Training

Flight Type:

Survivors:

Site:

Schedule:

Jackson - Jackson

MSN:

414A-0252

YOM:

1979

Location:

Jackson-Reynolds Field

Michigan

Country:

Region:

Boeing KC-135 Stratotanker

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Captain / Total flying hours:

4500

Captain / Total hours on type:

57.00

Circumstances:

At approximately 90 knots after liftoff from a touch-and-go the copilot, who was flying from the left seat, indicated problems with the right engine. The pilot had been observing trucks on the right side of the runway. He stated they could have set it back down except he thought they might swerve into the trucks. He was not specifically looking at the instruments because of the trucks. He took control and the aircraft settled adjacent to the runway and burst into flames. Inspection of the right engine revealed all but one of the 12 spark plugs were sooty. The plugs were installed in a new engine and the engine obtained takeoff rpm.

Probable cause:

Occurrence #1: loss of engine power
Phase of operation: takeoff - initial climb
Findings
1. (c) reason for occurrence undetermined
----------
Occurrence #2: in flight collision with terrain/water
Phase of operation: takeoff - initial climb
Findings
2. (c) flight/navigation instrument(s) - inattentive - pilot in command

Final Report:

Crash of a Boeing KC-135A-BN Stratotanker in Greenwood: 27 killed

Date & Time: Mar 19, 1982 at 2110 LT

Type of aircraft:

Operator:

Registration:

58-0031

Flight Phase:

Flight

Flight Type:

Survivors:

Site:

Plain, Valley

Schedule:

Sawyer - Chicago

MSN:

17776/246

YOM:

1959

Location:

Greenwood

Illinois

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Aircraft flight hours:

9249

Circumstances:

The four engine airplane departed Kenneth Ingalls Sawyer AFB on a flight to Chicago-O'Hare Airport, carrying 23 passengers and a crew of four. After being cleared to descend from 22,000 feet to 8,000 feet, the crew reduced his speed when at an altitude of 13,700 feet, at a speed of 313 knots, the airplane suffered an in-flight explosion. Both wings detached, all four engines separated as well as the stabs and out of control, the airplane dove into the ground and crashed in an open field located in Greenwood, about 37 miles northwest of Chicago Airport. The aircraft was totally destroyed and all 27 occupants were killed.

Probable cause:

The exact cause of the accident could not be determined with certainty. Considered as 'most probable' was an over-pressurization under the cargo floor, an area that houses fuel and other potential sources of ignition. An explosion caused by the ignition of accumulated combustible vapors occurring in that area could, in fact, rapidly propagate to adjacent areas where fuel is present. There was also 'strong evidence' of explosive over-pressures in the forward, aft and upper fuel tank areas. Significantly, investigation showed that were the walls or fittings of the rubber bladder cells containing the volatile liquid to fail, fuel or vapor could be released into the tank cavity and in turn migrate to other part of the aircraft.

Crash of a De Havilland DH.104 Dove 1 at Yelahanka AFB

Date & Time: Mar 15, 1982

Type of aircraft:

De Havilland DH.104 Dove

Operator:

Registration:

HW204

Flight Phase:

Flight Type:

Survivors:

Site:

Yelahanka AFB (Bangalore)

Schedule:

Yelahanka - Yelahanka

MSN:

04081

YOM:

1947

Location:

Karnataka

Country:

India

Region:

Asia

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

The crew was engaged in a local training flight at Yelahanka Airbase. Control was lost upon landing after the crew attempted to land on one engine. There were no casualties.

Crash of a Boeing KC-135A-BN Stratotanker near Luke AFB: 4 killed

Date & Time: Mar 13, 1982 at 1050 LT

Type of aircraft:

Boeing KC-135 Stratotanker

Operator:

Registration:

57-1489

Flight Phase:

Flight Type:

Survivors:

Site:

Schedule:

Phoenix - Luke AFB

MSN:

17560/169

YOM:

1958

Location:

Luke AFB

Arizona

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Captain / Total flying hours:

3604

Captain / Total hours on type:

370.00

Aircraft flight hours:

10650

Circumstances:

The KC-135A aircraft departed Phoenix-Sky Harbor International Airport at 0755 MST for a scheduled 3-hour and 30-minute flight. After completing the navigation leg, the aircraft descended into the Phoenix area for transition at Luke AFB. After completing one TACAN approach at Luke AFB, the KC-135A aircraft was vectored to Phoenix-Sky Harbor International Airport for an ILS touch-and-go landing. The aircraft was then vectored back to the final approach course for a TACAN runway 03 left approach at Luke AFB. The KC-135A aircraft was cleared for the approach to Luke AFB, and after the final approach fix radio call, a midair collision occurred with a Grumman American Yankee civilian aircraft. The empennage of the KC-135A separated, rendering the aircraft incapable of flight and it was destroyed upon ground impact. The Grumman American Yankee aircraft was destroyed during the midair collision. The four crew members in the KC-135A and the two civilians in the Grumman American Yankee were fatalities.
Crew:
LT Col James N. Floor,
Lt Col Ted L. Beam,
Maj Truman R. Young Jr.,
T/Sgt Donald J. Plough.

Probable cause:

The USAF KC-135 was on an IFR flight plan and executing a TACAN 03L approach to Luke AFB. The AA-1 had departed Sky Harbour Airport and had been released by phoenix TRSA. The AA-1 was heading westerly in airspace designated as a special traffic area and was required to have been at or below 2,000 ft msl. A pilot of another aircraft who was trailing the AA-1 stated that a low broken cloud cover was encountered and he had to descend to about 2,000 ft to remain 500 ft below the bases. He stated the pilot of the AA-1 did not descend but appeared to be skimming along in and out of the bases of the clouds. He noticed the KC-135 descending through the cloud deck followed immediately by the collision. The collision occurred about 5 mi south of Luke AFB at an altitude of 2,500 ft msl. The logbook of the AA-1 pilot indicated this was his first trip to the phoenix area. Luke AFB was depicted on the north side of the sectional chart only. VOR airway #16 was split along an e-w line with the northern and southern halves being depicted on each side of the chart.

