On August 26, 1929, a De Havilland DH.60 Moth (registration NC894E) operated by Warren Packard was involved in an aviation accident near Grosse Ile, United States of America in flight. One person was killed. Investigators recorded the probable cause as: The pilot-in-command lost control of the aircraft, causing it to enter a dive and crash into the Detroit River. This summary draws on records from the Bureau of Aircraft Accidents Archives (B3A).
A single-engine training aircraft lost control during a local flight over the Grosse Ile area, diving into the Detroit River and killing one pilot while injuring the other.
What happened
The incident involved a single-engine airplane conducting a routine local training exercise. At the time of the event, two pilots were on board as they flew over the Grosse Ile area. During the flight, the pilot-in-command lost control of the aircraft. The plane subsequently entered an uncontrolled dive and impacted the surface of the Detroit River. Emergency responders recovered the wreckage from the water. One crew member sustained injuries in the crash, while the second pilot was killed.
Findings
The available records indicate that the loss of control by the pilot-in-command was the primary event leading to the accident. The aircraft transitioned into a dive configuration prior to impact with the water. No specific mechanical failures or external factors are detailed in the provided source material regarding the initial cause of the control loss.
Probable cause
The pilot-in-command lost control of the aircraft, causing it to enter a dive and crash into the Detroit River.
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