Crash of a Grumman S2F-1 Tracker near South Weymouth NAS: 2 killed

Date & Time: Aug 24, 1978
Type of aircraft:
Grumman S-2 Tracker
Operator:
Registration:
133176
Flight Phase:
Landing (descent or approach)
Flight Type:
Training
Survivors:
No
Site:
Airport (less than 10 km from airport)
Schedule:
South Weymouth - South Weymouth
MSN:
147
YOM:
1957
Location:
South Weymouth NAS
Massachusetts
Country:
United States of America
Region:
North America
Crew on board:
2
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
2
Circumstances:
The crew was completing a local training mission at South Weymouth NAS. On approach, the left engine failed and was shut down. Then the right engine lost power and white smoke got out. The airplane lost height then crashed few miles from the airfield. Both crew members Cdr Bailey and Lcdr Marriott were killed.
Probable cause:
Engine failure for unknown reasons.

Crash of a Pilatus AU-23A Turbo Porter in Phitsanulok: 2 killed

Date & Time: Aug 18, 1978
Type of aircraft:
Pilatus PC-6 (Porter & Turbo Porter)
Operator:
Registration:
JTh2-14/19
Flight Phase:
Takeoff (climb)
Flight Type:
Training
Survivors:
No
Site:
Airport (less than 10 km from airport)
Schedule:
Phitsanulok - Phitsanulok
MSN:
2073
YOM:
1974
Location:
Phitsanulok-Nai Mueang
Phitsanulok (พิษณุโลก)
Country:
Thailand
Region:
Asia
Crew on board:
2
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
2
Circumstances:
Crashed shortly after takeoff from Phitsanulok-Nai Mueang Airport while on a local training flight. Both pilots were killed.

Crash of a Piper PA-31-310 Navajo near Aix-en-Provence

Date & Time: Aug 16, 1978
Type of aircraft:
Piper PA-31-310 Navajo
Operator:
Registration:
F-ZBAA
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Training
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Plain, Valley
Schedule:
Marseille - Marseille
MSN:
31-197
YOM:
1968
Flight number:
Bengal 66
Location:
Aix-en-Provence
Bouches-du-Rhône
Country:
France
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
2
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
The crew departed Marseille-Marignane under call sign Bengal 66 for a local training flight. While cruising over Aix-en-Provence / Les Milles, an engine failed. The crew reduced his altitude and completed an emergency landing on a plateau. While both occupants escaped uninjured, the airplane was damaged beyond repair.
Probable cause:
Engine failure in flight for undetermined reasons.

Crash of a Curtiss C-46A-60-CK Commando off Miami

Date & Time: Jul 22, 1978 at 1511 LT
Type of aircraft:
Curtiss C-46 Commando
Operator:
DR & M
Registration:
N157K
Flight Phase:
Takeoff (climb)
Flight Type:
Training
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Lake, Sea, Ocean, River
Schedule:
Miami - Miami
MSN:
436
YOM:
1945
Location:
Miami
Florida
Country:
United States of America
Region:
North America
Crew on board:
3
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
The crew departed Miami-Opa Locka Airport on a local training flight. Few minutes after takeoff, both engines failed. The pilot-in-command ditched the aircraft few hundred yards offshore and the airplane sank and was lost. Two of three occupants were rescued while the instructor could not be located after departing the accident site.
Probable cause:
Powerplant failure for undetermined reasons.
Final Report:

Crash of a De Havilland DHC-6 Twin Otter 300 in Candor: 5 killed

Date & Time: Jul 13, 1978 at 2145 LT
Type of aircraft:
De Havilland DHC-6 Twin Otter
Operator:
Coast Air
Registration:
N76214
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Training
Survivors:
No
Site:
Plain, Valley
Schedule:
Fort Bragg - Fort Bragg
MSN:
236
YOM:
1969
Location:
Candor
North Carolina
Country:
United States of America
Region:
North America
Crew on board:
2
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
3
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
5
Circumstances:
The twin engine airplane departed Fort Bragg AFB on a training flight for the US Army, carrying three passengers and two pilots. While flying by night, the pilot failed to realize his altitude was too low when the airplane struck a tree and crashed in Candor, about 43 miles northwest of Fort Bragg.