Occurrence #1: midair collision
Phase of operation: cruise - normal
Findings
1. En route charts - inadequate
2. (c) vfr procedures - improper - pilot in command AA-1
3. (f) lack of familiarity with geographic area - pilot in command AA-1

Final Report:

Crash of a Britten-Norman BN-2A-9 Islander in Netheravon AFB

Date & Time: Feb 20, 1982 at 1255 LT

Type of aircraft:

Britten-Norman Islander

Operator:

Registration:

G-BBRP

Flight Phase:

Flight Type:

Survivors:

Site:

Schedule:

Netheravon - Netheravon

MSN:

371

YOM:

1973

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Captain / Total flying hours:

3422

Captain / Total hours on type:

235.00

Aircraft flight hours:

5466

Circumstances:

The accident occurred whilst the aircraft was taking off on a parachute dropping flight with the pilot and eight parachutists on board. Shortly after takeoff, at a height of about 50 feet above ground level, the pilot detected a loss of power from the port engine. He then selected the flaps up, but whilst he was about to commence the shut down and propeller feathering drills for the port engine, the starboard engine also appeared to lose power. In the subsequent attempt to land the aircraft straight ahead, the pilot was unable to reduce a high sink rate and a heavy landing resulted. The aircraft sustained severe damage that was beyond economic repair, but there were no injuries to those on board.

Probable cause:

The accident was caused by the fact that the pilot was unable to reduce the aircraft's rate of descent sufficiently to prevent a heavy landing. Contributory factors were the loss of all power from the port engine due to fuel mismanagement and the pilot's decision initially to attempt to continue the take-off.

Final Report:

Crash of an Antonov AN-24RV in Constanţa: 7 killed

Date & Time: Jan 25, 1982

Type of aircraft:

Antonov AN-24

Operator:

Registration:

YR-BMD

Flight Phase:

Flight Type:

Survivors:

Site:

Constanţa-Mihail Kogălniceanu

Schedule:

Constanţa - Constanţa

MSN:

57310202

YOM:

1975

Location:

Constanța

Country:

Romania

Region:

Europe

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

The crew arrived at Constanţa-Mihail Kogălniceanu Airport from Bucharest to complete a local training mission. On final approach, at an altitude of about 40 meters, the airplane banked left to an angle of 40° then lost height and crashed, bursting into flames. The aircraft was destroyed and all seven crew members were killed.

Probable cause:

Failure of the feathering system on the left engine which caused the propeller to go to ground pitch while the crew was simulating a failure of the left engine.

Crash of a Douglas C-54E-15-DO Skymaster in Nouméa: 7 killed

Date & Time: Jan 21, 1982 at 2104 LT

Type of aircraft:

Douglas C-54 Skymaster

Operator:

Registration:

49148/F-YEGA

Flight Phase:

Flight Type:

Survivors:

Site:

Mountains

Schedule:

Nouméa - Nouméa

MSN:

27374

YOM:

1944

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 flight at Nouméa-La Tontouta consisting of touch-and-go maneuvers. After takeoff, while climbing by night, the crew initiated a turn when the four engine airplane struck the slope of Mt Kokoreta at an altitude of 1,002 meters and located 10 km east of the airfield. The aircraft was destroyed and all seven crew members were killed.
Crew:
LdV Guy Celton, pilot,
MP Marcel Crusson, copilot,
MP Monroe Podlesnik, mechanic,
1st M Bernard Lefuraut, mechanic,
1st M Claude Wullaert, navigator,
1st M Jean Decoudu, electronics,
M Paul Gavard-Pivet, mechanic.

Probable cause:

It is believed that the accident was the consequence of a controlled flight into terrain consecutive to an error on part of the crew who mistakenly initiated a turn opposite to the published procedures for departure.

Crash of a Douglas DC-3A in Miami

Date & Time: Jan 21, 1982 at 0154 LT

Type of aircraft:

Douglas DC-3

Operator:

Tursair

Registration:

N211TA

Flight Phase:

Flight Type:

Survivors:

Site:

Schedule:

Opa Locka - Opa Locka

MSN:

6342

YOM:

1942

Location:

Miami-Opa Locka

Florida

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Captain / Total flying hours:

10856

Captain / Total hours on type:

5900.00

Aircraft flight hours:

37721

Circumstances:

During a touch and go the dual student added power rapidly and the left engine sputtered causing the aircraft to swerve left. The instructor took control but felt resistance on the controls from the student. He then reduced power on both engines and the reapplied power at which time he felt both engines come up to power. At this point, the left wing caught scrub trees 90 feet to the left of the runway.

Probable cause:

Non mechanical partial loss of engine power during takeoff due to improper use of the throttle/power control on part of the dual student. The following findings were reported:
- Inadvertent ground loop/swerve,
- Directional control not maintained by dual student,
- Relinquishing of control not performed by dual student,
- Inadequate supervision on part of the pilot-in-command (CFI),
- Ground collision with object,
- Trees.

Final Report:

Crash of a Convair HC-131A Samaritan in Corpus Christi

Date & Time: Jan 18, 1982

Type of aircraft:

Convair C-131 Samaritan

Operator:

Registration:

52-5786

Flight Phase:

Flight Type:

Survivors:

Site:

Schedule:

Corpus Christi - Corpus Christi

MSN:

53-6

YOM:

1954

Location:

Corpus Christi

Texas

Country:

Region: