Crash of a Douglas A-26B-20-DL Invader in Langley AFB: 3 killed

Date & Time:
Type of aircraft:
Douglas A-26 Invader
Operator:
Registration:
41-39279
Flight Phase:
Landing (descent or approach)
Flight Type:
Training
Survivors:
No
Site:
Airport (less than 10 km from airport)
Schedule:
Langley - Langley
MSN:
6992
YOM:
1941
Location:
Langley AFB (Hampton)
Virginia
Country:
United States of America
Region:
North America
Crew on board:
3
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
3
Circumstances:
On final approach to Langley AFB, while performing a local training sortie, the airplane went out of control and crashed one mile east of the airfield. All three crew members were killed.

Crash of an Avro 652 Anson T.21 in RAF Usworth

Date & Time:
Type of aircraft:
Avro 652 Anson
Operator:
Registration:
VV954
Flight Phase:
Landing (descent or approach)
Flight Type:
Training
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Airport (less than 10 km from airport)
Schedule:
Usworth - Usworth
Location:
Usworth AFB (RAF Hylton)
Tyne and Wear
Country:
United Kingdom
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
3
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
The crew was performing a local training flight at RAF Usworth, simulating an engine failure. On final approach, he encountered technical problems with the undercarriage that failed to lower properly and were not locked. In such situation, the pilot-in-command decided to restart the inoperative engine and initiated a go around when the airplane stalled and crashed in a field located short of runway threshold. The aircraft was damaged beyond repair while all three crew members were injured.
Probable cause:
The accident was caused by a lack of coordination and a poor management of the flight on part of the flying crew who failed to monitor properly the approach speed and failed to consider all aspects of a go-around maneuver combined with a single engine approach's exercice.

Crash of a CRDA CANT Z.506S off La Spezia

Date & Time:
Type of aircraft:
CRDA CANT Z.506 Airone
Operator:
Sottocentro Soccorso Cadimare
Registration:
MM45497
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Training
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Lake, Sea, Ocean, River
Location:
La Spezia
Liguria
Country:
Italy
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
6
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
Shortly after takeoff from La Spezia, the three engine seaplane crashed into the sea about three km south of the Palmaria Island. All six crew members were rescued while the aircraft was lost.

Crash of a Consolidated PB4Y-2S Privateer on Atata Island: 9 killed

Date & Time:
Type of aircraft:
Consolidated PB4Y-2 Privateer
Operator:
Registration:
59992
Flight Phase:
Takeoff (climb)
Flight Type:
Training
Survivors:
No
Site:
Mountains
MSN:
59992
YOM:
1943
Location:
Iwakuni AFB
Chūgoku
Country:
Japan
Region:
Asia
Crew on board:
9
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
9
Circumstances:
Shortly after a night takeoff from Iwakuni Airbase, while climbing, the aircraft hit the top of a hill located on the Atata Island, about 6 km northeast of the airbase. All nine crew members were killed.

Crash of an Avro 694 Lincoln B.2 in RAF Scampton: 7 killed

Date & Time:
Type of aircraft:
Avro 694 Lincoln
Operator:
Registration:
RA692
Flight Phase:
Landing (descent or approach)
Flight Type:
Training
Survivors:
No
Site:
Airport (less than 10 km from airport)
Schedule:
Scampton - Scampton
Location:
Scampton AFB
Lincolnshire
Country:
United Kingdom
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
7
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
7
Circumstances:
The crew was returning to RAF Scampton after a six hours training flight on behalf of the 230th OCU (Operational Conversion Unit). On final approach in poor weather conditions, the pilot in command realized that his position was not correct and decided to make a go around. He increased engine power, retracted the landing gear and deployed the flaps when the aircraft stalled and crashed in a huge explosion few hundred yards from the runway threshold. The aircraft was destroyed and all seven crew members were killed.
Probable cause:
It was determined that the aircraft stalled because the flaps were deployed in a wrong position. At the time of the stall, the distance between the aircraft and the ground was insufficient to expect a recovery.

