Crash of a Martin P5M-2 Marlin off Whidbey Island NAS: 9 killed

Date & Time: Feb 11, 1960 at 1200 LT
Type of aircraft:
Martin P5M-2 Marlin
Operator:
Registration:
135498
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Training
Survivors:
No
Site:
Lake, Sea, Ocean, River
Schedule:
Whidbey Island - Whidbey Island
Location:
Whidbey Island NAS (Ault Field)
Washington
Country:
United States of America
Region:
North America
Crew on board:
9
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
9
Circumstances:
The crew was involved in a local training mission at Whidbey Island NAS when a bomb attached under the right wing exploded in mid-air. The right wing detached and the aircraft crashed into the sea off the NAS. All nine crew members were killed.

Crash of a Boeing KC-135A-BN Stratotanker at Walker AFB: 8 killed

Date & Time: Feb 3, 1960
Type of aircraft:
Boeing KC-135 Stratotanker
Operator:
Registration:
56-3628
Flight Phase:
Takeoff (climb)
Flight Type:
Training
Survivors:
No
Site:
Airport (less than 10 km from airport)
Schedule:
Walker - Walker
MSN:
17377
YOM:
1958
Location:
Walker AFB
New Mexico
Country:
United States of America
Region:
North America
Crew on board:
6
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
8
Circumstances:
The crew was engaged in a local training flight at Walker AFB, Roswell, New Mexico. Just after liftoff, while in initial climb, the airplane rolled left and right and eventually crashed in a huge explosion on a hangar at the airbase. The airplane was totally destroyed by impact forces and a post crash fire as well as two others Boeing KC-135 Stratotanker registered 57-1449 and 57-1457. All six crew members were killed as well as two employees in the hangar.
Probable cause:
It was determined that the accident occurred in strong cross winds. At the time of the accident, the instructor was seating on the jump seat instead of one of the pilot's seats as directed by the commander.

Crash of a Boeing B-52G-95-BW Stratofortress at Ramey AFB: 7 killed

Date & Time: Feb 1, 1960
Type of aircraft:
Boeing B-52 Stratofortress
Operator:
Registration:
58-0180
Flight Phase:
Landing (descent or approach)
Flight Type:
Training
Survivors:
No
Site:
Airport (less than 10 km from airport)
Schedule:
Ramey - Ramey
MSN:
464248
YOM:
1958
Location:
Ramey AFB (Aguadilla)
All Puerto Rico
Country:
Puerto Rico
Region:
Central America
Crew on board:
7
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
7
Circumstances:
The crew was completing a local training mission at Ramey AFB, Aguadilla, consisting of touch and go maneuvers. During a night approach, the airplane went out of control and crashed short of runway. The airplane was destroyed and all seven crew members were killed.
Crew:
Col Samuel G. Porterfield,
Lt Col Keith M. Garrison,
Cpt Nabor Mendez Pelegrina,
1st Lt George G. Fetterer,
2nd Lt Kent W. Slaughter,
Cpt Robert E. Howell,
M/Sgt William R. Hill.
Probable cause:
Loss of control due to an incorrect trim setting.

Crash of a Scottish Twin Pioneer 2 in Plaridel

Date & Time: Jan 12, 1960
Type of aircraft:
Scottish Aviation Twin Pioneer
Operator:
Registration:
PI-C430
Flight Phase:
Landing (descent or approach)
Flight Type:
Training
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Airport (less than 10 km from airport)
Schedule:
Plaridel - Plaridel
MSN:
562
YOM:
1959
Location:
Plaridel
Bulacan
Country:
Philippines
Region:
Asia
Crew on board:
3
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
On touchdown, the airplane went out of control, veered off runway and came to rest. All three crew members who were conducting a local training flight were injured and the aircraft was irreparable.

Crash of a Lockheed P2V-5F Neptune off Dana Point: 4 killed

Date & Time: Jan 9, 1960 at 1937 LT
Type of aircraft:
Lockheed P-2 Neptune
Operator:
Registration:
124893
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Training
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Lake, Sea, Ocean, River
Schedule:
Los Alamitos - Los Alamitos
Location:
Dana Point
California
Country:
United States of America
Region:
North America
Crew on board:
9
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
4
Captain / Total flying hours:
2061
Captain / Total hours on type:
1703.00
Copilot / Total flying hours:
1025
Copilot / Total hours on type:
273
Circumstances:
The aircraft registered 124893 (VP-774) departed Los Alamitos AAF at 1548LT on a training flight with nine crew members on board. In the evening, while cruising over the Pacific Ocean, the right engine failed. The pilot-in-command increased power on the left engine but unable to maintain the assigned altitude, the captain decided to ditch the aircraft that crashed into the sea off Dana Point. Five crew members were rescued while four others were killed.
Probable cause:
The exact cause of the right engine failure could not be determined with certainty. However, it was confirmed it was not caused by icing conditions.

