Aviation Accident Summary Archive

On August 24, 1938, a Douglas DC-2 named Kweilin became the first civilian airliner in history to be shot down by hostile aircraft. Shortly after departing Hong Kong for Wuzhou, the unarmed aircraft was intercepted by eight Japanese pontoon-fitted fighters. The American pilot, Hugh Leslie Woods, performed an emergency water landing in a river near Zhongshan to escape the attackers. However, the Japanese fighters continued to strafe the floating aircraft with machine-gun fire for approximately one hour. The plane eventually sank, resulting in the deaths of 14 of the 17 people on board. The incident caused international diplomatic outrage and was widely viewed as a deliberate attempt to assassinate Sun Fo, the son of Sun Yat-sen, who had been scheduled to fly on the aircraft but took a different flight.

Military Action

The Hawaii Clipper, a Pan American Airways Martin M-130 flying boat, disappeared without a trace during a scheduled flight from Guam to Manila. The last radio contact occurred approximately 565 miles from the Philippine coast, with the crew reporting flight through layers of clouds and moderately rough air. Despite an extensive naval search and the discovery of an oil slick that was later determined to be unrelated, no physical evidence of the aircraft or its 15 occupants has ever been recovered.

Unknown

A Colombian Air Force Curtiss Hawk II biplane crashed into a crowd during a military review at the Campo de Marte, killing the pilot and 52 people on the ground. The pilot, Lieutenant César Abadia, was performing aerobatic stunts when he attempted to fly between the presidential and diplomatic grandstands. He miscalculated the distance, causing the aircraft's wing-tip to strike the diplomatic stand. The aircraft then destroyed part of the presidential stand's roof and careened into the spectators. It burst into flames and came to rest upside down. The high number of fatalities relative to the single soul on board is due to the impact occurring in a densely packed spectator area.

Pilot Error

A Transcontinental & Western Air Douglas DC-2 crashed into a mountain ridge in Yosemite National Park during a severe winter storm, killing all nine people on board. The flight was en route from San Francisco to Winslow when it encountered icing and extreme wind conditions that blew the aircraft significantly off its intended course. The pilot, attempting to divert to Fresno, became disoriented regarding his position relative to the Fresno Radio Range. The wreckage remained undiscovered in deep snow for over three months until it was located by a private citizen in June 1938.

Controlled Flight Into Terrain (CFIT)

Northwest Airlines Flight 2 crashed into the Bridger Mountains after a structural failure of the empennage caused by aeroelastic flutter. The aircraft, a Lockheed Super Electra, was cruising at 9,000 feet when it encountered severe turbulence and a dust storm, leading to the separation of both vertical fins and rudders. The aircraft stalled and spun into the ground, killing all ten people on board. This was the first fatal accident involving both the Lockheed Super Electra and Northwest Airlines.

Structural Failure

A Sabena Junkers Ju 52 struck a factory chimney and crashed while attempting an emergency landing in thick fog at Stene Aerodrome. The flight, carrying members of the Hesse royal family to a wedding in London, had diverted from Brussels due to poor weather. All 11 passengers and crew who boarded the aircraft were killed. Investigators also discovered the remains of a newborn infant in the wreckage, bringing the total death toll to 12 and leading to the conclusion that Grand Duchess Cecilie had gone into labor mid-flight, prompting the pilot to attempt a hazardous landing in near-zero visibility.

Controlled Flight Into Terrain (CFIT)

The German passenger airship Hindenburg caught fire and was destroyed while attempting to dock with its mooring mast at Naval Air Station Lakehurst. The disaster occurred in front of a large crowd of spectators and journalists, resulting in 36 total fatalities (13 passengers, 22 crew members, and one member of the ground crew). The rapid destruction of the world's largest flying machine, which was carrying 96 people at the time, was captured in iconic newsreel footage and radio commentary, effectively ending the era of commercial rigid airships.

Other

TWA Flight 15A crashed during its final approach to Allegheny County Airport after heavy ice accumulation on the wings and control surfaces caused a loss of control. The aircraft entered a series of leftward spirals and struck the ground nose-first in a swampy area of Upper St. Clair Township. All 13 people on board were killed, and responders noted a significant layer of ice on the wreckage despite the absence of a post-crash fire.

Weather

An Airlines of Australia Stinson Model A tri-motor crashed into the McPherson Range during a cyclonic storm while en route from Brisbane to Sydney. The aircraft encountered extreme turbulence and severe downdrafts, causing it to strike the heavily forested plateau of Lamington National Park. The wreckage remained undiscovered for nine days until local resident Bernard O'Reilly, acting on a hunch that the plane had failed to clear the mountains, trekked into the wilderness and located two survivors. A third survivor had died after falling over a cliff while attempting to find help.

