Crash of an Avro 652 Anson C.19 off Gibraltar

Date & Time: Jan 2, 1958
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
TX188
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Gibraltar - Gibraltar
Region:
Crew on board:
4
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
Shortly after takeoff from Gibraltar-North Front Airport, while on a local training mission, the airplane stalled and crashed into the sea. All four crew members were rescued while the aircraft sank and was lost.
Probable cause:
Loss of control during initial climb following an engine failure.

Crash of a Lockheed WV-2 Super Constellation off Kahuku: 19 killed

Date & Time: Dec 23, 1957 at 1600 LT
Operator:
Registration:
143197
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
MSN:
4471
YOM:
1957
Crew on board:
4
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
19
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
19
Circumstances:
Constellation 143197 set out on its flight two days before Christmas with a crew of 23. Commander Guy Howard Jr., executive officer of the squadron was sitting in the copilot seat, to give Commander Frederick Woodward a checkout that would qualify him as a plane commander. For five and a half hours Howard put Woodward through his paces. Then, as the Connie cruised only 1,500 feet above the ocean, Howard called for a new exercise: what would Woodward do if a fire broke out in the forward baggage compartment? Responding correctly, Woodward "cut" (disconnected by pulling circuit breakers) some electrical Circuits. But something went wrong. The plane began falling. "I thought it was a drill" Navigator Richard Rentschler later told LIFE Correspondent James Goode. "The next thing I notice was water out the starboard window." Seconds later the plane hit the water, broke in two and caught fire. As the plane hit, Rentschler was hurled under the navigator’s table and came out surrounded by flames. He pushed Radioman Franklin Henry Jr. through the escape hatch, then jumped free himself Lt Thomas Kline, pinned under the radar console, was freed by another crewman (Robert O. Clark). "I jumped through the fire," says Kline, and swam under water 50 feet to avoid the flames. Commander Howard escaped from the cockpit. Nineteen crew members were killed and four others were rescued.
Source:
http://www.willyvictor.com/History/Accidents/1957/LifeArtcl.htm
Probable cause:
Mismanagement of the fuel supply system on part of the crew, which caused the simultaneous failure of all four engines in flight.

Crash of an Airspeed AS.10 Oxford II in Braine-l'Alleud

Date & Time: Dec 20, 1957
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
O-18
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
MSN:
828
YOM:
1940
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
2
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
While performing a training flight, the crew was forced to attempt an emergency landing in Braine-l'Alleud. Both occupants were uninjured and the aircraft was damaged beyond repair.

Crash of an Avro 694 Lincoln B.11 at RAF Hemswell

Date & Time: Dec 20, 1957
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
RF557
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Hemswell - Hemswell
Region:
Crew on board:
6
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
After touchdown at RAF Hemswell, a sudden gust of wind ballooned the aircraft back into the air. It landed heavily tail down and swung off the runway. All six crew members were unhurt while the aircraft was considered as damaged beyond repair.

Crash of a Boeing B-52D-75-BO Stratofortress at Fairchild AFB: 8 killed

Date & Time: Dec 12, 1957 at 1602 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
56-0597
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Fairchild - Fairchild
MSN:
17280
YOM:
1956
Crew on board:
9
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
8
Circumstances:
At approximately 4:00 p.m. on Thursday, December 12, 1957, U.S. Air Force B-52D Stratofortress, No. 56-0597, from the 92nd Bombardment Wing, was taking off from Runway 5 at Fairchild Air Force Base (AFB) on a routine training mission. According to eyewitnesses, as the aircraft left the runway, it made an abnormally steep climb to an altitude of approximately 2,000 feet. Fire started coming from the jet engines and pieces of metal began flying off the engine cowlings and mounts. The aircraft stalled, executed an abrupt, right wingover and appeared to level off. But, at an altitude of approximately 500 feet, the plane nose dived and crashed in a stubbled wheat field one mile west of the base. Exploding jet fuel sent a large column of smoke into the sky, attracting scores of curious onlookers. A crew member was injured while eight other occupants were killed:
Crew:
Maj Ralph Romaine Alworth, †
Cpt Douglas Earl Gray, †
1st Lt James Dennis Mann, †
Col Clarence Arthur Neely, †
Cpt Thomas N. Peebles, †
Cpt Douglas Franklin Schwartz, †
Cpt Herbert Henry Spiller Jr., †
1st Lt Jack Joseph Vainisi, †
T/Sgt Gene I. Graye.
Source: http://www.historylink.org/File/9857
Probable cause:
It is believed the loss of control was the consequence of an incorrect wiring of stabilizer trim switch.

