Military

LTC Mendes of the U.S. 1st Army borrowed the plane, designated as a TU-6A from the Rhode Island Army National Guard on the previous day (Saturday) under the pretence of obtaining additional flight time for his certification. Officially, Mendes’ mission was to deliver a helicopter part to the Vermont Army National Guard. He took off from the Theodore Francis Green airport in Warwick, RI., and flew to Burlington, VT., with two stops en route – contrary to his official flight plan. At Hanscom Field in Bedford, MA., he picked up three persons – all unauthorized civilians. In Laconia, NH., they were joined by another unauthorized civilian. On arrival in Burlington, they stopped overnight. Sunday afternoon, the TU-6A Beaver took off from Burlington in a serious snow squall and shortly after lift-off LTC Mendes radioed that he was experiencing trouble with an aileron. The aircraft subsequently spun into the ground. It appears that no pre flight check was completed and the accident was caused by a build up of ice on the wings. The aircraft is reported as destroyed and the pilot and the four passengers received fatal injuries.
Source: www.dhc-2.com

The airplane was engaged in a special flight from Managua to Panama City, carrying three passengers (all civilians), and three crew members. While approaching San José, Costa Rica, weather conditions deteriorated with thunderstorm activity and heavy rain falls. In poor visibility, the airplane struck the slope of the Turrialba volcano (3,340 meters high) and disintegrated on impact. All six occupants were killed.

During the takeoff roll from runway 30 at Tel Aviv-Lod Airport by night, just before V1 speed, the crew saw an Israel Air Force Boeing KC-97G Stratotanker that was towed across the active runway. The pilot-in-command initiated an immediate takeoff when the left wing struck the Stratotanker. On impact, both airplanes caught fire and exploded. While all three crew members on board the 707 survived, both technicians on board the KC-97 were killed.

Ten minutes after his departure from Phan Rang Air Base, the pilot started the descent to Cam Ranh Bay via a steep valley (3 km wide and 15 km long) at an altitude of 2,700 feet via heading 30°. Shortly later, ATC instructed the crew to change heading to 100° when contact was lost. The airplane struck trees with its both wings, stalled and crashed in flames in a dense wooded area located few km from Cam Ranh Bay Airport. Rescuers arrived on the scene five days later and found two men still alive while 42 other occupants were killed. At the time of the accident, the visibility was nil due to low clouds.
Crew:
Cpt Cecil Gerald Moyer,
Cpt Norbert Albert Podhajsky,
1st Lt James Francis Saxby,
S/Sgt Grayson Henry Newberry,
S/Sgt Harry Allen Watson.

While descending to Nha Trang Air Base on a flight from Saigon, the crew encountered poor weather conditions with limited visibility and a low ceiling at 2,000 feet. On approach at an altitude of 4,600 feet, the crew failed to realize his altitude was too low when the right wing struck trees. Out of control, the airplane crashed in flames in a wooded area located on the slope of a mountain, some 25 km southwest of the airport. Due to poor weather conditions and the fact that the aircraft crashed in an inaccessible area, the crash site was reached nine days later only. The wreckage was found about 150 feet below the summit and all 79 occupants have been killed. At the time of the accident, ceiling was broken at 2,000 feet and the horizontal visibility was estimated to 1,500 meters.
Crew:
1st Lt Marvin S. Arthington,
Maj Robert Lee Baker,
1st Lt Frederick M. Rader,
T/Sgt William Brandon O'Kieff,
Sgt Allen James Bodin,
A1c Frederick Richard Neff.

The crew departed Neubiberg AFB on a short flight to Kaufbeuren AFB located about 80 km southwest. While flying at low height, the airplane struck the top of a hill and crashed near Königsdorf, about 60 km east of Kaufbeuren Airfield. The aircraft was destroyed and all five crew members were killed.

The twin engine airplane was completing a liaison flight from Fort Meade, MD, to Huntington, WV. While approaching Huntington-Tri-State Airport by night and in heavy rain falls, the aircraft went out of control and crashed on final. One passenger was injured while three other occupants were killed, among them Major General Edwin H. Burba, Deputy Commander of the 1st Army.
Crew:
Cw2 Paul R. Burtt, pilot,
Cw3 Maynard V. Reisinger, copilot.
Passengers:
MG Edwin H. Burba +1.

While approaching Manizales-La Nubia Airport, the engine failed. The pilot lost control of the airplane that crashed few km from the airfield. Two passengers survived while five other occupants were killed.

Before his departure from Christchurch, the crew was informed that weather conditions at McMurdo Sound station was favorable. Unfortunately, these conditions deteriorated in flight and upon arrival, the crew was unable to locate the runway. In such conditions, the captain decided to make a go-around and during a second attempt to land in zero visibility due to blowing snow, he failed to realize his altitude was too low when the right main gear struck a snowbank and was torn off. The right wing was also torn off and the airplane crashed. While all 80 occupants were rescued, the airplane was destroyed.

The airplane departed Taipei-Songshan Airport at 1401LT bound for the Ching Chuan Kang Airbase located in Taichung. During initial climb, the crew was cleared to climb to 6,000 feet and heading 252°. Six minutes after takeoff, the airplane struck the slope of a mountain (6,150 feet high) located about 30 km southeast of Taipei. The wreckage was found six days later on October 8, about 10 meters below the summit. All 43 occupants have been killed.