Bellefonte - Heller Field
Flight / Schedule
Bellefonte - Heller Field
Aircraft
De Havilland DH.4Registration
72
Operator
U.S. Air Mail ServiceDate
March 30, 1920 at 02:45 PM
Type
CRASHFlight Type
Postal (mail)
Flight Phase
Landing (descent or approach)
Crash Site
Plain, Valley
Crash Location
Heller Field (Newark) New Jersey
Region
North America • United States of America
Crash Cause
Human factor
Narrative Report
On March 30, 1920 at 02:45 PM, Bellefonte - Heller Field experienced a crash involving De Havilland DH.4, operated by U.S. Air Mail Service, with the event recorded near Heller Field (Newark) New Jersey.
The flight was categorized as postal (mail) and the reported phase was landing (descent or approach) at a plain, valley crash site.
1 people were known to be on board, 1 fatalities were recorded, 0 survivors were identified or estimated. This corresponds to an estimated fatality rate of 100.0%.
Crew on board: 1, crew fatalities: 1, passengers on board: 0, passenger fatalities: 0, other fatalities: 0.
The listed crash cause is human factor. The pilot, sole on board, departed Bellefonte, PA, on a mail flight to Heller Field, Newark, NJ. On approach, while completing a circuit to land at an altitude of about 150 feeet and a speed of 80 mph, the single engine airplane collided with the stack of the Tiffany's factory and crashed, bursting into flames. The pilot Harry Conley Sherlock aged 22 was killed.
Aircraft reference details include registration 72.
Fatalities
Total
1
Crew
1
Passengers
0
Other
0
Crash Summary
The pilot, sole on board, departed Bellefonte, PA, on a mail flight to Heller Field, Newark, NJ. On approach, while completing a circuit to land at an altitude of about 150 feeet and a speed of 80 mph, the single engine airplane collided with the stack of the Tiffany's factory and crashed, bursting into flames. The pilot Harry Conley Sherlock aged 22 was killed.
Cause: Human factor
Occupants & Outcome
Crew On Board
1
Passengers On Board
0
Estimated Survivors
0
Fatality Rate
100.0%
Known people on board: 1
Operational Details
Schedule / Flight
Bellefonte - Heller Field
Operator
U.S. Air Mail ServiceFlight Type
Postal (mail)
Flight Phase
Landing (descent or approach)
Crash Site
Plain, Valley
Region / Country
North America • United States of America
Aircraft Details
Aircraft
De Havilland DH.4Registration
72
Similar Plane Crashes
United States Signal Corps - USSC
De Havilland DH.4
The single engine airplane departed Dayton-McCook Field for a local test flight. Shortly after takeoff, the aircraft stalled and crashed, killing both occupants. Crew: Maj Oscar Brindley, Lt Col Henry Damm.
United States Signal Corps - USSC
De Havilland DH.4
Lt. Frank Stuart Patterson, son and nephew of the co-founders of National Cash Register, is killed in the crash of his DH.4M, AS-32098, at Wilbur Wright Field during a flight test of a new mechanism for synchronizing machine gun and propeller, when a tie rod breaks during a dive from 15,000 feet (4,600 m), causing the wings to separate from the aircraft. Wishing to recognize the contributions of the Patterson family (owners of NCR) the area of Wright Field east of Huffman Dam (including Wilbur Wright Field, Fairfield Air Depot, and the Huffman Prairie) is renamed Patterson Field on 6 July 1931, in honor of Lt. Patterson.
Royal Air Force - RAF
De Havilland DH.4
The airplane crashed in unknown circumstances in the sea off Saint-Vaast-la-Hougue, killing both crew members. Crew: 2Lt A. H. Aitken, 2Lt D. U. Thomas.
United States Signal Corps - USSC
De Havilland DH.4
The aircraft crashed in unknown circumstances.
United States Signal Corps - USSC
De Havilland DH.4
The crew was completing a training mission. At an altitude of about 4,000 feet, the aircraft entered a spin and crashed in an open field near Everman-Barron Field Airport. A crew was killed and the second occupants was injured. The aircraft was destroyed.
U.S. Air Mail Service
De Havilland DH.4
Crashed following an engine failure. Pilot fate unknown.