Since the early 1920s, most commercial passenger and cargo aircraft carried mail for the postal service.
When an aircraft accident occurs, the damaged and undamaged mail is collected by postal inspectors at the site. The mail is than processed, and after being stamped or marked delayed it is forwarded to the addressee on the envelope. In most cases, after receiving the mail the envelope is tossed in the trash. In some cases they were kept and saved by collectors. The pieces of damaged air mail are known as "Crash Covers".
Crash Covers commemorate and symbolize, as no other covers do, that part of air mail history that Charles Lindbergh was pointing to--the side of risk, the side of sacrifice--when he wrote in his book, "The Spirit of St. Louis".
This gallery features not only the LostFlights Collection of crash covers, but also covers from other collectors.
When an aircraft accident occurs, the damaged and undamaged mail is collected by postal inspectors at the site. The mail is than processed, and after being stamped or marked delayed it is forwarded to the addressee on the envelope. In most cases, after receiving the mail the envelope is tossed in the trash. In some cases they were kept and saved by collectors. The pieces of damaged air mail are known as "Crash Covers".
Crash Covers commemorate and symbolize, as no other covers do, that part of air mail history that Charles Lindbergh was pointing to--the side of risk, the side of sacrifice--when he wrote in his book, "The Spirit of St. Louis".
This gallery features not only the LostFlights Collection of crash covers, but also covers from other collectors.
A United States Postal Inspector in Flagstaff sorting through air mail recovered from the 1956 mid-air collision at Grand Canyon, Arizona. (Life Magazine 1956).
January 10, 1930
Western Air Express, Corp.
Contract Air Mail Route (CAM-4)
Boeing 95 Mailplane (NC420E)
Near Cedar City, Utah
Weather was the major factor in a large number of early commercial aviation accidents as in the crash of Air Mail Pilot Maurice (Maury) Graham, who left Los Angeles on January 10, 1930 for Salt Lake City.
The plane was finally found June 24, 1930, near Cedar City, Utah only after the snow melted. One month later the pilot's body was found, with the mail intact, six miles away from the crash site. Graham attempted to hike to safety in 8-foot snowdrifts and sadly fell to his death off an 800 foot cliff. (LostFlights Collection)
Western Air Express, Corp.
Contract Air Mail Route (CAM-4)
Boeing 95 Mailplane (NC420E)
Near Cedar City, Utah
Weather was the major factor in a large number of early commercial aviation accidents as in the crash of Air Mail Pilot Maurice (Maury) Graham, who left Los Angeles on January 10, 1930 for Salt Lake City.
The plane was finally found June 24, 1930, near Cedar City, Utah only after the snow melted. One month later the pilot's body was found, with the mail intact, six miles away from the crash site. Graham attempted to hike to safety in 8-foot snowdrifts and sadly fell to his death off an 800 foot cliff. (LostFlights Collection)
March 31, 1931
Transcontinental & Western Air, Inc.
Fokker F10A Tri-Motor (NC999)
Bazaar, Kansas
An air mail cover from the flight that crashed and killed football championship player and Notre Dame Coach Knute Rockne.
The envelope was part of a larger cache of Air Mail carried aboard T&WA Flight 599, a Fokker F10A Tri-Motor. The plane was flying in smooth air when the right wing separated during flight. The plane crashed in a Kansas wheat field killing eight people including Rockne. Fatigue cracks in the plywood spar was the determined cause.
The cover was recently sold on eBay for $1,430.00. This cover is not part of my collection (unfortunately).
Transcontinental & Western Air, Inc.
Fokker F10A Tri-Motor (NC999)
Bazaar, Kansas
An air mail cover from the flight that crashed and killed football championship player and Notre Dame Coach Knute Rockne.
The envelope was part of a larger cache of Air Mail carried aboard T&WA Flight 599, a Fokker F10A Tri-Motor. The plane was flying in smooth air when the right wing separated during flight. The plane crashed in a Kansas wheat field killing eight people including Rockne. Fatigue cracks in the plywood spar was the determined cause.
