Training | Bureau of Aircraft Accidents Archives

The crew was performing a training mission from Dijon-Longvic AFB to Freiburg im Breisgau, West Germany. After passing over Vesoul, the radio contact was lost with the crew. A day later, the wreckage was found on the slope of a mountain located near Plancher-les-Mines, Haute-Saône. The aircraft was destroyed and all three crew members were killed. It was reported that the crew was completing a low-visibility-training-flight.
Cpt Riegel, instructor,
Sgt Ordinaire,
Cpt Morin.

Crash of a Vickers 607 Valetta C.1 at RAF Dishforth

Date & Time: Sep 20, 1955

Type of aircraft:

Vickers Valetta

Operator:

Registration:

VW204

Flight Phase:

Landing (descent or approach)

Flight Type:

Training

Survivors:

Yes

Site:

Airport (less than 10 km from airport)

Schedule:

Dishforth - Dishforth

MSN:

360

YOM:

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

The crew was completing a local training sortie at RAF Dishforth. On final approach by night, the instructor decided to make a go around when the airplane stalled and crashed in flames about 800 yards short of runway. All three crew members were rescued while the aircraft was destroyed by fire.

Crash of a Handley Page H.P.67 Hastings C.1 at RAF Dishforth: 5 killed

Date & Time: Sep 13, 1955

Type of aircraft:

Handley Page H.P.67 Hastings

Operator:

Registration:

TG584

Flight Phase:

Landing (descent or approach)

Flight Type:

Training

Survivors:

Site:

Airport (less than 10 km from airport)

Schedule:

Dishforth - Dishforth

MSN:

YOM:

1949

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Captain / Total flying hours:

5000

Copilot / Total flying hours:

5000

Circumstances:

The crew was completing a local training sortie at RAF Dishforth. On final approach, the pilot-in-command decided to abandon the landing and started a go around procedure. With one engine voluntarily inoperative and the remaining three engines running slow, the aircraft stalled and crashed short of runway threshold. The aircraft was destroyed and all five crew members were killed. Experienced, both pilots totalized more than 5,000 flying hours.

Crash of a Douglas A-20K Havoc in São Paulo: 2 killed

Date & Time: Sep 5, 1955 at 1030 LT

Type of aircraft:

Douglas A-20 Havoc/DB-7 Boston

Operator:

Registration:

6062

Flight Phase:

Takeoff (climb)

Flight Type:

Training

Survivors:

Site:

Airport (less than 10 km from airport)

Schedule:

São Paulo - São Paulo

MSN:

23380

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

Shortly after takeoff from São Paulo-Guarulhos Airport, while in initial climb, the aircraft went out of control and crashed in a wooded area close to the airfield. Both pilots were killed. There were engaged in a local training mission when the accident occurred.

Probable cause:

Loss of control shortly after rotation caused by an engine failure.

Crash of a Kaiser-Frazer C-119F Flying Boxcar in Charleston: 9 killed

Date & Time: Aug 23, 1955 at 0200 LT

Type of aircraft:

Fairchild C-119 Flying Boxcar

Operator:

Registration:

51-8165

Flight Phase:

Flight Type:

Survivors:

Site:

Schedule:

Charleston - Charleston

MSN:

168

YOM:

1952

Location:

Charleston-Intl

South Carolina

Country:

United States of America

Region:

North America

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

Shortly after a night takeoff at Charleston Airport, while climbing, one of the engine caught fire and exploded. The airplane lost height and crashed in flames onto several houses located in a residential area, some 1,7 mile from the airfield. Six crew members were seriously injured while five others were killed. Four people in the houses were killed as well.

Probable cause:

Engine explosion during initial climb for unknown reason.

Crash of a Fairchild C-119G Flying Boxcar in Edelweiler: 20 killed

Date & Time: Aug 11, 1955 at 1420 LT

Type of aircraft:

Fairchild C-119 Flying Boxcar

Operator:

Registration:

53-3222

Flight Phase:

Flight

Flight Type:

Training

Survivors:

Site:

Plain, Valley

Schedule:

Dreux - Stuttgart

MSN:

11238

YOM:

1953

Flight number:

Chalk 8

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

A group of nine Fairchild C-119G Flying Boxcar left Dreux, Eure-et-Loir, on a flight to Stuttgart-Echterdingen Airport in southwest Germany under flight code 'Chalk'. Enroute, the pilot of C-119 registered 53-3222 (Chalk 8) called the leader and informed the rest of the formation he lost his left engine and elected to land asap. While trying to leave the formation, 53-3222 made a turn to the left when the top of its empennage hit the base of the cockpit of C-119 registered 53-7841 (Chalk 9). Both aircraft went out of control, dove into the ground and crashed in a wooded area and a field located near Edelweiler. Both aircraft disintegrated on impact and all 66 crew members on both aircraft were killed.

Probable cause:

Failure of the left engine in flight. It was also determined that the collision was due to the wrong position of 53-7841 because his crew failed to respect the assigned altitude in the formation. In conclusion, the board finds that the primary cause of the accident was pilot error. It is the opinion of the board that if the left wingman (aircraft 53-7841) had held his proper position instead of dropping down and out, the accident would not have occurred. It was established that just prior to the accident, aircraft 7841 had overrun his element leader. Evidence was found that the right wingman (aircraft 53-3222) was in process of losing his left engine and was given instructions to leave the formation. He was in the process of leaving the formation by descending and turning to the left according to normal procedures when the collision occurred. After considering all the available evidence, the board feels that the accident would not have happened if engine malfunction had not occurred, causing the right wingman to break formation. The board found evidence of supervisory error in that the pilot responsible for the accident had not had proper crew rest and his copilot’s experience was extremely low.

Crash of a Fairchild C-119G Flying Boxcar in Edelweiler: 46 killed

Date & Time: Aug 11, 1955 at 1420 LT

Type of aircraft:

Fairchild C-119 Flying Boxcar

Operator:

Registration:

53-7841

Flight Phase:

Flight

Flight Type:

Training

Survivors:

Site:

Plain, Valley

Schedule:

Dreux - Stuttgart

MSN:

11258

YOM:

1953

Flight number:

Chalk 9

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

Probable cause:

Crash of a Dornier DO.24T-3 off Pollença: 3 killed

Date & Time: Aug 5, 1955

Type of aircraft:

Dornier DO.24

Operator:

Flight Phase:

Flight

Flight Type:

Training

Survivors:

Yes

Site:

Lake, Sea, Ocean, River

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

Crashed in unknown circumstances near the Formentor Cape, off Pollença, on the island of Majorca. Three crew members were killed while four others were rescued.

Crash of a Vickers 607 Valetta C.1 near Fāyid AFB

Date & Time: Aug 5, 1955

Type of aircraft:

Vickers Valetta

Operator:

Registration:

VW140

Flight Phase:

Landing (descent or approach)

Flight Type:

Training

Survivors:

Yes

Site:

Airport (less than 10 km from airport)

Schedule:

Fāyid - Fāyid

MSN:

310

YOM:

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

The crew was performing a local training sortie at Fāyid Airbase. On final approach, the pilot-in-command decided to make a go around and completed a low pass over the airport. While starting to climb, an engine failed. The crew elected to make an emergency landing in a desert area located 3,2 km north of the airfield. All four crew members were unhurt while the aircraft was damaged beyond repair.

Probable cause:

Engine failure.