New Brunswick – Bellefonte
Flight / Schedule
New Brunswick – Bellefonte
Aircraft
Douglas M-3Registration
621
Operator
U.S. Air Mail ServiceDate
October 3, 1926 at 01:55 AM
Type
CRASHFlight Type
Postal (mail)
Flight Phase
Flight
Crash Site
Lake, Sea, Ocean, River
Crash Location
Sunbury Pennsylvania
Region
North America • United States of America
Coordinates
40.8620°, -76.7936°
Crash Cause
Human factor
Narrative Report
On October 3, 1926 at 01:55 AM, New Brunswick – Bellefonte experienced a crash involving Douglas M-3, operated by U.S. Air Mail Service, with the event recorded near Sunbury Pennsylvania.
The flight was categorized as postal (mail) and the reported phase was flight at a lake, sea, ocean, river crash site.
1 people were known to be on board, 0 fatalities were recorded, 1 survivors were identified or estimated. This corresponds to an estimated fatality rate of 0.0%.
Crew on board: 1, crew fatalities: 0, passengers on board: 0, passenger fatalities: 0, other fatalities: 0.
The listed crash cause is human factor. En route from New Brunswick to Bellefonte, while on a night mail flight, the pilot got lost due to poor visibility caused by foggy conditions. While attempting an emergency landing, the aircraft hit a tree and crashed in the Susquehanna River off Sunbury. The pilot was rescued and the aircraft was lost.
Aircraft reference details include registration 621.
Geospatial coordinates for this crash are approximately 40.8620°, -76.7936°.
Fatalities
Total
0
Crew
0
Passengers
0
Other
0
Crash Summary
En route from New Brunswick to Bellefonte, while on a night mail flight, the pilot got lost due to poor visibility caused by foggy conditions. While attempting an emergency landing, the aircraft hit a tree and crashed in the Susquehanna River off Sunbury. The pilot was rescued and the aircraft was lost.
Cause: Human factor
Occupants & Outcome
Crew On Board
1
Passengers On Board
0
Estimated Survivors
1
Fatality Rate
0.0%
Known people on board: 1
Operational Details
Schedule / Flight
New Brunswick – Bellefonte
Operator
U.S. Air Mail ServiceFlight Type
Postal (mail)
Flight Phase
Flight
Crash Site
Lake, Sea, Ocean, River
Region / Country
North America • United States of America
Aircraft Details
Aircraft
Douglas M-3Registration
621
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.
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.
United States Signal Corps - USSC
De Havilland DH.4
The accident occurred in unknown circumstances.