Crash of a Vickers 785D Viscount in Rome: 2 killed

Date & Time: Dec 21, 1959 at 0816 LT
Type of aircraft:
Vickers Viscount
Operator:
Registration:
I-LIZT
Flight Phase:
Landing (descent or approach)
Flight Type:
Training
Survivors:
No
Site:
Airport (less than 10 km from airport)
Schedule:
Rome - Rome
MSN:
378
YOM:
1958
Location:
Rome-Ciampino
Lazio
Country:
Italy
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
2
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
2
Circumstances:
The Viscount was being used for a semi-annual flight crew check involving a simulated two engines out emergency landing. The aircraft was approaching Ciampino runway 16R with engines number 3 and 4 out when it suddenly went into a right bank, some 400 meters short of the runway threshold. The Viscount struck the ground with the right wingtip, crashed and burned. Both pilots were killed.
Probable cause:
The accident was attributed to a balked landing manoeuvre carried out below the speed limits for safe directional control of the aircraft during a critical situation that developed in the last phase of the landing in the course of a simulated emergency exercise with two power units inoperative (number 3 & 4) and two operative (number 1 & 2).

Crash of a Grumman SA-16B Albatross in Las Palmas

Date & Time: Dec 12, 1959
Type of aircraft:
Grumman HU-16 (SA-16) Albatross
Operator:
Registration:
AD.1B-6
Flight Phase:
Landing (descent or approach)
Flight Type:
Training
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Lake, Sea, Ocean, River
MSN:
G-315
YOM:
1953
Location:
Las Palmas-Gando (Gran Canaria)
Canary Islands
Country:
Spain
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
0
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
Crashed in unknown circumstances and sank in the harbor of Las Palmas. There were no casualties.

Crash of a Douglas C-47A-DL in Cumuruxatiba: 6 killed

Date & Time: Dec 4, 1959
Type of aircraft:
Douglas C-47 Skytrain (DC-3)
Operator:
Registration:
2060
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Training
Survivors:
No
Site:
Plain, Valley
MSN:
20074
YOM:
1944
Location:
Cumuruxatiba
Bahia
Country:
Brazil
Region:
South America
Crew on board:
6
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
6
Circumstances:
Crashed in unknown circumstances in Cumuruxatiba while conducting a training mission. All six crew members were killed.

Crash of a De Havilland DH.104 Devon C.1 in Farnborough: 2 killed

Date & Time: Nov 24, 1959
Type of aircraft:
De Havilland DH.104 Dove
Operator:
Registration:
WF984
Flight Phase:
Takeoff (climb)
Flight Type:
Training
Survivors:
No
Site:
Airport (less than 10 km from airport)
Schedule:
Farnborough - Farnborough
MSN:
04287
YOM:
1951
Location:
Farnborough
Hampshire
Country:
United Kingdom
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
2
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
2
Circumstances:
The crew was engaged in a local training mission out from Farnborough. Shortly after takeoff, the crew encountered technical problems with the undercarriage. As the airplane failed to gain sufficient height, it struck tree tops and crashed in a wooded area. Both crew members were killed.

Crash of a Douglas C-53D-DO off Ilha Rasa: 2 killed

Date & Time: Nov 22, 1959 at 1900 LT
Type of aircraft:
Douglas C-53 Skytrooper (DC-3)
Operator:
Registration:
PP-NAZ
Flight Phase:
Takeoff (climb)
Flight Type:
Training
Survivors:
No
Site:
Lake, Sea, Ocean, River
Schedule:
Rio de Janeiro - Rio de Janeiro
MSN:
7387
YOM:
1942
Location:
Rio de Janeiro
Rio de Janeiro
Country:
Brazil
Region:
South America
Crew on board:
2
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
2
Circumstances:
Shortly after a night takeoff from Rio de Janeiro-Santos Dumont Airport, while climbing, the airplane went out of control and crashed into the sea about 16 km off Ilha Rasa, south of Rio de Janeiro. Few debris were found floating on water few hours after the crash. The main wreckage and both pilots pilots bodies were found later on. The crew was completing a pilot proficiency check flight.
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