Controlled Flight Into Terrain (CFIT)

Western Air Express Flight 7 crashed into Los Pinetos Peak during a heavy rainstorm while attempting to land at Union Air Terminal in Burbank. The Boeing 247D struck the mountain at an elevation of approximately 3,500 feet, just below the summit. The accident resulted in five fatalities, including the co-pilot and four passengers, while eight others survived, including the captain and the stewardess. The crash was attributed to the pilot's decision to descend through a heavy overcast without positive knowledge of his position, leading to controlled flight into terrain.

Controlled Flight Into Terrain (CFIT)

United Air Lines Flight 34 crashed into the mountains near Newhall, California, during a night approach to Burbank, killing all 12 people on board. The aircraft struck a ridge in Rice Canyon at an elevation of 2,620 feet at approximately 7:38 p.m. while the pilot was attempting to navigate the Newhall Pass at an altitude lower than the surrounding terrain. Investigators determined the pilot failed to confirm local weather conditions via radio before attempting a visual transit of the pass under low cloud cover; however, this was significantly exacerbated by a technical radio failure or atmospheric interference that prevented the crew from receiving critical ground transmissions during the final 20 minutes of flight. The impact occurred while the aircraft was in a 28-degree right bank, suggesting the crew was attempting to turn away from the terrain at the moment of collision.

Pilot Error

A KLM Douglas DC-2 crashed into a residential neighborhood shortly after taking off from Croydon Air Port in dense fog. The aircraft, named Lijster, was attempting a takeoff using a white line painted on the grass to maintain direction under instrument flight rules (QBI) conditions. During the takeoff run, the aircraft veered left of the line and became airborne heading south toward rising terrain rather than the intended westerly path. It struck a chimney on Hillcrest Road and crashed into two empty houses, resulting in a fire that destroyed the aircraft and the buildings. The accident killed 15 of the 17 people on board, including the inventor of the autogyro, Juan de la Cierva, and former Swedish Prime Minister Arvid Lindman.

Pilot Error

Chicago and Southern Flight 4 crashed into a cornfield shortly after departing St. Louis, killing all eight people on board. The aircraft, a Lockheed 10B Electra named City of Memphis, encountered heavy ground fog near the Missouri River. While attempting a low-altitude turn, likely to return to the airport due to poor visibility, the aircraft's wingtip struck the ground, causing the plane to cartwheel and disintegrate at high speed.

Controlled Flight Into Terrain (CFIT)

On June 16, 1936, a Junkers Ju-52 floatplane operated by Norwegian Air Lines (DNL) crashed into the south face of Mount Lihesten during a scheduled mail and passenger flight. The aircraft, named Havørn, was flying in marginal weather conditions with low cloud cover and poor visibility. While en route from Bergen to Tromsø, the flight drifted approximately 15 to 20 kilometers east of its intended course. The aircraft impacted the mountain at an elevation of approximately 600 meters (2,000 ft) above sea level, killing all seven people on board. The accident is noted for the extreme difficulty of the subsequent salvage operation, which required the first recorded use of climbing bolts in Norway to reach the wreckage on a steep mountain shelf.

Controlled Flight Into Terrain (CFIT)

TWA Flight 1, known as the Sun Racer, crashed into the south side of Chestnut Ridge while attempting to land at Pittsburgh in heavy fog and icing conditions. The pilot, relying on instruments due to thick cloud cover, drifted approximately 8 degrees south of his intended course. Believing he was closer to the airport than he actually was, the pilot descended to a dangerous altitude to attempt visual navigation. The aircraft struck the mountain at high speed, killing 11 of the 14 people on board immediately. Flight attendant Nellie Granger, despite her own injuries, pulled two survivors from the burning wreckage and walked four miles through freezing rain to find help. One of the rescued passengers, C.A. Challinor, died several days later from his injuries, bringing the final death toll to 12.

Pilot Error

American Airlines Flight 1, a Douglas DC-2 named the Southerner, crashed into a swamp near Goodwin, Arkansas, killing all 17 people on board. The flight was a multi-stop transcontinental service originating in Newark, New Jersey, and destined for Los Angeles, California. The aircraft departed its Memphis stop at 7:04 p.m. and made its last radio contact at 7:18 p.m. while en route to Little Rock. The wreckage was found disintegrated and scattered over 400 yards in shallow water. Despite a federal inquiry, investigators could not definitively determine why the aircraft descended into the trees, though they considered factors ranging from fuel tank management to possible passenger interference in the cockpit.

