No fatalities

Mid-air collision near Banyoles involving two aircraft

Banyoles, SpainFlight

On June 9, 1938, a Tupolev ANT-40 (PS-40/PS-41/SB 2) operated by Spanish Air Force - Aviación Nacional (1936-1939) was involved in an aviation accident near Banyoles, Spain in flight. No fatalities were reported. Investigators recorded the probable cause as: Mid-air collision with another SB 2 aircraft during approach to Banyoles. This summary draws on records from the Bureau of Aircraft Accidents Archives (B3A); 8 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

Two aircraft collided while approaching Banyoles, resulting in a crash into the local lake. All three crew members from the involved airplane were successfully rescued.

What happened

The incident occurred during an operational flight destined for Serinyà. As the aircraft was on final approach to Banyoles, it struck another SB 2. The impact caused both planes to descend into the Lake of Banyoles. Emergency response teams located the wreckage in the water and managed to extract all personnel from the involved aircraft.

Findings

The primary event was a mid-air collision between two separate airframes during the approach phase. Despite the severity of the crash into a body of water, all three crew members were recovered alive. No specific mechanical failures or pilot error details are provided in the available records beyond the collision itself.

Probable cause

Mid-air collision with another SB 2 aircraft during approach to Banyoles