Crash of a Lockheed P-3A-60-LO Orion on Jebel Musa: 14 killed

Date & Time: Jun 3, 1972
Type of aircraft:
Lockheed P-3 Orion
Operator:
Registration:
152182
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Military
Survivors:
No
Site:
Mountains
Schedule:
Rota - Souda Bay
MSN:
185-5152
YOM:
1965
Location:
Jebel Musa
Tangier-Tétouan
Country:
Morocco
Region:
Africa
Crew on board:
4
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
10
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
14
Circumstances:
About an hour after its departure from Rota NAS, Spain, while cruising at an altitude of 800 meters in marginal weather conditions, the four engine aircraft struck the slope of Jebel Musa (851 meters high) located near the Spanish enclave of Ceuta. The aircraft was destroyed and all 14 occupants have been killed. Attached to Brunswick Air Base, Maine, the airplane was completing a routine flight from Rota NAS to Souday BAY AFB, Chania, Greece.

Crash of a Douglas C-124C Globemaster II near Paramaribo: 11 killed

Date & Time: May 3, 1972 at 1800 LT
Type of aircraft:
Douglas C-124 Globemaster II
Operator:
Registration:
52-1055
Flight Phase:
Landing (descent or approach)
Flight Type:
Military
Survivors:
No
Site:
Mountains
Schedule:
Rio de Janeiro – Paramaribo – Memphis
MSN:
43964
YOM:
1952
Location:
Paramaribo
Paramaribo City District
Country:
Suriname
Region:
South America
Crew on board:
11
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
11
Circumstances:
The crew started the descent to Paramaribo-Zanderij Airport in poor weather conditions when the four engine airplane struck a hill (1,716 feet high) located 68 km southeast of its destination. The aircraft was destroyed and all 11 occupants were killed. For unknown reason, the crew started the descent prematurely and continued the approach below the minimum descent altitude.
Probable cause:
Crew error.

Crash of a Consolidated CA-10A-1 Catalina near Humaitá: 2 killed

Date & Time: Apr 13, 1972 at 1330 LT
Type of aircraft:
Consolidated PBY Catalina
Operator:
Registration:
6514
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Military
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Plain, Valley
Schedule:
Humaitá - Manaus
MSN:
1917
YOM:
1944
Location:
Humaitá
Amazonas
Country:
Brazil
Region:
South America
Crew on board:
5
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
5
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
2
Circumstances:
En route from Humaitá to Manaus, both engines failed simultaneously. The crew elected to make an emergency landing when the airplane crashed in a wooded area (jungle) located about 80 km northeast of Humaitá. A passenger and a crew member were killed while eight other occupants were injured.
Probable cause:
Double engine failure apparently caused by a faulty fuel supply system.

Crash of a De Havilland U-6A Beaver at Camp San Luis Obispo: 2 killed

Date & Time: Apr 9, 1972 at 1620 LT
Type of aircraft:
De Havilland DHC-2 Beaver
Operator:
Registration:
51-16469
Flight Phase:
Landing (descent or approach)
Flight Type:
Military
Survivors:
No
Site:
Airport (less than 10 km from airport)
Schedule:
Fort Irwin - Camp San Luis Obispo
MSN:
221
YOM:
1952
Location:
Camp San Luis Obispo (Cuesta College)
California
Country:
United States of America
Region:
North America
Crew on board:
1
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
1
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
2
Circumstances:
On final approach to Camp San Luis Obispo (Cuesta College), the single engine aircraft struck a warehouse located at the end of the runway. On impact, the left wing was torn off and the airplane veered toward the creek, crashed upside down and caught fire. Both occupants were killed.
Crew:
CW2 Richard F. Race, pilot.
Passenger:
Lt Col Michael A. Nolan.