Unknown

A SABENA Savoia-Marchetti S.73 crashed into a hillside in Tatsfield while attempting to land at Croydon Airport in poor visibility. The pilot, who had not requested radio bearings, apparently became lost and descended prematurely below a 100-meter cloud ceiling. While carburettor icing was ruled out, other aircraft in the area reported significant wing icing, providing context for the difficult atmospheric conditions. Upon realizing the aircraft was dangerously low or misidentifying local lights, the pilot executed a steep climbing turn that resulted in an aerodynamic stall. The aircraft impacted a north-sloping hillside at approximately 500 feet, killing all 11 people on board, including prominent British tank designer Sir John Carden.

Pilot Error

United Air Lines Flight 4 crashed into a knoll during a night approach to Cheyenne, Wyoming, killing all 12 people on board. The aircraft was flying in darkness under visual navigation aided by tower-mounted rotating beacons, a standard method for night mail and passenger flights in the 1930s. The crew had recently reported their position relative to the Silver Crown beacon but failed to maintain sufficient altitude. Investigators found the cockpit lights were set to maximum intensity, which likely impaired the pilots' night vision and their ability to see the terrain outside. The accident is a classic early example of Controlled Flight Into Terrain (CFIT).

Controlled Flight Into Terrain (CFIT)

TWA Flight 6 crashed into rolling terrain near Atlanta, Missouri, while maneuvering at extremely low altitude in fog and darkness. The flight had encountered deteriorating weather at its destination, Kansas City, which dropped below authorized landing minimums. Due to a known radio malfunction on the western night frequency, the crew was unable to communicate effectively with ground stations to receive updated weather or instructions. After failing to land at Kansas City, the pilot diverted toward Kirksville but descended through a low ceiling to maintain visual contact with the ground. While following the contour of the terrain, the left wing struck the ground during a turn, causing the aircraft to cartwheel into a road bank.

Pilot Error

A de Havilland Dragon Rapide dived into the English Channel at high speed during a scheduled flight to Paris, killing all seven people on board. The pilot, who lacked experience in instrument flying and navigation, attempted to fly at low altitude in poor visibility rather than climbing above the cloud layer as advised. While attempting to regain his course after becoming lost in mist and rain, the pilot likely lost visual reference to the glassy sea surface and flew the aircraft into the water.

Pilot Error

An Airspeed Courier crashed into a valley north of Shoreham, Kent, after the pilot likely lost control while flying through an isolated storm. The aircraft emerged from a low cloud base in a vertical dive and struck the ground at Timberden Bottom, killing all four people on board and injuring two bystanders on the ground. While an inquest suggested pilot error due to disorientation or an attempt to avoid power lines, the manufacturer, Airspeed, formally disputed the findings, and the exact sequence of events remains unconfirmed.

Human Factors (Operational)

A Swissair Curtiss AT-32C Condor II suffered an in-flight structural failure and crashed near Tuttlingen, Germany, while flying through a thunderstorm. The aircraft's right wing separated at an altitude of approximately 3,000 meters (9,800 feet), leading to an uncontrolled descent into a forest where the wreckage exploded on impact. All 12 occupants, including Europe's first official flight attendant Nelly Diener, were killed. The accident was Swissair's first fatal crash since its founding in 1931.

Structural Failure

An Air France Wibault 282T-12 crashed into the English Channel during a scheduled flight from Paris to London, killing all six people on board. The aircraft was operating in conditions of low cloud and thick fog when it disappeared. Investigators concluded the pilot likely descended in an attempt to maintain visual contact with the sea surface, subsequently striking the water. Wreckage was sighted 12 miles southeast of Dungeness, but the main airframe was never recovered, and only limited items, including a mailbag and one body, were later found washed ashore.

Controlled Flight Into Terrain (CFIT)

A United Air Lines Boeing 247 crashed into the Wasatch Mountains during a scheduled flight from Salt Lake City to Cheyenne, killing all eight people on board. The aircraft encountered severe winter weather, including snow, sleet, and fog, shortly after departure. The wreckage was discovered two days later in Parley's Canyon, nose-down and nearly buried in deep snow between two pine trees. Investigators concluded that unfavorable weather was a major contributing factor, though the near-total destruction of the aircraft made a definitive determination of the primary cause difficult.

Controlled Flight Into Terrain (CFIT)