
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Scheduled Revenue Flight
Survivors:
No
Site:
Lake, Sea, Ocean, River
Schedule:
Calcutta – Jask – Sharjah – Alexandria – London
MSN:
HP.42/1
YOM:
1929
Flight number:
CW197
Location:
Gulf of Oman
World
Country:
World
Region:
World
Crew on board:
4
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
4
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
8
Circumstances:
While overflying the Gulf of Oman, the aircraft named 'Hannibal' crashed into the sea in unknown circumstances. SAR operations failed to find any trace of the aircraft nor the crew and were suspended after few days.
Crew:
N. Townsend, pilot,
C. J. Walsh, copilot,
A. H. H. Tidbury, radio operator,
C. A. F. Steventon, steward.
Passengers:
A. T. Pannirselvam,
Harold A. Whistler,
Alf Bryn,
Henry Hutchison.
Probable cause:
The UK Air Ministry considered as improbable that the crash had resulted from sabotage, hostile action or inflight fire. Also considered improbable was complete fuel exhaustion, although the starvation of the supply of gasoline attributed to improper activation of the corresponding controls could not be ruled out. Other possible causes were a bird strike damaging a propeller and leading to the failure of the engine mounting or even an entire wing; some type of structural failure, especially considering the age of aircraft and the history of vibration experienced with the type, or multiple power plant malfunction, which also could have preceded structural failure. Two months after the disappearance, and in following one of the recommendations made in the investigative report, it was announced by the British government that the HP.42 would no longer be used in passenger operations. It was also recommended that commercial aircraft used in long over-water flights be equipped with personal and group life-saving gear, which would later be standard throughout the industry.

Crash of a Boeing 247D in Tona: 11 killed

Date & Time: Feb 29, 1940 at 1000 LT
Type of aircraft:
Boeing 247
Operator:
Registration:
C-79
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Scheduled Revenue Flight
Survivors:
No
Site:
Mountains
Schedule:
Bogota – Bucaramanga – Cúcuta
YOM:
1937
Location:
Tona
Santander
Country:
Colombia
Region:
South America
Crew on board:
2
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
9
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
11
Circumstances:
En route, the crew encountered poor weather conditions and the pilot failed to realize he was flying too low. The twin engine aircraft named 'Quesada' impacted the slope of a mountain located near Tona, northeast of Bucaramanga. All 11 occupants were killed.
Probable cause:
Controlled flight into terrain.

Crash of a De Havilland DH.89 Dragon Rapide in Burford

Date & Time: Feb 19, 1940
Type of aircraft:
De Havilland DH.89 Dragon Rapide
Operator:
Registration:
G-ACPR
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Scheduled Revenue Flight
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Plain, Valley
MSN:
6255
YOM:
1935
Location:
Burford
Shropshire
Country:
United Kingdom
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
1
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
4
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
The airplane departed Liverpool-Speke in the day for a regional schedule flight. En route, the pilot encountered poor weather conditions with heavy snow falls and was unable to locate his real position. He decided to reduce his altitude and attempted an emergency landing when the twin engine aircraft hit the ground and crashed in a snow covered field, coming to rest upside down. All five occupants were injured while the aircraft was damaged beyond repair.

Crash of a Savoia-Marchetti SM.75C in Aiello Calabro: 10 killed

Date & Time: Feb 10, 1940 at 1500 LT
Type of aircraft:
Savoia-Marchetti SM.75
Operator:
Registration:
I-LEAL
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Scheduled Revenue Flight
Survivors:
No
Site:
Mountains
Schedule:
Rhodes - Catania – Brindisi – Rome
MSN:
32031
YOM:
1939
Location:
Aiello Calabro
Calabria
Country:
Italy
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
6
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
4
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
10
Circumstances:
On the leg from Catania to Brindisi, while cruising in bad weather conditions, the pilot informed ATC he was encountering severe icing conditions. In fog and low overcast, the aircraft impacted the slope of a mountain located in Aiello Calabro, southwest of Cosenza. All 10 occupants were killed.
Crew:
Angelo Negri, pilot,
Gaetano Montello, copilot,
Basile Valassiadis, copilot,
Dino Zoin, mechanic,
Pietro Clerici, flight engineer,
Guido Avon, steward.
Passengers:
Alfredo Dentice,
Guido Zacchetti,
Girolamo Casazza,
Eduardo Aleozer.
Probable cause:
Controlled flight into terrain.

Crash of a Nakajima AT-2 on Uotsuri Island

Date & Time: Feb 5, 1940
Type of aircraft:
Nakajima Ki-34 (AT-2)
Operator:
Registration:
J-BBOT
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Scheduled Revenue Flight
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Plain, Valley
Schedule:
Fukuoka – Naha – Taipei
MSN:
6
YOM:
1936
Location:
Uotsuri Island
Okinawa
Country:
Japan
Region:
Asia
Crew on board:
4
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
9
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
En route from Naha to Taipei, the crew encountered an unexpected situation and made an emergency landing on Uotsuri Island, in the Pacific. All 13 occupants were rescued the following day.

Crash of a Ford 4 in Carcross

Date & Time: Jan 30, 1940
Type of aircraft:
Ford 4
Operator:
White Pass Airways
Registration:
NC5092
Flight Phase:
Landing (descent or approach)
Flight Type:
Scheduled Revenue Flight
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Airport (less than 10 km from airport)
MSN:
4-AT-019
YOM:
1928
Location:
Carcross
Yukon
Country:
Canada
Region:
North America
Crew on board:
1
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
Upon landing, the three engine aircraft went out of control, veered off runway and collided with a hangar. While the pilot was unhurt, the aircraft was damaged beyond repair. The cause of the loss of control remains unknown.
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