Executive/Corporate/Business

Survivors:

Site:

Chicago-Executive (Palwaukee)

Schedule:

Chicago - New Castle

MSN:

LD-242

YOM:

1965

Location:

Illinois

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Captain / Total flying hours:

6115

Captain / Total hours on type:

263.00

Circumstances:

At liftoff, the twin engine encountered serious difficulties to gain height, stalled and crashed. A pilot was killed while the second crew member was seriously injured.

Probable cause:

Stall after takeoff due to an excessive accumulation of snow on wings and fuselage. The following contributing factors were reported:
- Inadequate preflight preparation,
- Airframe ice,
- Icing conditions,
- Snow,
- Slush on runway,
- The crew partially removed snow before taxi,
- 13 minutes time span between taxi out and takeoff in snow conditions.

Final Report:

Crash of a Convair CV-240-0 at Langley AFB

Date & Time: Feb 20, 1970 at 1244 LT

Type of aircraft:

Convair CV-240

Operator:

Jet International

Registration:

N741J

Flight Phase:

Flight Type:

Survivors:

Site:

Schedule:

Richmond - Linden

MSN:

146

YOM:

1949

Location:

Langley AFB (Hampton)

Virginia

Country:

Region:

Swearingen SA26T Merlin II

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Captain / Total flying hours:

11000

Captain / Total hours on type:

1000.00

Circumstances:

En route from Richmond to Linden, NJ, the crew informed ATC about technical problems and that he was unable to lower the landing gear. ATC cleared the crew to divert to Langley AFB for an emergency landing. The airplane belly landed on a foamed runway and came to rest. All 28 occupants were evacuated safely while the aircraft was damaged beyond repair.

Probable cause:

Wheels-up landing caused by the malfunction of the landing gear mechanism. The following contributing factors were reported:
- Improper maintenance on part of the maintenant personnel,
- Failure of the landing gear mechanism,
- Material failure, corrosion,
- Suspected mechanical discrepancy,
- Numerous aircraft maintenance discrepancies,
- Uplock cable broken,
- Emergency system pressure too low.

Final Report:

Crash of a Swearingen SA26T Merlin IIB in Cleveland: 1 killed

Date & Time: Jan 29, 1970 at 1924 LT

Type of aircraft:

Operator:

Registration:

N239P

Flight Phase:

Flight Type:

Survivors:

Site:

Cleveland-Cuyahoga County

Schedule:

Jamestown - Cleveland

MSN:

T26-147

YOM:

1969

Location:

Ohio

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Captain / Total flying hours:

3733

Captain / Total hours on type:

225.00

Circumstances:

On final approach by night to Cuyahoga County Airport, the crew encountered poor weather conditions with snow falls and icing. At the decision height, the runway was not in sight but the captain decided to continue when the airplane struck tree tops and crashed in a wooded area located 4,610 feet short of runway 24. A pilot was killed while three other occupants were injured.

Probable cause:

The accident was the consequence of improper IFR operation on part of the flying crew. The following factors were considered as contributing:
- Airframe ice,
- Snow,
- Icing conditions with sleet and freezing rain,
- Turbulences associated with thunderstorm activity,
- The crew decided to descend below the minimum descent altitude,
- Both landing lights were ON in heavy snow falls.

Final Report:

Crash of a Mitsubishi MU-2B-20 Marquise in Salisbury

Date & Time: Jan 16, 1970 at 0115 LT

Type of aircraft:

Mitsubishi MU-2 Marquise

Operator:

Carmen Leasing

Registration:

N764Q

Flight Phase:

Flight Type:

Survivors:

Site:

Salisbury-Wicomico County

Schedule:

Miami – Norfolk – Philadelphia

MSN:

141

YOM:

1969

Location:

Maryland

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Captain / Total flying hours:

9100

Captain / Total hours on type:

137.00

Circumstances:

The twin engine aircraft was completing a flight from Miami to Philadelphia with an intermediate stop in Norfolk, Virginia. On the second leg, the pilot encountered fuel problems and was forced to divert to Salisbury Regional Airport for an emergency landing. On final, both engines stopped simultaneously and the airplane stalled, struck trees and crashed in a wooded area. All five occupants were injured, two of them seriously. The aircraft was destroyed.

Probable cause:

Double engine failure caused by a fuel starvation. The following factors were considered as contributing:
- Mismanagement of fuel on part of the pilot,
- Miscalculation of fuel consumption on part of the pilot,
- Fuel starvation,
- Double engine failure,
- Fuel in tip tanks only as the others were empty,
- Undetermined amount of fuel lost due to broken O ring seal,
- Fuel level control valve.

