Crash of a Vickers 745D Viscount in Honolulu

Date & Time: Aug 8, 1971 at 1724 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
N7415
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Hilo - Honolulu
MSN:
113
YOM:
1956
Flight number:
AQ845
Location:
Crew on board:
3
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
22
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Captain / Total flying hours:
11800
Captain / Total hours on type:
3081.00
Copilot / Total flying hours:
3689
Copilot / Total hours on type:
1263
Aircraft flight hours:
31354
Circumstances:
After landing at Honolulu, the crew completed the braking procedure and vacated the runway to the parking when the cabin crew informed the pilot about smoke in the cabin. The airplane was immediately stopped and all 22 occupants were able to evacuate. There were no injuries but the aircraft was seriously damaged by fire and considered as written off.
Probable cause:
An undetected electrical short within the left nickel-cadmium aircraft battery, which resulted in the absorption or an increasing amount of heat energy over an unknown period of time and progressed to a state of thermal runaway.
Final Report:

Crash of a Cessna 207 Skywagon into the Pacific Ocean: 1 killed

Date & Time: Dec 5, 1970 at 2320 LT
Registration:
N91110
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Kansas City – Los Angeles – Honolulu
MSN:
207-0076
YOM:
1969
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
1
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
1
Captain / Total flying hours:
6276
Circumstances:
The pilot, sole on board, departed Kansas City on a delivery flight to Honolulu with an intermediate stop in Los Angeles. While cruising by night over the Pacific Ocean, the pilot declared an emergency and reported his position about 646 miles northeast from the Oahu Island. SAR operations were conducted but eventually suspended after few days as no trace of the aircraft nor the pilot was found.
Probable cause:
Inadequate preflight preparation on part of the pilot. Engine failure in flight caused by a lubricating issue and oil exhaustion. No prove was made for extra oil, engine lost oil pressure then failed.
Final Report:

Crash of a De Havilland DH.104 Riley Dove in Kalaupapa

Date & Time: Nov 3, 1969 at 1527 LT
Type of aircraft:
Registration:
N669R
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Honolulu – Kalaupapa – Kaanapali
MSN:
04388
YOM:
1953
Crew on board:
2
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
11
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Captain / Total flying hours:
6559
Captain / Total hours on type:
567.00
Circumstances:
On final approach to Kalaupapa in good weather conditions, the crew failed to realize his altitude was insufficient when the airplane struck the ground 38 feet short of runway threshold. On impact, the undercarriage were torn off and the airplane came to rest on its belly. All 13 occupants were injured, four of them seriously. The aircraft was written off.
Probable cause:
The pilot-in-command misjudged the distance and altitude during the last segment of the flight and failed to initiate a go-around. The following factors were reported:
- Downdrafts, updrafts,
- Overload failure,
- Wind gusting up to 20 knots.
Final Report:

Ground accident of a Vickers 754D Viscount in Honolulu

Date & Time: Jun 27, 1969 at 0702 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
N7410
Flight Phase:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Honolulu – Molokai
MSN:
242
YOM:
1957
Location:
Crew on board:
3
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
11
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Captain / Total flying hours:
7000
Captain / Total hours on type:
3000.00
Circumstances:
While taxiing at Honolulu Airport, on a flight to Molokai, the pilot-in-command lost control of the airplane that collided with a parked Hawaii Air DC-9 registered N906H. While the DC-9 was slightly damaged, the Viscount was damaged beyond repair and the 14 occupants were uninjured.
Probable cause:
Loss of control during taxi due to the failure of the landing gear braking system. It was determined that the crew lost brakes and steering as the hydraulic system was not bled of air. The following factors were considered as contributing:
- Improper maintenance and inspection on part of the maintenance personnel,
- Inadequate preflight preparation on part of the flying crew.
Final Report:

Crash of a De Havilland DH.104 Dove in Honolulu

Date & Time: Feb 19, 1968 at 1917 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
N4953N
Survivors:
Yes
MSN:
04301
YOM:
1951
Location:
Crew on board:
2
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
11
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Captain / Total flying hours:
4908
Captain / Total hours on type:
29.00
Circumstances:
The approach to Honolulu was completed by night and poor weather conditions with low clouds and heavy rain falls. The airplane bounced on landing and the crew failed to regain control after the gears collapsed. The airplane slid on runway and came to rest. All 13 occupants were evacuated safely while the aircraft was written off.
Probable cause:
Improper recovery from bounced landing. The pilot's vision was limited due the windshield wipers inoperative in heavy rain falls.
Final Report:

Crash of a Boeing 707-138B in Vancouver: 2 killed

Date & Time: Feb 7, 1968 at 0558 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
N791SA
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Honolulu - Vancouver
MSN:
17698
YOM:
1959
Flight number:
CP322
Country:
Crew on board:
9
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
52
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
2
Copilot / Total hours on type:
344
Circumstances:
The approach to Vancouver Airport was completed in poor visibility due to foggy conditions. Following a wrong approach configuration, the aircraft landed 1,000 feet past the runway threshold and to the right of the centerline. After touchdown, the captain decided to make a go-around when control was lost. The airplane veered off runway to the right, went through the tarmac and eventually collided with a terminal building. Seventeen occupants were injured while 43 others were unhurt. The copilot and one person in the terminal were killed. The aircraft was considered as damaged beyond repair. At the time of the accident, the horizontal visibility was limited to 200 meters due to fog with strong winds.
Probable cause:
It was determined that the approach configuration on part of the flying crew was wrong. At the time of the accident, both pilots were on duty since more than 21 hours and their concentration and performances were diminished due to intense fatigue. It was reported that the approach speed was too high while the rate of descent was too low.

