Military | Bureau of Aircraft Accidents Archives

The crew was completing a flight from Kuching to the Sempang Airbase in Kuala Lumpur. On approach, the left main gear failed to extend and the captain decided to divert to Subang Airport where he completed a belly landing. The aircraft slid for few dozen metres and came to rest. While all 25 occupants escaped uninjured, the aircraft was damaged beyond repair.

Crash of a De Havilland DHC-4A Caribou on Meck Island

Date & Time: Dec 31, 1975

Type of aircraft:

De Havilland DHC-4 Caribou

Operator:

Registration:

66-250

Flight Type:

Military

Site:

Plain, Valley

MSN:

250

YOM:

1969

Location:

Country:

Region:

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Circumstances:

Crashed in unknown circumstances. Crew fate unknown as well as the exact date of the mishap, somewhere in 1975.

Crash of a Douglas C-117D Skytrain in Keflavik

Date & Time: Dec 20, 1975

Type of aircraft:

Douglas C-117 Skytrain

Operator:

Registration:

39096

Flight Phase:

Landing (descent or approach)

Flight Type:

Military

Survivors:

Yes

Site:

Airport (less than 10 km from airport)

MSN:

43338

YOM:

1945

Location:

Keflavik

Southern Peninsula (Suðurnes)

Country:

Iceland

Region:

Europe

Crew on board:

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Circumstances:

After touchdown, the airplane went out of control, veered off runway and collided with a hangar. There were no casualties but the aircraft was damaged beyond repair.

Probable cause:

Loss of control caused by brakes systems' failure.

Crash of a Dinfia IA.50 Guaraní II in Comodoro Rivadavia

Date & Time: Dec 2, 1975

Type of aircraft:

Dinfia IA.50 Guaraní II

Operator:

Registration:

T-112

Flight Type:

Military

Survivors:

Yes

Site:

Airport (less than 10 km from airport)

MSN:

YOM:

1966

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

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Circumstances:

Suffered an accident at Comodoro Rivadavia Airport. There were no casualties but the aircraft was considered as damaged beyond repair.

Crash of a Lockheed C-130H Hercules near el-Arīsh: 20 killed

Date & Time: Nov 25, 1975 at 1850 LT

Type of aircraft:

Lockheed C-130 Hercules

Operator:

Registration:

4X-FBO/203

Flight Phase:

Flight

Flight Type:

Military

Survivors:

Site:

Mountains

Schedule:

el-Arīsh - el-Arīsh

MSN:

4530

YOM:

1974

Location:

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Region:

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Circumstances:

The crew was returning to el-Arīsh Airport following a night exercice. At an altitude of 3,000 feet, while cruising in limited visibility, the airplane struck the slope of Mt Jebel Halal located about 49 south of el-Arīsh Airport. The wreckage was found five meters below the summit and all 20 occupants were killed.

Probable cause:

The accident was the consequence of a controlled flight into terrain. The lack of visibility was considered as a contributing factor.

Crash of a Convair CV-440-12 Metropolitan in Tomonoco: 67 killed

Date & Time: Oct 27, 1975 at 0645 LT

Type of aircraft:

Convair CV-440 Metropolitan

Operator:

Registration:

TAM-44

Flight Phase:

Takeoff (climb)

Flight Type:

Military

Survivors:

Site:

Mountains

Schedule:

Tomonoco - La Paz

MSN:

328

YOM:

1956

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Circumstances:

After a night takeoff from Tomonoco Airport, the airplane encountered difficulties to gain sufficient height and struck the slope of Mt Colorado located few km from the airport. The aircraft disintegrated on impact and all 67 occupants were killed, among them several Army officers flying back to La Paz with family members.

Probable cause:

It was determined that the aircraft was overloaded at the time of the accident. The departure procedure for Tomonoco Airport is requesting a high climb gradient due to close mountains. The present CV-440 has been modified by the army to carry more passengers than the original certification. As it was heavily loaded, the airplane was unable to adopt a sufficient positive rate of climb after takeoff until it struck the mountain.

Crash of a Nord 2501D Noratlas at Tancos AFB: 8 killed

Date & Time: Sep 26, 1975 at 1714 LT

Type of aircraft:

Nord 2501 Noratlas

Operator:

Registration:

6422

Flight Phase:

Landing (descent or approach)

Flight Type:

Military

Survivors:

Site:

Airport (less than 10 km from airport)

Schedule:

Alverca – Tancos

MSN:

YOM:

1954

Location:

Tancos AFB (Constância)

Ribatejo

Country:

Portugal

Region:

Europe

Crew on board:

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Circumstances:

While approaching Tancos AFB, the airplane went out of control and crashed in flames in a field located 6 km west of the airfield. All eight occupants, among them three pilots, were killed.

Probable cause:

It is reported that the left engine caught fire on approach.

Crash of a Douglas C-47A off Quintero: 9 killed

Date & Time: Sep 17, 1975

Type of aircraft:

Douglas C-47 Skytrain (DC-3)

Operator:

Registration:

125

Flight Phase:

Flight

Flight Type:

Military

Survivors:

Site:

Lake, Sea, Ocean, River

Location:

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Region:

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Circumstances:

Crashed in unknown circumstances into the sea off Quintero, killing all nine occupants.

Crash of a Lockheed C-130E Hercules in San Miguel de Tucumán: 6 killed

Date & Time: Aug 28, 1975 at 1305 LT

Type of aircraft:

Lockheed C-130 Hercules

Operator:

Registration:

TC-62

Flight Phase:

Takeoff (climb)

Flight Type:

Military

Survivors:

Yes

Site:

Airport (less than 10 km from airport)

Schedule:

San Miguel de Tucumán – La Rioja – San Juan – El Palomar

MSN:

4309

YOM:

1968

Location:

San Miguel de Tucumán-Teniente Benjamin Matienzo

Tucumán

Country:

Argentina

Region:

South America

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

114

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

The airplane was flying back to El Palomar Airbase in Buenos Aires with intermediate stops in La Rioja and San Juan, carrying 114 policemen (Argentine Federal Police) who were returning to their base after an intervention in the Tucumán Province. During the takeoff roll, after a course of 800 meters and at a speed of 200 km/h, the pilot started the rotation when an explosion occurred on the runway surface approximately 100 meters in front of him. While climbing to a height of some 12-15 meters, the aircraft was hit by debris and the denotation. Control was lost and the airplane crashed in flames 400 meters further. 115 occupants were evacuated, 29 of them were injured. Six policemen were killed and the aircraft was destroyed.

Probable cause:

Loss of control during takeoff following a bomb explosion that was placed on the runway pavement. Investigations determined that a plan was to set off an explosive charge in the form of a conical tip placed below the runway when the C-130 was to be at full throttle during takeoff. Named 'Operation Gardel', the action was planned by the Peronist guerilla organization 'Montoneros'. Near the middle of the runway some 1,100 meters away from the northern end and 1,000 from the southern, a disused sewer led to a storm drain. A cable was laid through the 250 meter tunnel, emerging from the storm drain and connecting the charge to the 12V battery of a parked vehicle. The switch would be activated from a nearby pit.