Global Information1923 Aeromarine 75 Columbus incident information
 Columbus over Bimini, 1921 | |
| Ditching | |
|---|---|
| Date | 13 January 1923 |
| Summary | Ditching |
| Site | Straits of Florida, 32 km (20 miles) N off Havana |
| Total fatalities | 4 |
| Aircraft | |
| Aircraft type | Aeromarine 75 |
| Aircraft name | Columbus |
| Operator | Aeromarine West Indies Airways |
| Flight origin | Key West Harbor, Key West, Florida, United States |
| Destination | Havana, Cuba |
| Occupants | 9 |
| Passengers | 7 |
| Crew | 2 |
| Fatalities | 4 |
| Survivors | 5 |
On January 13, 1923, Aeromarine 75 passenger seaplane Columbus ditched in the Straits of Florida after developing engine troubles on a flight from Key West, Florida to Havana, Cuba.[1][2] The plane filled with water and sank after being hit by waves, killing four passengers. The remaining passengers and two crew were later rescued by a passing ferry, H. M. Flagler. The accident was the first major passenger flight disaster in American aviation. The flight operator, Aeromarine West Indies Airways, would shut down the following year due to financial losses.[3]
- ^ "ASN Aircraft accident Aeromarine 75 registration unknown Havana, Cuba". aviation-safety.net. Retrieved 2023-09-17.
- ^ "Crash of an Aeromarine 75 off Havana: 4 killed | Bureau of Aircraft Accidents Archives". www.baaa-acro.com. Retrieved 2023-09-17.
- ^ Miller, Mark (2008-10-21). Miami and the Keys. National Geographic Books. ISBN 978-1-4262-0323-7.