Ferry

While taxiing, the engine number four failed to start due to a starter issue. The captain decided to increase speed, hoping to start the engine by windmilling the propeller. When the engine started, the pilot was unable to stop the aircraft in a timely manner. The airplane veered off taxiway, lost its undercarriage and came to rest against a small embankment. All three crew members were unhurt while the aircraft was damaged beyond repair.

Flying Tiger's Flight 841 of January 7, 1953, a ferry flight from Burbank, California, to Seattle, to pick up military personnel, was made in accordance with the company's contract with the Department of National Defense. Departure from Burbank was at 1437, with Captain C. Greber, pilot in command, Captain B. Merrill, and Copilot W. Lowe comprising the crew. Captain H. Wall, chief pilot of the company's Burbank Division, was on board as an observer. The weight of the aircraft at takeoff was 57,520 pounds which was within the maximum allowable gross weight; there was no revenue load. Throughout the segment of the flight to San Francisco, California, Captain Merrill and Captain Lowe flew the aircraft; with the exception of a false fire warning signal from the No. 3 engine nacelle observed in the cockpit shortly after takeoff, the flight to San Francisco was routine. Upon arrival there mechanics checked the fire warning system and found no evidence of a fire having occurred. Captain Merrill told the mechanics that he was satisfied from their inspection there was no danger of fire and that he would not delay the flight further. The malfunctioning fire waning system was not repaired at this time. Captain Wall terminated his flight at San Francisco and a company stewardess, together with a woman passenger and her two children (the wife and children of a company pilot), boarded the aircraft at this point to fly as non-revenue passengers. No fuel or cargo was added at San Francisco. Flight 841 departed San Francisco at 1737 with Captain Greber in command occupying the left pilot's seat and Captain Merrill occupying the copilot's seat. The flight was cleared by ARTC (Air Route Traffic Control) to fly VFR via Amber Airway No. 1 to Williams, California, and IFR from Williams to Boeing Field, Seattle, at an altitude of 11,000 feet MSL. The estimated time en route was three hours and 39 minutes with 1,500 gallons of fuel on board and the Seattle-Tacoma Airport was designated as the alternate. Normal en route position reports were made by the flight and at 1947 it reported being over Eugene, Oregon, at 11,000 feet. Seattle ARTC then cleared the flight to descend to and maintain 9,000 feet until passing Portland, Oregon, and from this point, to descend to and maintain 7,000 feet. At 2036 Flight 841 reported over the McChord radio range station and requested further clearance. Accordingly, ARTC cleared the flight to maintain 7,000 feet, to contact Seattle Approach Control immediately and advised that no delay was expected. Contact was immediately made with approach control; the flight was then cleared to make a standard range approach to Boeing Field and requested to report leaving each 1,000-foot level during the descent. The following weather information was given the flight at this time: "Boeing Field - 1800 scattered, 2200 overcast, 8 miles, wind south-southeast 22, gusts to 30, altimeter 2925; Seattle-Tacoma - measured 1900 broken with 3100 over-cast." Flight 841 acknowledged this clearance and reported leaving 7,000 feet at 2040. Two minutes later, at 2042, it reported being over the outer marker and leaving the 6,000-foot level. No report of leaving the 5,000-foot level was made and at 2045 the flight advised it was leaving 4,000 feet. When the latter was acknowledged by approach control the flight was further advised as follows: "If you're not VFR by the tine you reach the range you can shuttle on the northwest course at 2,000 feet, it's possible you'll break out in the vicinity of Boeing Field for a south landing." The flight acknowledged at 2050 and said it was leaving 3,000 feet. At the time N 86574 was making the approach to Boeing Field, a Pan American DC-4 aircraft was also approaching this airport from the northwest. The latter aircraft had been advised by approach control that it was No. 2 to land behind the Flying Tiger aircraft in the traffic pattern. The Pan American aircraft its making a routine let-down on the northwest leg on the Seattle range and at 2054 reported being at the 3,000-foot level and VFR. Immediately after receiving this altitude report approach control called N 86574 and advised: "You're clear to contact Boeing Tower on 118.3 for landing instructions." This was acknowledged by "Roger" and was the last known contact with the Flying Tiger aircraft. At approximately 2055, N 86574 crashed about 11 miles east of the Seattle range station at the base of Squak Mountain. All seven occupants were killed and the aircraft was demolished by impact and the ensuing fire.

The aircraft was completing a flight from Khabarovsk to Tashkent with intermediate stops in Krasnoyarsk and Novosibirsk, carrying a crew of six and one passenger, a Soviet Army Officer. The airplane left Krasnoyarsk Airport at 1822LT bound for Novosibirsk. En route, the crew encountered poor weather conditions with low clouds and rain falls. While cruising at an altitude of 1,500 meters in the clouds, the crew encountered icing conditions and obtained the permission to descend to 900 meters. As the aircraft failed to arrive in Novosibirsk, SAR operations were conducted but eventually suspended few days later as no trace of the aircraft nor the seven occupants was found. The wreckage was found 15 years later, in 1967, on the northwestern slope of Mt Kuznetsky Alatau (1,037 meters high) located in the region of Belogorsk. According to investigations, it appears the aircraft hit tree tops, flew about 70 meters and crashed in flames in a wooded area at an altitude of 710 meters. The airplane disintegrated on impact and was consumed by a post crash fire. All seven occupants were killed.