Crash of a Hawker Siddeley HS.780 Andover C.1 in Siena: 4 killed

Date & Time: Apr 8, 1972
Type of aircraft:
Hawker Siddeley HS.780 Andover C.1
Operator:
Registration:
XS609
Flight Phase:
Takeoff (climb)
Flight Type:
Military
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Airport (less than 10 km from airport)
Schedule:
Siena - Pisa
MSN:
SET16
YOM:
1966
Location:
Siena
Tuscany
Country:
Italy
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
3
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
18
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
4
Circumstances:
Shortly after takeoff from Siena-Ampugnano Airport, while in initial climb, the airplane banked right and crashed. Both pilots and two passengers were killed while 17 other occupants were injured. The airplane was enroute from Siena to Pisa, carrying paratroopers from the 46th Squadron (Falcons).
Probable cause:
Failure of the right engine shortly after liftoff.

Crash of a Lockheed AC-130E Hercules near Salavan

Date & Time: Mar 30, 1972
Type of aircraft:
Lockheed C-130 Hercules
Operator:
Registration:
69-6571
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Military
Survivors:
No
Site:
Plain, Valley
MSN:
4345
YOM:
1969
Location:
Salavan
Saravane Province
Country:
Laos
Region:
Asia
Crew on board:
15
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
Engaged in a military mission on the Ho Chi Minh Trail in Laos, the aircraft was hit by ground fire while flying at an altitude of 7,500 feet. The captain elected to return to his base when the right wing caught fire. All 15 occupants bailed out and abandoned the aircraft that dove into the ground and crashed.
Probable cause:
Shot down by ground fire.

Crash of a Lockheed AC-130A Hercules near Xepon: 14 killed

Date & Time: Mar 28, 1972
Type of aircraft:
Lockheed C-130 Hercules
Operator:
Registration:
55-0044
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Military
Survivors:
No
Site:
Plain, Valley
Schedule:
Ubon Ratchathani - Ubon Ratchathani
MSN:
3071
YOM:
1957
Location:
Xepon
Savannakhét Province
Country:
Laos
Region:
Asia
Crew on board:
14
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
14
Circumstances:
The airplane was engaged in a military operation along the Ho Chi Minh Trail when it was hit by an SA-2 surface to air missile. Out of control, it crashed 16 km southeast of Xepon. All 14 occupants were killed.
Probable cause:
Shot down by enemy fire.

Crash of a Lockheed C-130E Hercules at Jacksonville AFB: 5 killed

Date & Time: Feb 19, 1972
Type of aircraft:
Lockheed C-130 Hercules
Operator:
Registration:
62-1813
Flight Phase:
Takeoff (climb)
Flight Type:
Military
Survivors:
No
Site:
Airport (less than 10 km from airport)
MSN:
3775
YOM:
1963
Location:
Little Rock-Jacksonville AFB
Arkansas
Country:
United States of America
Region:
North America
Crew on board:
5
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
5
Circumstances:
A minute after takeoff from Jacksonville AFB, the Hercules collided with a USAF Jet trainer Cessna T-37 Tweet carrying two pilots. The crew was inbound to Jacksonville AFB on a flight from Big Spring-Webb Airbase. Following the collision, both aircraft went out of control and crashed in a field located about 3 miles from the airfield. While both occupants on board the T-37 ejected and survived, all five crew members on board the Hercules were killed.

Crash of a Beechcraft U-8F Seminole in Atlanta: 3 killed

Date & Time: Feb 12, 1972 at 1543 LT
Type of aircraft:
Beechcraft U-8F Seminole
Operator:
Registration:
61-2430
Flight Phase:
Landing (descent or approach)
Flight Type:
Military
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Airport (less than 10 km from airport)
MSN:
LF-29
YOM:
1961
Location:
Atlanta-Fulton County-Brown Field
Georgia
Country:
United States of America
Region:
North America
Crew on board:
2
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
4
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
3
Circumstances:
On a final VOR approach to Atlanta-Fulton County-Brown Field Airport, the crew encountered marginal weather conditions. The aircraft went out of control and crashed few miles short of runway 08, bursting into flames. A pilot and two passengers were killed while three other occupants were seriously injured. The aircraft was on a round robin IFR service at the time of the accident.
Crew:
Cw3 Lawrence J. Screptock +1.
Passengers:
Ltc Joseph E. Burke Jr.,
Col Lester M. Conger +3.
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