De Havilland DH.86 Express

Private British

Owned by V. H. Bellamy, the four engine aircraft crash landed at Barajas Airport for unknown reason. There were no casualties.

MacRobertson Miller Airlines

This was its inaugural MMA service, from Perth to Geraldton and Carnarvon. After refueling at Geraldton, the takeoff appeared normal but the aircraft did not climb and turned back for a landing. It flew low over RAAF hangars at about 300 feet then made a steep turn to port, followed by a wide low circuit back to the runway with port wing low. When just inside the aerodrome boundary, it dropped heavily on the starboard main undercarriage, bounced, contacted the ground with the tail wheel and bounced again. Striking the ground for the third time, this time on the port main wheel, as it bounced higher, engine power was applied but the aircraft swung to the left, banking steeply until the left wings were torn off by ground contact. The aircraft cartwheeled and hit the ground nose-first. The fuselage broke up, spilling out most of the 11 occupants. Captain Branch and one passenger were killed, the other 9 occupants seriously injured. Crew: H. J. Branch, pilot, Don W. Rumney, copilot. Source: http://www.goodall.com.au/australian-aviation/dh86/dh86.html

Qantas Airways - Queensland and Northern Territory Aerial Services

Crash landed in Darwin Airport and ended up in flames. There were no casualties but the aircraft was partially destroyed.

Royal Navy

In unknown circumstances, the four-engine aircraft crashed in a field near the RAF Donibristle. A passenger was seriously injured while seven other occupants were killed.

Royal Air Force - RAF

Crashed on take off in unknown circumstances. No casualties.

Royal Air Force - RAF

On landing at Siwa, while on an ambulance flight from Heliopolis, the right main gear failed. The aircraft went out of control and veered off runway before coming to rest. While the aircraft was damaged beyond repair, there was no casualties.

Qantas Airways - Queensland and Northern Territory Aerial Services

The aircraft was late and departed Brisbane-Archerfield with two hours delay. Shortly after take off, while climbing, the four engine aircraft went through a cloudy area with rain falls. It went out of control, plunged into the earth and crashed in a wooded area located in Belmont (Mount Petrie), some 13 km south of the airport. All nine occupants were killed. Crew: Cpt Charles Henry Cecil Swaffield, C/O Lindsay Stuart Marshall. Source and Photos: http://www.ozatwar.com/ozcrashes/qld115.htm

Royal Australian Air Force - RAAF

The crew was performing an ambulance flight within Egypt when the twin engine aircraft was shot down by enemy fire and crashed in flames in the western Egyptian desert. While the aircraft was destroyed by impact forces and post crash fire, all three crew members were rescued.

Royal Air Force - RAF

On landing, an undercarriage collapsed. The aircraft came to rest and was wrecked. No casualties.

British Overseas Airways Corporation - BOAC

En route, the crew was forced to attempt an emergency landing for undermined reason. There was no injuries but the aircraft christened 'Delia' was written off.

Finnish Government

The pilot, sole aboard, was performing a positioning flight from Malmi Airport to Tikkakoski Airport in Jyväskylä. During the take off run, in unclear circumstances, the four engine aircraft collided with a Finnish Air Force (Suomen Ilmavoimat) Brewster 239 BW-394. Both aircraft were damaged beyond repair while the pilot was injured.

WR Carpenter %26 Company

Crashed into the sea off Kavieng. No casualties.

Royal Air Force - RAF

On approach to Belfast, crew encountered technical problems in low visibility due to fog. Captain decided to divert to Blackpool but was forced to make an emergency landing in a field due to fuel shortage. Aircraft eventually crash landed near Kirby-in-Furness, some three miles NW of Ulverston. All three occupants, among them the British State Secretary for Aviation Sir Kingsley Wood, were uninjured. The aircraft was damaged beyond repair.

Jersey Airways

Less than one minute after take off from Jersey-States Airport, while climbing to a height of 120 feet, the twin engine aircraft christened 'Saint Catherine's Bay' went through a cloud layer when the pilot attempted a turn to the left. The aircraft slid, stalled and then crashed in a huge explosion in an open field located 500 yards from the airport. All 14 occupants were killed as well as a farmer working on ground. To date, this was the worst air crash in the UK with the KLM DC-2 in 1936.

Imperial Airways

The four engine aircraft left Croydon Airport for Cologne at 2130LT with no mail on board. At 2258LT, while overflying Belgium, the radio navigator informed ATC he was flying in good visibility with no icing conditions. Approaching Cologne-Butzweilerhof Airport, the aircraft crashed in unknown circumstances in Elsdorf, some 35 km west of the airport. All three occupants were killed. Crew: C. B. Holmes, pilot, C. E. Langman, wireless operator. Passenger: C. F. Wolley Dod, Imperial Airways European Manager.

British Airways

The chief pilot of British Airways, Captain W. F. Anderson, and two members of the crew were killed when the four engine aircraft carrying the night mail to Germany crashed soon after taking off from Gatwick Airport. Until the inquest has been held and an investigation made, it is impossible to guess at the cause of this disaster, but there appears to be no doubt that the machine turned through 180 degrees immediately after leaving the airport, lost height, and hit a tree.

British Airways

The crew was performing a mail flight from Germany to London-Gatwick Airport. While cruising by night, the four engine aircraft went out of control and crashed in unknown circumstances some 50 km southeast of Cologne. Both crew were killed.

Imperial Airways

En route, crew encountered severe icing conditions and the flight became critical so the captain decided to make an emergency landing in an open field located near Zwettl, some 80 km northwest of Vienna. There was no casualties among the occupants but the aircraft christened 'Draco' was damaged beyond repair.

Holyman's Airways

While cruising over Bass Strait, between Tasmania and Australia, the four engine aircraft christened 'Loina' went out of control and crashed into the sea, some 3 km off Flinders Island. All five occupants were killed. Crew: Arthur Evans, pilot, Maxwell Brown, copilot. Passengers: G. S. Anderson, G. Garlick, Edward Best.

Qantas Airways - Queensland and Northern Territory Aerial Services

The aircraft departed Longreach Airport at 0530LT bound for Brisbane with a crew of two and two passengers on board. Less than 20 minutes later, while flying at a height of some 1,000 feet, the aircraft went out of control and crashed in a prairie. Quickly on the scene, local residents were able to evacuate the captain who was seriously injured while all three others occupants were killed. Unfortunately, the captain died from his injuries few hours later. Weather conditions were excellent at the time of the accident and the crew was performing a delivery flight from London when the accident occurred. The aircraft was named 'Adelaide'. Crew: R. A. Prendergast, pilot, W. C. Creastes, copilot. Passengers: F. R. Charlton, engineer by Imperial Airways, E. H. Broadfoot, serviceman by Shell Company at Sydney-Mascot Airport.

Holyman's Airways

While overflying Bass Strait, the four engine aircraft named 'Miss Hobart' crashed in unknown circumstances some 16 km off the coast of the Wilsons Promontory National Park. SAR teams found some debris and oil leak at the surface of the water a day later but no trace of the 11 occupants was ever found. Crew: Cpt Victor C. Holyman, pilot and cofounder of the airliner, Cpt Gilbert Jenkins.