Crash of a Boeing B-29B-45-BA Superfortress in Carsphairn: 11 killed

Date & Time:
Type of aircraft:
Boeing B-29 Superfortress
Operator:
Registration:
44-83950
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Training
Survivors:
No
Site:
Plain, Valley
Location:
Carsphairn
Dumfries and Galloway
Country:
United Kingdom
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
11
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
11
Circumstances:
The aircraft had taken off from RAF Lakenheath in Suffolk at 0917LT for a Radar Navigation Flight which was to be followed by 4 hours of Air to Air refueling practice with a Boeing B-50. At 1103LT the aircraft was in contact with the controller at Prestwick, having entered the Scottish Flight Information Region, the pilot reported they were at a altitude of ~14,500 feet in visual conditions. Only 7 minutes later the aircraft was seen be witnesses on the ground descending out of cloud at 1,500 to 2,000 feet over Carsphairn on a NNW course. They stated that the engines sounded different to the aircraft which normally over-flew the area. The aircraft then turned onto a SE course before stalling and entering a spin from which it did not recover before impacted the ground in a deep gully at the edge of a field. The fuel tanks, containing an estimated 8,000 US Gallons exploded and completely destroyed the aircraft, scattering it over a considerable area.
Crew:
1st Lt Joseph A. O'Leary, pilot,
1st Lt George Merrill Foote, copilot,
1st Lt Claude Jacques Hayden Jr., navigator,
S/Sgt Noel M. Poppof, flight engineer,
Cpt Tennant A. Metz, radar operator,
Cpl John B. Simpson, radio operator,
Cpl John P. Finnegan, scanner,
1st Lt Jack W. Kern, boom instructor,
Sgt Henry H. Hill, boom operator,
S/Sgt Wallace L. Scott, boom operator,
Cpl Reginald Y. Russell, boom operator.
Source:
http://www.peakdistrictaircrashes.co.uk/crash_sites/scotland/boeing-kb-29p-44-83950-carsphairn/

Crash of a Martin PBM-5S Mariner off Key West: 8 killed

Date & Time:
Type of aircraft:
Martin PBM Mariner
Operator:
Registration:
98610
Flight Phase:
Takeoff (climb)
Flight Type:
Training
Survivors:
No
Site:
Lake, Sea, Ocean, River
Schedule:
Key West - Key West
MSN:
98610
Location:
Key West
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:
Shortly after takeoff from Key West NAS, while climbing, the seaplane stalled and crashed few hundred yards off shore. All eight crew members were killed.
Probable cause:
Engine failure.

Crash of a Vickers 619 Wellington X in Sheffield: 3 killed

Date & Time:
Type of aircraft:
Vickers 619 Wellington X
Operator:
Registration:
MF633
Flight Phase:
Landing (descent or approach)
Flight Type:
Training
Survivors:
No
Site:
Airport (less than 10 km from airport)
Schedule:
Sheffield - Sheffield
Location:
Sheffield
South Yorkshire
Country:
United Kingdom
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
3
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
3
Circumstances:
The crew was completing a local training sortie at Sheffield Airport, South Yorkshire. On final approach, the aircraft went of control, nosed down and crashed few miles short of runway. The aircraft was destroyed and all three crew members were killed.
Probable cause:
It was determined that during the final approach, the pilot-in-command was distracted by lights located in a coal mine. Investigations revealed that the pilot's attention was focused for a few seconds on these lights, a sufficient period of time to cause the loss of control of the aircraft.

Crash of a Consolidated PB4Y-2 Privateer into the Skagit Bay: 5 killed

Date & Time:
Type of aircraft:
Consolidated PB4Y-2 Privateer
Operator:
Registration:
66263
Flight Phase:
Landing (descent or approach)
Flight Type:
Training
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Lake, Sea, Ocean, River
Schedule:
Whidbey Island - Whidbey Island
MSN:
66263
YOM:
1944
Location:
Whidbey Island NAS (Ault Field)
Washington
Country:
United States of America
Region:
North America
Crew on board:
10
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
5
Circumstances:
The crew was completing a local training sortie from NAS Whidbey Island. On final approach to runway 25, the aircraft went out of control and crashed into the Skagit Bay, about five miles east of the airfield. Five crew members were killed while five others were injured.

Crash of a Lockheed P2V-2 Neptune in Fleming Island: 7 killed

Date & Time:
Type of aircraft:
Lockheed P-2 Neptune
Operator:
Registration:
122453
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Training
Survivors:
No
Site:
Plain, Valley
Location:
Fleming Island
Florida
Country:
United States of America
Region:
North America
Crew on board:
9
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
7
Circumstances:
The crew declared an emergency after an in flight fire. The aircraft went out of control and crashed in flames in a wooded area located in Fleming Island. Two crew members were seriously injured while seven others were killed.
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