Crash of a Douglas DC-3-362 into the Pacific Ocean: 3 killed

Date & Time: Jul 25, 1966
Type of aircraft:
Registration:
HS-OOO
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Long Beach – Honolulu – Bangkok
MSN:
3266
YOM:
1940
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
3
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
3
Circumstances:
The airplane departed Long Beach Airport on a delivery flight to Bangkok via Honolulu. While cruising about 525 miles from the California coast, the crew informed ATC about an engine failure and elected to return. Contact was lost and the airplane crashed into the Pacific Ocean. No trace or the aircraft nor the three occupants was ever found.
Probable cause:
engine failure.

Crash of a Beechcraft C-45H Expeditor in Kahului: 2 killed

Date & Time: Nov 12, 1965 at 1415 LT
Type of aircraft:
Registration:
N9915Z
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Site:
Schedule:
Honolulu – Kahului
MSN:
AF-684
YOM:
1954
Location:
Crew on board:
1
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
1
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
2
Captain / Total flying hours:
11272
Captain / Total hours on type:
500.00
Circumstances:
While approaching Kahului Airport in poor weather conditions, the twin engine aircraft struck the slope of a mountain located few miles from the airfield and was destroyed upon impact. The wreckage was found in a inaccessible area a day later and both occupants have been killed.
Probable cause:
The pilot got disoriented in IFR conditions for undetermined reason. The airplane was under control at impact.
Final Report:

Crash of a Douglas C-54A-10-DC Skymaster into the Pacific Ocean: 9 killed

Date & Time: Mar 28, 1964 at 0600 LT
Type of aircraft:
Registration:
N4726V
Flight Phase:
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Honolulu – Los Angeles
MSN:
10315
YOM:
1944
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
3
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
6
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
9
Captain / Total flying hours:
23454
Captain / Total hours on type:
16000.00
Circumstances:
The DC-4 took off from Honolulu at 22:47 PST for a flight to Los Angeles, ETA 10:27 PST. At 05:54 PST the pilot reported a bad fire in the no. 2 engine and stated that a ditching might become necessary. Nothing more was heard from the flight. Extensive search efforts were discontinued after 5 days; nothing had been found. A total of 15-17 min maintenance delay had occurred on the Los Angeles-Philippines round trip. Among the causes of these delays was a recurring oil leak in the propeller governor assembly for the no. 2 engine.
Probable cause:
In-flight No.2 engine fire for an undetermined cause, resulting in ditching at sea.
Final Report:

Crash of a Bristol 175 Britannia 314 in Honolulu: 27 killed

Date & Time: Jul 22, 1962 at 2319 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
CF-CZB
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Vancouver – Honolulu – Nadi – Auckland – Sydney
MSN:
13394
YOM:
1958
Flight number:
CP301
Location:
Crew on board:
11
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
29
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
27
Captain / Total flying hours:
13250
Captain / Total hours on type:
920.00
Copilot / Total flying hours:
16073
Copilot / Total hours on type:
1628
Circumstances:
The aircraft had arrived in Honolulu at 0507 hours Hawaiian standard time on 21 July as CPA Flight 323 from Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. It was departing, the evening of 22 July, as Empress Flight 301 on a scheduled international flight for Nadi (Fiji Islands), Auckland (New Zealand) and Sydney (Australia). The night takeoff was commenced at 22:38 hours local time and approximately two minutes after becoming airborne and during the climbout a fire warning indication for No 1 engine was received in the cockpit. The No. 1 propeller was feathered and the tower controller was advised that the aircraft was returning to Honolulu. As an over-gross landing weight condition existed, fuel jettisoning in the amount of 35000 lb was carried out The jettisoning operation was completed at 23:06 hours following which the flight was vectored west of the outer marker to Intercept the ILS final approach course for runway 08. The three-engine landing approach appeared normal until the aircraft had proceeded beyond the runway threshold and had commenced its landing flare at an altitude of approximately 20 feet above the runway centreline. A go-around was attempted from this position, and the aircraft banked and veered sharply to the left. Initial ground contact was made by the left wing tip approximately 550 feet to the left of the runway centreline and approximately 700 feet beyond the threshold of the runway. The aircraft progressively disintegrated as it moved across the ground, then struck heavy earth-moving equipment parked approximately 970 feet from the runway centreline.
Probable cause:
The attempted three-engine go-around, when the aircraft was in a full landing configuration, at insufficient airspeed and altitude to maintain control.
Final Report: