Crash of a Douglas DC-6A in Shannon

Date & Time: Mar 26, 1961
Type of aircraft:
Douglas DC-6
Operator:
Registration:
G-APOM
Flight Phase:
Landing (descent or approach)
Flight Type:
Training
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Airport (less than 10 km from airport)
Schedule:
Shannon - Shannon
MSN:
45519
YOM:
1958
Location:
Shannon
Munster
Country:
Ireland
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
6
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
The crew was completing a local training mission at Shannon Airport. Following several touch-and-go maneuvers, the pilot performed a normal landing and prepared for takeoff again when one of the crew member inadvertently raised the undercarriage. The airplane sank on its belly and slid for several yards before coming to rest in flames on the left edge of the runway. All six crew members were evacuated safely while the aircraft was destroyed.
Probable cause:
The accident was the consequence of the following factors:
- Poor crew coordination,
- Poor flight preparation,
- Lack of pilot experience.

Crash of an Avro 694 Lincoln B.2 in Belfast

Date & Time: Mar 22, 1961
Type of aircraft:
Avro 694 Lincoln
Operator:
Registration:
WD144
Flight Phase:
Landing (descent or approach)
Flight Type:
Training
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Airport (less than 10 km from airport)
Schedule:
Belfast - Belfast
Location:
Belfast-Aldergrove
Antrim
Country:
United Kingdom
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
4
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
The crew was completing a local training mission at Belfast-Aldergrove Airport. After several circuits, the crew started a new approach with an engine voluntarily inoperative. On final, height was lost and the airplane clip trees and crashed in a field located five miles short of runway. All four crew members were injured and the aircraft was damaged beyond repair. This was the last accident involving a RAF Avro Lincoln as this aircraft would be definitively retired from service after this accident.

Crash of a Lockheed P2V-7S Neptune in Lake George: 8 killed

Date & Time: Mar 9, 1961
Type of aircraft:
Lockheed P-2 Neptune
Operator:
Registration:
147970
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Training
Survivors:
No
Site:
Lake, Sea, Ocean, River
Schedule:
Jacksonville - Jacksonville
MSN:
726-7220
YOM:
1958
Location:
Lake George
Florida
Country:
United States of America
Region:
North America
Crew on board:
8
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
8
Circumstances:
The crew departed Jacksonville-Cecil Field NAS for a local searchlight mission. In the evening, while flying in foggy conditions, the airplane went out of control and crashed into Lake George, about 66 miles south of the airbase. The wreckage was found in the next morning and all eight crew members were killed.
Crew:
Lt Robert K. Morse, pilot,
Lt Walter T. Gardner, mechanic,
A2c Fred G. Pridgeon, technician,
At2 Harry G. Cummins, technician,
Terry L. Ramsby 3.

Crash of an Avro 652 Anson C.19 in North Barrule: 6 killed

Date & Time: Feb 20, 1961
Type of aircraft:
Avro 652 Anson
Operator:
Registration:
VL312
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Training
Survivors:
No
Site:
Plain, Valley
Schedule:
Wyton – Jurby
Location:
North Barrule
Isle of Man
Country:
United Kingdom
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
6
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
6
Circumstances:
While approaching RAF Jurby in poor weather conditions, the twin engine aircraft struck a hill and crashed at North Barulle, killing all six occupants. At the time of the accident, the visibility was poor due to low clouds.
Crew:
W/Cdr J. L. Aron,
S/Ldr C. Heseltine,
F/Lt H. D. Furness,
F/Lt B. H. Miller,
M/Tech E. N. Robinson,
F/Sgt R. J. Bridgeman.

Crash of an Ilyushin II-14 in Stalingrad: 1 killed

Date & Time: Jan 30, 1961 at 2052 LT
Type of aircraft:
Ilyushin II-14
Operator:
Registration:
CCCP-41858
Flight Phase:
Takeoff (climb)
Flight Type:
Training
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Airport (less than 10 km from airport)
Schedule:
Stalingrad - Stalingrad
MSN:
1460 009 40
YOM:
29
Location:
Stalingrad
Volgograd oblast
Country:
Russia
Region:
Asia
Crew on board:
4
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
1
Aircraft flight hours:
6940
Circumstances:
The crew (two pilots, one mechanic and one instructor) departed Stalingrad-Gumrak Airport in the evening to complete a local training mission. Just after liftoff, while in initial climb at a speed of 200 km/h and a height of 20-30 meters, the instructor decided to reduce the engine power to nominal value. The pilot-in-command noticed a loss of power on the left engine and certain that it failed, he ordered the crew to shut it down and to feather its propeller. In the mean time, the airplane banked left to an angle of 70° and then stalled before crashing in a snow covered field located 2,100 meters past the runway end. The mechanic was killed while three other occupants were injured. The aircraft was destroyed.
Probable cause:
It was determined that the instructor decided to reduce the power of the left engine without informing the rest of the crew, which is non compliant to the published procedures. Due to lack of communication, the pilot-in-command interpreted the loss of power for an engine failure. According to procedures, the instructor was not authorized to simulate an engine failure, in fact to reduce the engine power, below the minimum safe altitude of 1,000 meters. Also, his experience on this type of aircraft and in night time conditions was insufficient (176 hours), which was considered as contributing factors, as well as the fact that the captain failed to check his performances.

Crash of a Boeing 707-123 off Montauk Point: 6 killed

Date & Time: Jan 28, 1961 at 1220 LT
Type of aircraft:
Boeing 707
Operator:
Registration:
N7502A
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Training
Survivors:
No
Site:
Lake, Sea, Ocean, River
Schedule:
New York - New York
MSN:
17629
YOM:
1958
Flight number:
AA1502
Location:
Montauk Point
New York
Country:
United States of America
Region:
North America
Crew on board:
6
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
6
Circumstances:
The four engine aircraft departed Idlewild Airport at 1157LT with a crew of six and climbed along the shore of Long Island on a training mission. 23 minutes later, the airplane christened 'Flagship Oklahoma' banked left, entered a dive and eventually crashed into the ocean five miles off shore. Few debris were found off Montauk Point and all six crew members have been killed.
Probable cause:
The exact cause of the accident could not be determined with certainty. However, it is believed that the loss of control occurred while the crew was preparing to shut down an engine to simulate a failure or was initiating a particular flying configuration requiring the deployment of the flaps at an angle of 30 ° which was the case when the aircraft struck the water surface. The assumption that two of the four engines were inoperative at the time of impact is not ruled out.

Crash of a De Havilland DH.104 Dove 5 in Shannon: 4 killed

Date & Time: Jan 27, 1961
Type of aircraft:
De Havilland DH.104 Dove
Operator:
Registration:
188
Flight Phase:
Landing (descent or approach)
Flight Type:
Training
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Airport (less than 10 km from airport)
Schedule:
Shannon - Shannon
MSN:
04503
YOM:
1959
Location:
Shannon
Munster
Country:
Ireland
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
5
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
4
Circumstances:
The crew was performing a local training mission at Shannon Airport. On approach in high winds, the twin engine airplane went out of control and crashed in a field located few km from the runway threshold. A crew member was injured while four other occupants were killed.
Crew:
Cpt Jim Liddy, pilot,
Lt D. J. Brady, pilot, †
Lt P. B. Corr, ATC, †
Mr. P. B. Wall, Dpt Transport & Power, †
Mr. J. C. O'Donoghue, Dpt Transport & Power. †

Crash of a Boeing B-52B-35-BO Stratofortress in Monticello: 1 killed

Date & Time: Jan 19, 1961 at 1819 LT
Type of aircraft:
Boeing B-52 Stratofortress
Operator:
Registration:
53-0390
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Training
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Plain, Valley
Schedule:
Biggs - Biggs
MSN:
16869
YOM:
1953
Flight number:
Felon 22
Location:
Monticello
Utah
Country:
United States of America
Region:
North America
Crew on board:
7
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
1
Circumstances:
The crew departed Biggs AAF at 1715LT on a training flight. While overflying Utah at an altitude of 40,000 feet, the airplane encountered severe turbulences that affected its structure. In such conditions, all seven crew members decided to abandon the aircraft and bailed out. Out of control, the B-52 dove into the ground and crashed in a field located near Monticello, Utah. A crew member was killed while six others were rescued.
Crew:
Cpt John P. Marsh, pilot,
1st Lt Thomas A. Stout, copilot,
Cpt Harold S. Bonneville, radar navigator,
2nd Lt Jerome R. Calvert, navigator,
1st Lt Ivan G. Petty, electronic warfare officer,
T/Sgt David A. Forsythe, gunner,
S/Sgt Lionel A. Terry, flight engineer. †
Probable cause:
Severe turbulences at high altitude caused structural damages.

Crash of a Douglas C-47B-35-DK off Biak: 5 killed

Date & Time: Jan 2, 1961 at 2017 LT
Type of aircraft:
Douglas C-47 Skytrain (DC-3)
Operator:
Registration:
079
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Training
Survivors:
No
Site:
Lake, Sea, Ocean, River
Schedule:
Biak - Biak
MSN:
16537/33285
YOM:
1945
Location:
Biak
Special Region of Papua
Country:
Indonesia
Region:
Asia
Crew on board:
5
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
5
Circumstances:
The aircraft was involved in a night training mission and departed Biak-Boroekoe NAS at 1837LT. After practicing approach and landings, the crew had to activate light torches off the coast of Biak. The airplane flew along the coast line at an altitude of 3500-4000 feet. One of these torches activated inside the aircraft and an in-flight fire erupted. The crew attempted to carry out an emergency landing at sea but the airplane crashed. All five crew members were killed.
Probable cause:
In-flight fire caused by a light torche.

Crash of an Avia 14-32A in Prague: 10 killed

Date & Time: Jan 2, 1961
Type of aircraft:
Avia 14
Operator:
Registration:
OK-MCZ
Flight Phase:
Takeoff (climb)
Flight Type:
Training
Survivors:
No
Site:
Airport (less than 10 km from airport)
Schedule:
Prague - Prague
MSN:
105 807 110
YOM:
1955
Location:
Prague-Ruzyne
Prague (Hlavní mesto Praha)
Country:
Czech Republic
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
5
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
5
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
10
Circumstances:
After takeoff from Prague-Ruzyne Airport, the airplane encountered difficulties to gain height, struck power cables and crashed in a field located one km from the airfield. All ten occupants were killed. They were involved in a local training mission.
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