Crash of a Miles M.60 Marathon T.2 at RAF Topcliffe

Date & Time: Dec 10, 1957
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
XA250
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Topcliffe - Topcliffe
MSN:
102
YOM:
1949
Region:
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 sortie at RAF Topcliffe. Upon touchdown, the leg of a main landing gear collapsed. The airplane sank on its belly and slid for several yards before coming to rest. While all four crew members were uninjured, the aircraft was considered as damaged beyond repair.
Probable cause:
Undercarriage collapsed upon landing.

Crash of a Lockheed L-1049G Super Constellation at Paris-Orly

Date & Time: Dec 6, 1957 at 1900 LT
Operator:
Registration:
F-BHMK
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Paris - Reims - Paris
MSN:
4670
YOM:
22
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
6
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Captain / Total flying hours:
11960
Captain / Total hours on type:
1078.00
Copilot / Total flying hours:
9044
Copilot / Total hours on type:
385
Aircraft flight hours:
3075
Circumstances:
The crew was engaged in a training mission consisting of a half-yearly check. After the pilot completed several manoeuvres at Reims Airport, he returned to Paris-Orly to complete four landings. The ILS approach to runway 26L was correct and completed by night with a ceiling at 60 meters and a horizontal visibility of 1,600 meters, under GCA surveillance. Just before touchdown, the airplane banked left and hit the ground 400 meters past the runway threshold. The airplane then crashed on the left side of the runway, lost its left wing and came to rest in flames about 700 meters past the runway threshold. All six crew members were quickly evacuated while the aircraft was destroyed.
Probable cause:
The accident was the result of excessive corrective manoeuvres performed at the time of contact with the runway. Icing on the aircraft might have reduced its aerodynamic qualities.
Final Report:

Crash of a Miles M.60 Marathon at RAF Thorney Island

Date & Time: Nov 30, 1957
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
XA273
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Thorney Island - Thorney Island
MSN:
126
YOM:
1950
Region:
Crew on board:
2
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
The crew was engaged in a local training flight at RAF Thorney Island. After touchdown, one of the main landing gear collapsed. The airplane sank on its belly and slid for several yards before coming to rest. Both pilots were uninjured while the aircraft was considered as damaged beyond repair.
Probable cause:
Undercarriage collapsed on landing.

Crash of a Douglas DC-6V in Norköpping

Date & Time: Nov 28, 1957
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
SE-BDP
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Norköpping - Norköpping
MSN:
43747
YOM:
1953
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
5
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
The crew was performing a local training flight out from Norrköping-Kungsängen Airport. In flight, the captain informed ATC that an engine caught fire and obtained the permission for an emergency landing. Following technical issues, the crew was unable to lower the undercarriage and a belly landing was carried out. The airplane slid for several yards and came to rest in flames. All five crew members escaped uninjured while the aircraft was destroyed.
Probable cause:
Engine failure.

Crash of a Martin PBM-5A Mariner off Middelharnis

Date & Time: Nov 22, 1957 at 1110 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
16-305
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
7
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
For undetermined reason, the seaplane landed hard on the Haringvliet off Middelharnis. On impact, the tail broke off and the airplane came to rest and sank. All seven crew members were injured and evacuated.