The cover was recently sold on eBay for $1,430.00. This cover is not part of my collection (unfortunately).
December 15, 1936
Western Air Express, Inc.
Boeing 247D (NC13370)
Near Salt Lake City, Utah
Western Air Express Trip No. 6 originated in Burbank, California with stops in Las Vegas, Nevada and Salt Lake City, Utah. During the approach to Salt Lake City, the flight encountered snow static which rendered the aircraft's navigation receivers inoperative.
Without a definite course to follow, the flight drifted east into mountainous terrain. WAL Trip 6 crashed into Lone Peak in the Wasatch Range killing all 7 passengers and crew.
An extensive search of the aircraft followed, which included Amelia Earhardt participating in the effort. The aircraft wreckage was eventually located during July 1937.
Western Air Express, Inc.
Boeing 247D (NC13370)
Near Salt Lake City, Utah
Western Air Express Trip No. 6 originated in Burbank, California with stops in Las Vegas, Nevada and Salt Lake City, Utah. During the approach to Salt Lake City, the flight encountered snow static which rendered the aircraft's navigation receivers inoperative.
Without a definite course to follow, the flight drifted east into mountainous terrain. WAL Trip 6 crashed into Lone Peak in the Wasatch Range killing all 7 passengers and crew.
An extensive search of the aircraft followed, which included Amelia Earhardt participating in the effort. The aircraft wreckage was eventually located during July 1937.
This crash cover from the airship "Hindenburg" is genuine. (Private Collection)
**FAKE** HINDENBURG DISASTER CRASH COVER
This crash cover was reported to be from the German Zeppelin "Hindenburg". It was determined to be a fake by experts. The over smudging on the envelope and the typed address (Passenger Dolan handwrote addresses) were the clues.
The cover never achieved a bid on it's eBay auction. The bidding began at $11,799.00. (Private Collection)
This crash cover was reported to be from the German Zeppelin "Hindenburg". It was determined to be a fake by experts. The over smudging on the envelope and the typed address (Passenger Dolan handwrote addresses) were the clues.
The cover never achieved a bid on it's eBay auction. The bidding began at $11,799.00. (Private Collection)
October 17, 1937
United Air Lines, Inc.
Douglas DC-3A (NC16074)
Humpy Ridge, Utah
United Air Lines, Inc.
Douglas DC-3A (NC16074)
Humpy Ridge, Utah
January 16, 1942
Transcontinental & Western Air, Inc.
Douglas DC-3 (NC1946)
Potosi Mountain near Las Vegas, Nevada
TWA Flight 3, Douglas DC-3 (NC1946) impacted 8,500 foot Potosi Mountain at the 8,000 foot level. 22 passengers and crew killed, including actress Carole Lombard and her mother.
A total of 198 pounds of mail was on board TWA Flight 3 when it crashed into Potosi Mountain. Only eight covers are known to exist from the 66 pounds of mail recovered at the site. Pictured are four of them.
This cover from TWA Flight 3 was postmarked on the morning January 16, 1942 in Kansas City. This letter just barely made the flight before departure. (LostFlights Collection)
Transcontinental & Western Air, Inc.
Douglas DC-3 (NC1946)
Potosi Mountain near Las Vegas, Nevada
TWA Flight 3, Douglas DC-3 (NC1946) impacted 8,500 foot Potosi Mountain at the 8,000 foot level. 22 passengers and crew killed, including actress Carole Lombard and her mother.
A total of 198 pounds of mail was on board TWA Flight 3 when it crashed into Potosi Mountain. Only eight covers are known to exist from the 66 pounds of mail recovered at the site. Pictured are four of them.
This cover from TWA Flight 3 was postmarked on the morning January 16, 1942 in Kansas City. This letter just barely made the flight before departure. (LostFlights Collection)
This recovered letter from Flight 3 was postmarked on the evening of January 15th in Cinncinatti, Ohio and was picked up with other air mail during the flight's brief stop at this midwest city. (Private Collection)
Kansas City was a main stop for TWA Flight 3, so it was not unusual for the flight to take on a majority of it's load of air mail at this location. (Private Collection)
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