Rio Grande – Porto Alegre
Flight / Schedule
Rio Grande – Porto Alegre
Aircraft
Junkers A.50Registration
P-BAAE
MSN
3534
Year of Manufacture
1931
Operator
VARIG - Viação Aérea Rio GrandenseDate
April 25, 1931 at 12:00 AM
Type
CRASHFlight Type
Postal (mail)
Flight Phase
Takeoff (climb)
Crash Site
Plain, Valley
Crash Location
Mosquitos Island Rio Grande do Sul
Region
South America • Brazil
Crash Cause
Weather
Narrative Report
On April 25, 1931 at 12:00 AM, Rio Grande – Porto Alegre experienced a crash involving Junkers A.50, operated by VARIG - Viação Aérea Rio Grandense, with the event recorded near Mosquitos Island Rio Grande do Sul.
The flight was categorized as postal (mail) and the reported phase was takeoff (climb) at a plain, valley crash site.
2 people were known to be on board, 1 fatalities were recorded, 1 survivors were identified or estimated. This corresponds to an estimated fatality rate of 50.0%.
Crew on board: 2, crew fatalities: 1, passengers on board: 0, passenger fatalities: 0, other fatalities: 0.
The listed crash cause is weather. Shortly after takeoff from Rio Grande Airport, en route to Porto Alegre, the crew encountered poor weather conditions and limited visibility due to fog. While attempting an emergency landing, the aircraft crashed in a marshy field located on the Mosquitos Island, some 13 km north of the airfield. A pilot was killed while the second occupant was seriously injured.
Aircraft reference details include registration P-BAAE, MSN 3534, year of manufacture 1931.
Fatalities
Total
1
Crew
1
Passengers
0
Other
0
Crash Summary
Shortly after takeoff from Rio Grande Airport, en route to Porto Alegre, the crew encountered poor weather conditions and limited visibility due to fog. While attempting an emergency landing, the aircraft crashed in a marshy field located on the Mosquitos Island, some 13 km north of the airfield. A pilot was killed while the second occupant was seriously injured.
Cause: Weather
Occupants & Outcome
Crew On Board
2
Passengers On Board
0
Estimated Survivors
1
Fatality Rate
50.0%
Known people on board: 2
Operational Details
Schedule / Flight
Rio Grande – Porto Alegre
Operator
VARIG - Viação Aérea Rio GrandenseFlight Type
Postal (mail)
Flight Phase
Takeoff (climb)
Crash Site
Plain, Valley
Region / Country
South America • Brazil
Aircraft Details
Similar Plane Crashes
Brazilian Navy - Aviação Naval Brasileira
Macchi M.9
The pilot, sole on board, was completing a training flight when the seaplane crashed in the Bay of Guanabara off Rio de Janeiro. The pilot 2nd Lt Jayme Americano Freire was killed.
Brazilian Navy - Aviação Naval Brasileira
Aeromarine 40
The crew was completing a local training flight in Rio de Janeiro when the seaplane crashed in unknown circumstances in the Guanabara Bay. Both pilots were seriously injured and the aircraft sank. Six days later, one of the crew member died from his injuries. Crew: 1st Lt Fernando Muniz Guimarães, † Lt Fernando Victor Amaral Savaget.
Junkers Flugzeug %26 Motorenwerke
Junkers F.13
The crew was conducting flights in South America to promote the sale of the Junkers F.13 to local operators. The aircraft departed Albina Airport, Suriname, bound to Macapá, Brazil. Just after passing the border between French Guyana and Brazil, the crew encountered poor weather conditions and elected to make an emergency landing on the Oiapoque River, near Oiapoque. In unknown circumstances, the aircraft crashed in the river and was damaged beyond repair. While the pilot Drewsky was injured, the mechanic Thill was killed.
Brazilian Air Force - Aviação Militar
Breguet 14
The aircraft crashed on landing, injuring both crew members, Lt Arnoldo Borges Leitão and Lt Adyr Guimarães.
Junkers Flugzeug %26 Motorenwerke
Junkers F.13
The crew was performing demo flights in South America to promote the sale of the Junkers F.13 to potential local operators. Shortly after takeoff from the Rio Jaguaribe, in Aracati, while in initial climb, the seaplane stalled and crashed, killing both crew members, the pilot Hermann Müller and the mechanic Werner Junkers. Named 'Birkhahn', the aircraft suffered an engine failure just after takeoff.
Brazilian Air Force - Aviação Militar
Breguet 14
The crew was completing a local training mission at Campo dos Afonsos AFB when the aircraft crashed in unknown circumstances. A crew member was seriously injured and both other occupants were killed.