Crash of a Douglas C-54E-1-DO Skymaster in Ushuaia

Date & Time: Mar 2, 1973
Type of aircraft:
Douglas C-54 Skymaster
Operator:
Registration:
5-T-3
Flight Type:
Military
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Airport (less than 10 km from airport)
MSN:
27274
YOM:
1945
Location:
Ushuaia
Tierra del Fuego
Country:
Argentina
Region:
South America
Crew on board:
0
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
Suffered an accident at Ushuaia Airport. There were no casualties.

Crash of a Fairchild AC-119K Flying Boxcar off Vietnam: 1 killed

Date & Time: Mar 1, 1973
Type of aircraft:
Fairchild C-119 Flying Boxcar
Operator:
Registration:
53-7839
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Military
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Lake, Sea, Ocean, River
MSN:
11256
YOM:
1953
Location:
Vietnam
All Vietnam
Country:
Vietnam
Region:
Asia
Crew on board:
2
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
14
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
1
Circumstances:
While approaching the coast to land on an unknown airport, the crew was unable to locate the airfield due to thick fog. The captain evacuated the area and flew over the sea when few minutes later, he ordered all 16 crew members to bail out and to abandon the aircraft that crashed into the sea. 15 occupants were rescued while one was killed.

Crash of an Antonov AN-24V in Szczecin: 18 killed

Date & Time: Feb 28, 1973 at 2252 LT
Type of aircraft:
Antonov AN-24
Operator:
Registration:
012
Flight Phase:
Landing (descent or approach)
Flight Type:
Military
Survivors:
No
Site:
Airport (less than 10 km from airport)
Schedule:
Warsaw – Szczecin
MSN:
97305702
YOM:
1969
Location:
Szczecin-Goleniów
West Pomeranian Voivodeship (Zachodniopomorskie)
Country:
Poland
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
5
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
13
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
18
Circumstances:
Following an uneventful flight from Warsaw, the crew started the approach to Szczecin-Goleniów Airport by night and relative good weather conditions. On final, the airplane lost height, struck trees and crashed in flames in a wooded area located few dozen meters short of runway threshold. The aircraft was totally destroyed and all 18 occupants were killed, among them the Polish Minister of the Interior Wiesław Ociepka and the Czechoslovak Minister of the Interior Radko Kaska. Accompanied by a delegation of their respective ministry, they were en route to Szczecin to visit sea port installations.
Crew:
Maj Edward Jedynak, pilot,
Cpt Kazimierz Marczak, pilot,
Cpt Daniel Sterna, navigator,
Cpt Janusz Główka,
Sgt Tadeusz Błażejczyk.
Passengers (Polish Ministry of the Interior):
Wiesław Ociepka, Minister,
Col Czesław Karski,
Col Wiesław Zajda,
Maj Włodzimierz Strzelecki,
Maj Mieczysław Szumowski,
Włodzimierz Andrzej Wulkiewicz,
Mikołaj Stefan Tomala.
Passengers (Czechoslovak Ministry of the Interior):
Radko Kaska, Minister,
Michal Kudzej,
Col Jaroslav Klíma,
Lt Col Ladislav Hužvík,
Maj Olga Merunová,
Antonín Dufek.
Probable cause:
It was determined that the accident was caused by turbulences created at low altitude by the confrontation of two hot and cold air fronts, a phenomenon which resulted in a sudden loss of altitude that the pilots could not control. An accumulation of frost on all surfaces also contributed to the accident.

Crash of a De Havilland DHC-5D Buffalo near San Ramón: 12 killed

Date & Time: Feb 28, 1973
Type of aircraft:
De Havilland DHC-5 Buffalo
Operator:
Flight Phase:
Landing (descent or approach)
Flight Type:
Military
Survivors:
No
Site:
Mountains
Schedule:
Puerto Inca - San Ramón
Location:
San Ramón
Junín
Country:
Peru
Region:
South America
Crew on board:
4
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
8
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
12
Circumstances:
While descending to San Ramón-Capitan Alvarino Airport in marginal weather conditions, the airplane struck the slope of a mountain located 16 km from the airport. The wreckage was found on March 10 and all 12 occupants have been killed.
Probable cause:
Controlled flight into terrain.

Crash of a Douglas C-47 in Watsa

Date & Time: Dec 31, 1972
Type of aircraft:
Douglas C-47 Skytrain (DC-3)
Operator:
Registration:
9T-PKR
Flight Type:
Military
Site:
Plain, Valley
MSN:
6339
YOM:
1943
Location:
Watsa
Country:
Democratic Republic of Congo
Region:
Africa
Crew on board:
0
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
Crashed in unknown circumstances near Watsa. Crew fate remains unknown as well. The accident occurred somewhere in 1972, exact date unknown.

Crash of a Beechcraft SNB-1 Navigator in Uruguay

Date & Time: Dec 31, 1972
Type of aircraft:
Beechcraft SNB-1 Navigator
Operator:
Registration:
A-212
Flight Type:
Military
MSN:
3831
YOM:
1943
Location:
Uruguay
All Uruguay
Country:
Uruguay
Region:
South America
Crew on board:
0
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
Crashed in unknown circumstances somewhere in Uruguay. The exact date of the mishap remain unknown, somewhere during 1972. Crew fate remains unknown as well.

Crash of an Antonov AN-12 in Egypt: 7 killed

Date & Time: Dec 31, 1972
Type of aircraft:
Antonov AN-12
Operator:
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Military
Survivors:
No
Site:
Mountains
Location:
Egypt
All Egypt
Country:
Egypt
Region:
Africa
Crew on board:
7
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
7
Circumstances:
En route from Russia to Egypt, the four engine airplane struck the slope of a mountain somewhere in Egypt, killing all seven crew members. The accident occurred somewhere in 1972 as the exact date remains unknown.

Crash of a Douglas C-47 off Tonquil Island

Date & Time: Dec 26, 1972
Type of aircraft:
Douglas C-47 Skytrain (DC-3)
Operator:
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Military
Site:
Lake, Sea, Ocean, River
Location:
Tonquil Island
Sulu
Country:
Philippines
Region:
Asia
Crew on board:
0
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
En route, the airplane was shot down by unknown fire and crashed into the sea off Tonquil Island. The occupant's fate remains unknown.
Probable cause:
Shot down.

Crash of a Douglas EC-47Q in Nakhon Phanom: 2 killed

Date & Time: Nov 21, 1972 at 1740 LT
Type of aircraft:
Douglas C-47 Skytrain (DC-3)
Operator:
Registration:
43-49771
Flight Phase:
Landing (descent or approach)
Flight Type:
Military
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Airport (less than 10 km from airport)
Schedule:
Nakhon Phanom - Nakhon Phanom
MSN:
15587/27032
YOM:
1945
Flight number:
Baron 56
Location:
Nakhon Phanom
Nakhon Phanom (นครพนม)
Country:
Thailand
Region:
Asia
Crew on board:
3
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
7
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
1
Circumstances:
On approach to Nakhon Phanom Airport following a supply mission, the airplane went out of control and crashed in a wooded area near the airport. Two occupants were killed while eight others were rescued.
Those killed were:
Cpt Robert Alan Kohn,
M/Sgt John W. Ryon.
Probable cause:
It is believed that the accident was the consequence of a loss of control caused by the failure of the rudder control system.
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