Final Report:

Crash of a Cessna 401 in Piketon: 5 killed

Date & Time: Dec 17, 1969 at 0920 LT

Type of aircraft:

Cessna 401

Operator:

Registration:

N8167F

Flight Phase:

Flight

Flight Type:

Survivors:

Site:

Plain, Valley

Schedule:

Cincinnati - Parkersburg

MSN:

401-0236

Location:

Piketon

Ohio

Country:

Region:

Rockwell 1121 Jet Commander

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Captain / Total flying hours:

8477

Captain / Total hours on type:

500.00

Circumstances:

En route, the right engine caught fire that spread to the right wing. An aileron detached, causing the airplane to be uncontrollable. The pilot informed ATC and elected to make an emergency landing when the airplane crashed in flames in an open field located in Piketon. All five occupants were killed.

Probable cause:

Uncontrolled descent following the failure of the right engine turbocharger in flight. Escaping heat ignited fuel and oil lines caused the aileron to burn and detach. The following factors were reported:
- Powerplant, engine accessories failure,
- Material failure, fire in engine and wing,
- Separation in flight.

Final Report:

Crash of a Rockwell 1121B Jet Commander in Salt Lake City: 2 killed

Date & Time: Dec 16, 1969 at 0610 LT

Type of aircraft:

Operator:

Registration:

N403M

Flight Phase:

Takeoff (climb)

Flight Type:

Survivors:

Site:

Schedule:

Salt Lake City - Seattle

MSN:

1121-132

YOM:

1969

Location:

Salt Lake City

Utah

Country:

Region:

United States Leasing Corporation

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Captain / Total flying hours:

9423

Captain / Total hours on type:

1195.00

Circumstances:

During the takeoff roll at Salt Lake City Airport, the crew completed the rotation too early. The aircraft stalled then crashed in flames near the runway. The aircraft was destroyed and both pilots were killed.

Probable cause:

Premature liftoff on part of the flying crew. The following factors were considered as contributing:
- The pilot-in-command failed to obtain flying speed,
- Physical impairment,
- Crew fatigue,
- Improperly loaded aircraft-weight and/or CofG,
- Icing conditions including sleet and freezing rain,
- Obstructions to vision.

Final Report:

Crash of a Beechcraft 60 Duke in Houston

Date & Time: Nov 21, 1969 at 1520 LT

Type of aircraft:

Beechcraft 60 Duke

Operator:

Registration:

N812JR

Flight Phase:

Flight Type:

Survivors:

Site:

Alief-Andrau Airpark (Houston)

Schedule:

Alief - Alief

MSN:

P-44

YOM:

1969

Location:

Texas

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Captain / Total flying hours:

1762

Captain / Total hours on type:

439.00

Circumstances:

After touchdown at Houston Airport, the pilot started the braking procedure when he inadvertently raised the landing gear. The aircraft sank on its belly and slid for dozen yards before coming to rest in flames. The pilot escaped uninjured while the aircraft was destroyed.

Probable cause:

The pilot inadvertently retracted the landing gear after touchdown.

Final Report:

Crash of a BAe 125-400A in Wabush: 8 killed

Date & Time: Nov 11, 1969 at 1830 LT

Type of aircraft:

BAe 125

Operator:

Registration:

CF-CFL

Flight Phase:

Flight Type:

Survivors:

Site:

Schedule:

Churchill Falls - Wabush - Montreal

MSN:

25193/NA725

YOM:

1969

Location:

Wabush

Newfoundland & Labrador

Country:

Canada

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

The twin engine aircraft departed Churchill Falls Airport at 1800LT on a flight to Montreal with an intermediate stop in Wabush (Labrador City). On final approach, the crew encountered poor weather conditions and failed to realize his altitude was insufficient. Out of track, the airplane struck trees then crashed on a mountainous terrain located few km from the airport. The controller at Wabush Airport informed Moncton ATC about the disappearance of the aircraft and SAR operations were initiated. All eight occupants were killed, among them Donald J. McParland, President of Churchill Falls (Labrador) Corporation, his assistant John Lethbridge, Eric Lambert and three employees of the Acres Canadian Bechtel.

Probable cause:

It was determined that the aircraft was off course on approach after the crew referred to the wrong NDB. Low visibility caused by poor weather conditions was a contributing factor.

Crash of a Learjet 23 off Racine: 7 killed

Date & Time: Nov 6, 1969 at 1107 LT

Type of aircraft:

Learjet 23

Operator:

Registration:

N1021B

Flight Phase:

Flight Type:

Survivors:

Site:

Lake, Sea, Ocean, River

Schedule:

Benton Harbor - Racine

MSN:

23-086

YOM:

1966

Location:

Racine

Wisconsin

Country:

Region: