Crash of a De Havilland DHC-3 Otter in Kano: 7 killed

Date & Time: Mar 30, 1969
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
5N-ABM
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Kano – Kaduna
MSN:
443
YOM:
1964
Location:
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
2
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
5
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
7
Circumstances:
Shortly after takeoff from Kano Airport, the float equipped aircraft crashed in unknown circumstances, killing all seven occupants, among them ex Minister Sanna Buker.

Crash of a De Havilland DHC-3 Otter on Stonington Island

Date & Time: Mar 3, 1969
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
VP-FAM
Survivors:
Yes
MSN:
395
YOM:
1960
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
0
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
The aircraft crashed on Stonington Island following an engine failure. There were no casualties.
Probable cause:
Engine failure.

Crash of a De Havilland U-1A Otter in Cambodia

Date & Time: Feb 12, 1969
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
55-3271
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
MSN:
117
YOM:
1956
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
1
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
3
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
Shot down and crashed somewhere in Cambodia. All four occupants escaped while the aircraft was written off.
Probable cause:
Shot down.

Crash of a De Havilland DHC-3 Otter in Shaft Lake: 1 killed

Date & Time: Dec 13, 1968
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
CF-RNO
Flight Phase:
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
MSN:
21
YOM:
1953
Country:
Crew on board:
1
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
1
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
1
Circumstances:
The ski equipped aircraft passed the overnight outside and in the morning, the pilot took off from Shaft Lake with a passenger. After takeoff, the airplane encountered difficulties to gain sufficient altitude to pass the mountains so the pilot attempted a turn when control was lost. The airplane stalled and crashed on the snow covered slope of the mountain. While the passenger was seriously injured, the pilot was killed.
Probable cause:
Poor flight preparation on part of the pilot who failed to clean the aircraft prior to takeoff. Departure was made with contaminated wings with ice and frost.

Crash of a De Havilland DHC-3 Otter in The Pas

Date & Time: Dec 9, 1968
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
CF-XJM
Flight Phase:
Survivors:
Yes
MSN:
29
YOM:
1953
Country:
Crew on board:
0
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
En route, a fire erupted on board and the pilot reduced his altitude to make an emergency landing. The aircraft crash landed near The Pas and was destroyed by a post crash fire. There were no casualties.

Crash of a De Havilland DHC-3 Otter in Bradore Bay: 9 killed

Date & Time: Sep 6, 1968
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
CF-RNP
Flight Phase:
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Lourdes-de-Blanc-Sablon – Sainte-Augustine – Saint-Paul River – Lourdes-de-Blanc-Sablon
MSN:
164
YOM:
1956
Country:
Crew on board:
2
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
7
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
9
Aircraft flight hours:
5088
Circumstances:
The single engine airplane departed Lourdes-de-Blanc-Sablon Airport at 1530LT on a trip to Sainte-Augustine, Saint-Paul River and back to Lourdes-de-Blanc-Sablon. Seven passengers embarked at Saint-Paul River Airstrip. On the last leg, weather conditions deteriorated with fog and clouds down to 200 feet. In unknown circumstances, control was lost and the airplane crashed in an uninhabited area located near Bradore Bay. As the airplane failed to return to its base, SAR operations were conducted and three days later, three dead bodies and few debris were found. A week later, all operations were suspended as no trace of the main wreckage or the rest of the occupants was found.
Probable cause:
Loss of control for undetermined reason.

Crash of a De Havilland DHC-3 Otter near Odda: 5 killed

Date & Time: Aug 31, 1968
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
LN-BFD
Flight Phase:
Survivors:
No
Site:
MSN:
199
YOM:
1957
Location:
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
1
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
4
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
5
Circumstances:
En route, weather conditions worsened and the visibility was poor due to heavy rain falls. While cruising at an insufficient altitude, the single engine aircraft struck the slope of a mountain located near Odda. The airplane disintegrated on impact and all five occupants were killed. It was leased from Ocean Products to Westwing.

Crash of a De Havilland DHC-3 Otter in India: 2 killed

Date & Time: May 11, 1968
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Location:
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
2
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
2
Circumstances:
Crashed in unknown circumstances somewhere in India while completing a test flight. Both pilots were killed.

Crash of a De Havilland DHC-3 Otter in Rossfjordstraumen

Date & Time: Mar 28, 1968
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
LN-FAE
Flight Phase:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Tromsø – Harstad
MSN:
18
YOM:
1953
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
1
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
4
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
The aircraft on amphibious floats departed from Tromso at 1015 hours for a scheduled flight to Harstad. In addition to the pilot, a company mechanic was on board as an assistant and there were three passengers. The weather was not good, with low cloud, heavy snow showers and reduced visibility. Due to the conditions, the pilot elected to divert from the track laid out in the company's route manual. This change of route however was not reported to air traffic control because of poor radio coverage at low altitude. This is a very rugged coastal area with numerous fjords and inlets amidst mountains rising to four thousand feet. As the Otter flew in on the west side of Rossfjord, some 45 kilometres south-west of Tromso, visibility dropped and the pilot said to his assistant “We'll cut across here, I know this area” and started a right turn. Eye witness reports put the aircraft at this time at between 100 feet and 25 feet above the ice-covered fjord, although the pilot was later to claim he was flying at 500 feet. Immediately after starting the turn, the right wingtip and float made contact with the ground. The aircraft was thrown to the left at the first impact and crashed at a 35 degree angle to its direction of travel. It caught fire and was burnt to destruction. All five occupants survived the crash but one passenger and the pilot's assistant suffered severe burns and were flown by helicopter to hospital in Tromso.
Source: https://www.dhc-3archive.com
Probable cause:
The Accident investigation Board was not able to determine whether the pilot meant to make a 180 degree turn and fly back out of the fjord, or initiate a climb to get across a low mountain ridge and out into the next fjord to the west. The Board concluded that the accident was caused by the pilot’s decision to turn towards higher terrain. If the purpose was to exit the fjord, it should have been made to the left over the fjord. If it was to climb across the ridge, it would not have been possible to clear the terrain, given the aircraft’s weight and performance.

Crash of a De Havilland DHC-3 Otter into Memphrémagog Lake

Date & Time: Jan 7, 1968
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
3674
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
MSN:
32
YOM:
1953
Country:
Crew on board:
0
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
Crashed in unknown circumstances into Memphrémagog Lake. There were no casualties.