Crash of an Aero Commander RL-26D at Mackall AAF: 2 killed

Date & Time: Sep 19, 1961
Type of aircraft:
Rockwell Aero Commander 680
Operator:
Registration:
58-5512
Flight Phase:
Takeoff (climb)
Flight Type:
Military
Survivors:
No
Site:
Airport (less than 10 km from airport)
MSN:
680-529-199
YOM:
1958
Location:
Mackall AAF
North Carolina
Country:
United States of America
Region:
North America
Crew on board:
2
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
2
Circumstances:
Shortly after takeoff from Mackall AAF, while climbing, the airplane went out of control and crashed three miles south of the airfield. Both occupants were killed.

Crash of a Douglas C-47A-30-DL near Mackall AFB: 12 killed

Date & Time: Sep 24, 1944 at 1940 LT
Type of aircraft:
Douglas C-47 Skytrain (DC-3)
Operator:
Registration:
42-23783
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Training
Survivors:
No
Site:
Airport (less than 10 km from airport)
Schedule:
Lumberton - Lumberton
MSN:
9645
YOM:
1943
Location:
Mackall AAF
North Carolina
Country:
United States of America
Region:
North America
Crew on board:
4
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
8
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
12
Circumstances:
Crashed some 5 miles W of AAF Camp Mackall Field, while on a night parachute drop exercise. The airplane was part of a six-ship formation that had departed Lumberton AAF on a night time parachute drop. The aircraft were flying in a V of V's formation dropping parachute supply bundles near Camp MacKall. The aircraft collided with the parachute bundle dropped from a preceding airplane. The bundle hit the control surface of the right hand wing. The airplane rolled out of control and entered a spin. The pilot could not recover from the spin and the airplane crashed and burned.
Source: http://www.joebaugher.com
Probable cause:
In flight collision with a parachute bundle.

Crash of a Douglas C-47A-35-DL in Parkton: 4 killed

Date & Time: Feb 7, 1944 at 2030 LT
Type of aircraft:
Douglas C-47 Skytrain (DC-3)
Operator:
Registration:
42-23795
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Training
Survivors:
No
Site:
Plain, Valley
Schedule:
Mackall AFB - Mackall AFB
MSN:
9657
YOM:
1943
Location:
Parkton
North Carolina
Country:
United States of America
Region:
North America
Crew on board:
4
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
4
Circumstances:
Crew left Mackall AFB near Hoffman at the end of the afternoon for a training mission. While cruising at an altitude of 6,000 feet, aircraft went out of control and dove into the ground. During the dive, aircraft broke in several pieces and eventually came to rest in a wooded area, killing all four occupants.
Probable cause:
According to USAF officials, it appears that crew was performing aerobatics manoeuvres and that the aircraft was completing a looping when the loss of control occurred.

Crash of a Douglas C-47A-15-DL in Mackall AFB: 14 killed

Date & Time: Oct 29, 1943 at 1916 LT
Type of aircraft:
Douglas C-47 Skytrain (DC-3)
Operator:
Registration:
42-23391
Flight Phase:
Landing (descent or approach)
Flight Type:
Training
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Airport (less than 10 km from airport)
Schedule:
Mackall - Mackall
MSN:
9253
YOM:
1943
Location:
Mackall AAF
North Carolina
Country:
United States of America
Region:
North America
Crew on board:
5
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
15
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
14
Circumstances:
The aircraft left Mackall AFB early in the evening for a para-drop training mission. While approaching the drop zone at a height of 300 feet, the left engine failed. Due to low height, it was impossible for the paratroopers to leave the cabin so the crew decided to return to the base. On final approach, the aircraft was misaligned and the captain decided to go around and increased power on the right engine. The aircraft continued on a flat attitude and then banked sharply to the left. It hit tree tops, stalled and crashed short of runway. Six occupants were rescued while all 14 others were killed.
The 4 crew members killed were:
2nd Lt Richard A. Christian,
2nd Lt Charles C. Hinson,
Cpt Leroy A. Listug Jr.,
S/Sgt James McGarthy.
Probable cause:
The exact cause of the failure on the left engine was not determined with certainty. However, US Command noted that fuel contained in the tanks was a 91 octane fuel and it should be relevant to use a 100 octane fuel in the future.
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