Executive/Corporate/Business | Bureau of Aircraft Accidents Archives

During engine start-up, a fire erupted. All five passengers were able to evacuate the cabin and were unhurt. Unfortunately, the pilot was injured by fire that completely destroyed the airplane.

Crash of a Lockheed 18-56-23 LodeStar in Roanoke: 3 killed

Date & Time: Jul 9, 1949

Type of aircraft:

Lockheed 18 LodeStar

Operator:

Registration:

NC10000

Flight Phase:

Flight

Flight Type:

Executive/Corporate/Business

Survivors:

Yes

Site:

Plain, Valley

Schedule:

Chicago – Saint Louis

MSN:

18-2569

YOM:

1943

Location:

Roanoke

Illinois

Country:

United States of America

Region:

North America

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

The twin engine aircraft was performing an executive flight from Chicago to Saint Louis, carrying two members of the board of Fairbanks-Morse & Company and two pilots. En route, the crew encountered technical problems with an engine and reduced his altitude in an attempt to make an emergency landing. Unfortunately, the aircraft went out of control and crashed in flames in a cornfield located 1 mile west of Roanoke. Both pilots Jack Hadden and Elmer West and the passenger Charles H. Morse III were killed while the second passenger W. E. Watson was injured.

Probable cause:

Engine failure.

Crash of a Beechcraft D18S in London: 5 killed

Date & Time: Mar 31, 1949 at 1030 LT

Type of aircraft:

Beechcraft D18

Operator:

Registration:

NC90511

Flight Phase:

Landing (descent or approach)

Flight Type:

Executive/Corporate/Business

Survivors:

Yes

Site:

Plain, Valley

Schedule:

Midland - Boston

MSN:

A-376

YOM:

1947

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

The twin engine aircraft departed Midland Airport, Michigan, at 0910LT bound for Boston, carrying four passengers and two pilots. A little more than an hour into the flight, after passing over London, Ontario, the crew encountered difficulties and contacted London Airport and declared an emergency situation. The crew decided to divert to London Airport and reduced his altitude. While flying in poor weather conditions, the airplane passed just over a house (12 feet high) then crashed in flames in an open field. A passenger was able to evacuate the cabin and was slightly injured while five other occupants were killed. The aircraft was destroyed. The main passenger, Willard Dow, President of the Dow Chemical Company, was enroute to Boston to take part to a conference given by Winston Churchill. It appears that the regular crew refused to perform the flight due to extreme poor weather conditions (stormy weather approaching from the east). Thus, Mr. Dow asked a second crew to complete the flight.
Crew:
A. J. Bowie, pilot, †
Fred Clements, copilot. †
Passengers:
Willard Dow, †
Martha Dow, †
Calvin Campbell,
Mrs. Campbell. †

Probable cause:

It was determined that the loss of control was the consequence of an excessive accumulation of ice on the wings and the fuselage.

Crash of a Grumman G-21A Goose into the Río Villano

Date & Time: Feb 17, 1949

Type of aircraft:

Grumman G-21A Goose

Operator:

Registration:

HC-SBB

Flight Phase:

Flight

Flight Type:

Executive/Corporate/Business

Survivors:

Yes

Site:

Plain, Valley

MSN:

1005

YOM:

1937

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

Crashed in unknown circumstances into the Río Villano, affluent of the Río Curaray. The seaplane was destroyed and both crew members were injured.

Crash of a Lockheed 18-08 LodeStar off Elbe Island: 8 killed

Date & Time: Oct 29, 1948

Type of aircraft:

Lockheed 18 LodeStar

Operator:

R.A. Brand & Company

Registration:

G-AKPD

Flight Phase:

Flight

Flight Type:

Executive/Corporate/Business

Survivors:

Site:

Lake, Sea, Ocean, River

Schedule:

Croydon – Rome

MSN:

1429

YOM:

1948

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

En route from Croydon to Rome, the aircraft disappeared into the Tyrrhenian Sea and the crew was unable to send any distress call. As the aircraft failed to arrive, SAR operations were conducted. After few hours, Italian Authorities sent an official request to France and Switzerland to ask if the aircraft may have crash on their territory but no trace of the aircraft was found. All operations were suspended after few days. On November 13, 1948, few debris were found floating on the sea few km off Elbe Island. No trace of the eight occupants was found.

Probable cause:

Due to lack of evidence, it was not possible to determine the exact cause of the accident.

Crash of a Douglas C-47-DL in Rome

Date & Time: Sep 7, 1948 at 1600 LT

Type of aircraft:

Douglas C-47 Skytrain (DC-3)

Operator:

Registration:

NC75402

Flight Phase:

Landing (descent or approach)

Flight Type:

Executive/Corporate/Business

Survivors:

Yes

Site:

Airport (less than 10 km from airport)

Schedule:

Cairo – Tatoi – Rome

MSN:

4523

YOM:

1942

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

The aircraft was completing a flight from Cairo, Egypt, to Rome, with an intermediate stop at Tatoi AFB in Greece. For unknown reason, the aircraft went out of control upon landing in Ciampino Airport and came to rest. All seven occupants were rescued, three of them were seriously injured including both pilots.