2 fatalities

Training aircraft crashes into Warsaw buildings after striking wires

Warsaw, PolandFlight

On September 4, 1930, a Breguet 19 operated by Polish Air Force - Polska Wojska Lotnicze i Obrony Powietrznej was involved in an aviation accident near Warsaw, Poland in flight. 2 people were killed. Investigators recorded the probable cause as: The aircraft was operated at an altitude that was too low to safely clear ground-level obstacles like telephone wires. This summary draws on records from the Bureau of Aircraft Accidents Archives (B3A); 6 related events involving the same aircraft type or operator are linked below.

Sourcesthe Bureau of Aircraft Accidents Archives (B3A)Primary reportUpdated 2026-08-04Data APIEditorial standards

A training aircraft struck telephone lines while flying too low over Warsaw, crashing into residential structures in the Ochota district and killing both pilots on board.

What happened

The incident occurred during a local training flight conducted over the city of Warsaw. While operating at an altitude deemed insufficient for safe clearance, the aircraft collided with overhead telephone wires. This impact caused the plane to lose control and descend rapidly onto several buildings situated along Kopinska Street in the Ochota district.

Upon striking the structures, the aircraft burst into flames. The combination of the high-energy impact and the subsequent post-crash fire resulted in the total destruction of the airframe. Significant damage was also sustained by the multiple buildings hit during the crash sequence.

Tragically, both members of the flight crew were killed in the accident. There were no survivors among the personnel on board the aircraft.

Findings

The official investigation identified that the primary factor leading to the collision was the operational altitude. The crew was flying at a level that was too low to safely clear obstacles such as telephone wires, which directly precipitated the chain of events resulting in the crash.

Probable cause

The aircraft was operated at an altitude that was too low to safely clear ground-level obstacles like telephone wires.