The aircraft departed Burbank August 3 on a nonstop ferry flight to San Antonio, Texas. The aircraft, piloted by Douglas T. Dell, Chief Pilot of Resort Airlines, arrived at its destination at 2345 following an uneventful flight VFR direct. Two minor discrepancies were reported by the pilot on arrival at San Antonio; that the hydraulic system cycle every one minute and 20 seconds, and that the left engine dropped 100 RPM'S on the left magneto. These discrepancies were corrected y Slick Airways' maintenance crew at San Antonio, and at 1653, August 4, the aircraft departed for Miami, Florida, nonstop on a VFR flight plan to cruise at 10,000 feet. The crew on this flight consisted of Captain Robert E. Smith and Copilot John N. Goodman. Two non revenue passengers boarded the plane at San Antonio for the flight to Miami. The cabin of the aircraft contained no passenger seats. This equipment was to have been installed at Miami prior to placing the aircraft in service. The cockpit was equipped to accommodate a crew of three. One safety belt had been installed to accommodate one person riding in the cabin; however, no approved type seat was provided. The aircraft and engine log covering the flight from San Antonio to Miami, as well as a mutilated flight plan and log sheet recovered from the wreckage, indicated that the flight was made at an altitude of 10,000 feet. All entries in the flight plan and log sheet covering check points between San Antonio and Miami were completed up to and including Cross City, Florida, the last check point before reaching Miami. The last entry gave the estimated time of arrival at Miami as 2324. The estimated and actual time over the various cheek points along the route as reflected in the flight log indicated that the flight had progressed very nearly as estimated. On the recovered aircraft and engine log covering the San Antonio-Miami flight under heading entitled "Difficulties Noted During Flight," there was found this entry, "EXCESSIVE PLAY ON ELE." The log sheet had been signed by both the captain and the copilot. At approximately 2317 the Miami tower operator received a broken radio transmission from which he was unable to identify either the aircraft or the nature of the call. An attempt to establish contact was unsuccessful until the following message was received. "Miami tower - NAN 79096 requesting emergency landing." Two-way contact was established and at approximately 2318 the flight was cleared to land on Runway 27L (preferential runway for calm wind) and the pilot was advised that if this runway was not satisfactory any runway was available. In the next transmission, the pilot advised the tower that the elevator control linkage was broken and he would attempt to bring the aircraft in, using trim tabs only. His position was given as high over the west boundary of the airport at an altitude estimated by the tower operator as 3,000 feet. Since the use of Runway 9R would permit an approach to be made over very thinly populated areas, it was suggested to the pilot that if it was satisfactory with him, Runway 9R be used. The pilot advised the tower that the change of runways was satisfactory. The area was cleared of all traffic while the aircraft made a circuit of the field, letting down slowly with a wide approach to a long final. As the aircraft neared the approach end of the runway, it appeared to tower personnel to be lined up properly. The following is quoted from testimony of the tower operator: "As the aircraft neared the approach end of the runway and at an altitude of approximately 150 feet, the nose of the aircraft appeared to come up slightly, then crop about the same degree below the horizon. This was repeated several times, each time two maneuver becoming more violent, with the last pull-up very stoop. At an altitude of approximately 150 feet the aircraft appeared to fall off slightly on the left wing, the nose dropped, and the aircraft struck the ground almost vertically." The fire which followed the crash was quickly extinguished by the airport fire-fighting equipment, the crews of which had been altered and were in standby position prior to the crash. The aircraft was destroyed and all four occupants were killed.

The pilot, sole on board, was completing a ferry flight from Kenya to the US with intermediate stops in Prestwick, Iceland and Canada. While approaching an airport located in the region of New York in snow falls, the airplane crash landed in a golf course and was damaged beyond repair. The pilot was unhurt.

The aircraft was returning to its base in Sydney-Mascot and departed Bankstown Airport at 1528LT with one pilot on board, a stewardess and her son. Approaching Sydney, the pilot decided to return to Bankstown and informed ATC shortly later that an engine failed and requested assistance for a straight-in approach. While descending to Bankstown Airfield, the twin engine aircraft went out of control and crashed in flames in Padstow, about 4,5 km southeast of the airport. The stewardess was killed instantly while the pilot was seriously injured and the kid was slightly injured. Few hours later, the pilot died from his injuries.
Crew:
B. J. Moore, pilot,
L. F. Gregory, stewardess.
Passenger:
L. T. Gregory.

Crashed in unknown circumstances in Palame, Bahia, while completing a flight from Recife to Salvador de Bahia. Two crew members were killed and two others were injured.

The aircraft left Daegu Airport at 1920LT on April 26 on a bombing mission to Pyongyang-Mirim Airport, North Korea. While approaching the target area by night, the aircraft was shot down by antiaircraft fire and crashed, killing all four crew members.
Crew:
Cpt Arthur Myles Austin,
1st Lt Martin F. Howell Jr.,
M/Sgt John W. Lausberg Jr.,
Cpt Ralph F. Yarosh.

Crashed in unknown circumstances in the vicinity of the Bolling AFB while performing a local training sortie. Two crew members were killed while a third occupant was injured.

Crashed in unknown circumstances two miles west of Tallahassee. Occupant fate remains unknown.