1928 Dornier J 'Santos Dumont' crash
The 1928 Dornier J Santos Dumont crash was an aircraft crash during the celebrations for the return of Alberto Santos Dumont to Brazil on 3 December 1928.[1]
 A Dornier Do J | |
| Accident | |
|---|---|
| Date | December 3, 1928 |
| Summary | Pilot error |
| Site | Guanabara Bay, Rio de Janeiro, |
| Total fatalities | 14 |
| Total injuries | 0 |
| Total survivors | 0 |
| First aircraft | |
| Type | Dornier Do J |
| Operator | Syndicato Condor |
| Registration | P-BACA (Santos Dumont) |
| Flight origin | Rio de Janeiro |
| Destination | Rio de Janeiro |
| Occupants | 14 |
| Passengers | 9 |
| Crew | 5 |
| Fatalities | 14 |
| Survivors | 0 |
| Second aircraft | |
| Type | Dornier Do J |
| Operator | Syndicato Condor |
| Registration | P-BAIA (Guanabara) |
| Flight origin | Rio de Janeiro |
| Occupants | 5 |
| Crew | 5 |
| Fatalities | 0 |
| Survivors | 5 |
On the occasion of the return of Santos Dumont, several honours were organized, including the over-flight of the SS Cap Arcona by two Dornier Do J Wal flying boats of the Condor Syndicate.[2]
Accident
The Dornier Do Js, P-BAIA Guanabara and P-BACA Santos Dumont, took off from Guanabara Bay and flew over the Cap Arcona, where they sent welcome messages to Alberto Santos Dumont. The Santos Dumont was flown by August Wilhem Paschen and was carrying nine passengers and crew, including friends of Santos Dumont and personalities of the time.[2]
Due to the error of one of the pilots, the two aircraft entered a collision course, forcing the pilots to perform evasive maneuvers. The Guanabara escaped unscathed from the near collision, but the Santos Dumont crashed into Guanabara Bay, watched by the crew and passengers of the Arcona, including Santos Dumont.[2] Depressed, he suspended the festivities and returned to Paris. Despite rescue efforts led by the Brazilian Navy destroyers Amazonas and Pará, only the mechanic of the aircraft, Walter Hasseldorf, survived the crash, dying hours later.
Among the dead in the disaster was Dr. Amaury de Medeiros, the mathematician, Manuel Amoroso Costa, Tobias Moscoso, Ferdinando Labouriau, Frederico de Oliveira Coutinho and Paulo de Castro Maia. During the removal of the bodies and the remains of the aircraft, a Brazilian Navy diver died.[1]
Consequences
After witnessing the accident, Santos Dumont became depressed, canceling the festivities and returning to France. His depression worsened and he committed suicide a few years later. This was the first accident with a commercial aircraft in Brazil, although it was not operating commercially that day, generating great commotion with the press and public opinion.[2]
Bibliography
- SILVA, Carlos Ari Cesar Germano da; O rastro da bruxa: história da aviação comercial brasileira no século XX através dos seus acidentes; Porto Alegre Editora EDIPUCRS, 2008, pp 18–21.
References
- "A catastrophe do hydro-avião "Santos Dumont"" [The catastrophe of the Santos Dumont Seaplane]. Folha da Manhã. Ano IV (1297). December 4, 1928. pp. 1, 4–5. Retrieved July 18, 2019.
- Silva, Carlos Ari Cesar Germano da (2008). O rastro da bruxa: história da aviação comercial brasileira no século XX através dos seus acidentes [The witch's trail: history of Brazilian commercial aviation in the 20th century through its accidents] (in Portuguese). EDIPUCRS. pp. 18–21.