Training

N2000C took off at 1625 on January 26, 1956, from MacArthur Field, Ronkonkoma, Long Island, New York, its home base, on a local flight with three pilots. They were Bernard J. Malloy, check pilot, and Pilots Raymond Hamberg and Hugo D. Filangeri. The purpose of the flight was to qualify Pilot Hamberg on the Lockheed PV-1 aircraft, a type he had never piloted. The takeoff of N 2000C was normal, toward the northwest, and made under VFR (Visual Flight Rules) conditions with Pilot Hamberg occupying the left or captain's to scat and Pilot Malloy, as check pilot, seated on the right as copilot; Pilot Filangeri acted as observer. Subsequently the PV-1 was seen over the Smithtown area, flying westerly at an estimated altitude of 2,500-3,000 feet, where a witness reported that the engines sounded normal but that the aircraft appeared to be flying at a slow airspeed. Witnesses stated that shortly thereafter the engine power sounded as though it was cut momentarily and then came back on. At an altitude of approximately 2,000 feet the aircraft was seen to dip down and pull up, slightly nose-high, and then fall off to the left, making two to three turns of a descending spiral, and disappear behind the tree-topped horizon. Flames erupted frost the woods over the point where the aircraft was last seen, followed quickly by a large column of black smoke. All three pilots were killed.

The crew was completing a local training flight at Nantes-Château Bougon Airport. In-flight, technical difficulties forced the pilot to attempt an emergency landing. The aircraft crashed on a railroad located near the airport. While all five crew members were rescued, the aircraft was written off.

The aircraft took off from London Airport at 0755LT on a training flight, which was part of a routine base check being carried out by a training captain on a line captain. Having completed the first part of the check the aircraft landed at Blackbushe. At approximately 0850LT a takeoff was commenced from this airport for another exercise. On reaching the takeoff safety speed the training captain simulated a starboard outer engine failure. At this point the aircraft was just leaving the ground and as it did so the starboard inner propeller was seen to be stopping and the aircraft began turning to the right with an increasing amount of bank. It rose to about 30 feet and then descended and hit the ground at a point 250 yards from the runway in a steeply banked, nose-down attitude. It cartwheeled, slid along the ground backwards for 200 yards and came to rest just inside the northwest boundary of the aerodrome. The aircraft sustained major impact damage and fire broke out which almost completely destroyed it. The five occupants escaped with only slight injuries.

Considered as damaged beyond repair following a hard landing at Biggs AFB. No injuries.

The crew was completing a local training mission at Ellsworth AFB. On touchdown, the six engine airplane went out of control, veered off runway and came to rest in flames. All occupants escaped uninjured while the aircraft was destroyed by fire. It is believed that the loss of control was caused by an uneven power reduction during landing.

The crew was taking part to a combined exercice with submarine when control was lost at low height. The airplane crashed into the ocean west of Kauai Island. Three crew members were rescued while seven others were killed.

The crew was completing a local training mission. On final approach, the left engine caught fire. The pilot-in-command continued the approach when, on touchdown, the left main gear collapsed. The airplane slid for several yards and came to rest. All three crew members were uninjured while the airplane was considered as damaged beyond repair.

While completing a local training flight at Mitchel AFB, the aircraft went out of control and crashed in unknown circumstances in East Meadow, near the airbase. The aircraft was destroyed by impact forces and a post crash fire and all three crew members were killed.

The crew was conducting a local training sortie at Nicosia Airport. Enroute, the instructor voluntarily shot down one engine to simulate a failure and the approach was continued. Shortly later, the pilot-in-command lost control of the airplane that stalled and belly landed few hundred yards short of runway. All three crew members were unhurt while the airplane was damaged beyond repair.

The crew was completing a local training flight at Aden-Khormaksar Airport. After touchdown, the airplane encountered difficulties, overran and plunged into the bay of Aden. All four crew members were rescued while the aircraft was lost.