Crash of a Partenavia P.68B in Melbourne: 6 killed

Date & Time: Jul 10, 1978 at 1853 LT
Type of aircraft:
Partenavia P.68
Operator:
Speedair
Registration:
VH-PNW
Flight Phase:
Takeoff (climb)
Flight Type:
Training
Survivors:
No
Site:
City
Schedule:
Melbourne - Melbourne
MSN:
65
YOM:
1976
Location:
Melbourne-Essendon
Victoria
Country:
Australia
Region:
Oceania
Crew on board:
2
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
1
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
6
Captain / Total flying hours:
3512
Captain / Total hours on type:
2.00
Copilot / Total flying hours:
288
Copilot / Total hours on type:
34
Aircraft flight hours:
819
Circumstances:
The twin engine airplane was engaged in a local training flight at MelBourne-Essendon Airport, carrying one instructor, a pilot under supervision and a pilot's friend as passenger. Shortly after takeoff from runway 26, while climbing to a height of 200-250 feet, the pilot-under-supervision selected the wing flaps up and, at about this time, the pilot-in-command simulated an engine failure of one engine by closing a mixture control-believed to have been the starboard engine. The pilot-under-supervision identified the 'failed' engine, exercised the appropriate engine throttle to signify this identification and indicated the essential actions which would be taken in the event of an actual engine failure. The relevant controls were not operated. Following the completion of these actions full engine power was restored by the pilot-in-command. During the course of the simulated engine failure the aircraft assumed a nose down attitude. It then descended straight ahead with full engine power, passed through electric power cables outside the airport boundary at a height of 4.15 metres above terrain, and crashed into houses 286 metres beyond the western end of the runway. All three occupants were seriously injured while six people on the ground were killed, a seventh was injured as well.
Probable cause:
The cause of the accident was that the aircraft became grossly out of trim at a height which did not permit time for the crew to affect recovery. The manner in which the out-of-trim condition occurred has not been determined and the possibility of a trim system malfunction cannot be eliminated. However, the more likely explanation is that the command trim switch was activated unknowingly.
Final Report:

Crash of a Morane-Saulnier M.S.760 Paris in Colonia Segovia: 2 killed

Date & Time: Jun 13, 1978
Type of aircraft:
Morane-Saulnier M.S.760 Paris
Operator:
Registration:
E-239
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Training
Survivors:
No
Site:
Plain, Valley
Schedule:
Mendoza - Mendoza
MSN:
A-27
YOM:
1959
Location:
Mendoza
Mendoza
Country:
Argentina
Region:
South America
Crew on board:
2
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
2
Circumstances:
The crew was completing a local training flight at Mendoza-El Plumerillo Airport when the airplane crashed in unknown circumstances in Colonia Segovia, some 6 km east of the airfield. Both pilots were killed.

Crash of a Dassault Falcon 20C in Memphis: 4 killed

Date & Time: May 18, 1978 at 1210 LT
Type of aircraft:
Dassault Falcon 20
Operator:
Registration:
N121GW
Flight Phase:
Landing (descent or approach)
Flight Type:
Training
Survivors:
No
Site:
Airport (less than 10 km from airport)
Schedule:
Memphis - Memphis
MSN:
4
YOM:
1965
Location:
Memphis
Tennessee
Country:
United States of America
Region:
North America
Crew on board:
4
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
4
Captain / Total flying hours:
3647
Captain / Total hours on type:
350.00
Circumstances:
The crew was performing a local training flight at Memphis Airport. Following several maneuvers and while circling in the traffic pattern at an altitude of 2,000 feet, the twin engine airplane collided with a private Cessna 150 registered N6423K and carrying two pilots. Following the collision, both airplane entered a dive and crashed about 3,8 miles west of the airport. All six occupants in both aircrafts were killed.
Probable cause:
The in-flight collision on approach was the consequence of a poor ATC coordination. The following contributing factors were reported:
- The pilot-in-command failed to see and avoid other aircraft,
- Inadequate spacing of aircraft on part of ATC,
- ATC failed to advise of other traffic,
- Under radar contact and controlled airport,
- No evasive action taken,
- No traffic advisory issued,
- The controller of Falcon assumed coordination had been accomplished between local controllers.

Crash of a De Havilland DHC-6 Twin Otter 300 at Kingston AFB: 2 killed

Date & Time: May 17, 1978 at 0740 LT
Type of aircraft:
De Havilland DHC-6 Twin Otter
Operator:
Jamaica Defence Force
Registration:
JDFT-6
Flight Phase:
Landing (descent or approach)
Flight Type:
Training
Survivors:
No
Site:
Airport (less than 10 km from airport)
Schedule:
Kingston - Kingston
MSN:
531
YOM:
1977
Location:
Kingston-Up Park Camp AFP
Kingston City District
Country:
Jamaica
Region:
Central America
Crew on board:
2
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
2
Circumstances:
The crew was completing a local training mission at Up Park Camp Airbase in Kingston. Following two successful landings, the crew initiated a third approach with the left engine voluntarily inoperative to simulate a failure. On final, the airplane banked left then lost height and crashed in flames on a cricket pitch close to the airfield. The aircraft was destroyed and both pilots were killed.

Crash of a Lockheed P-3B-65-LO Orion off Lajes: 7 killed

Date & Time: Apr 26, 1978
Type of aircraft:
Lockheed P-3 Orion
Operator:
Registration:
152724
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Training
Survivors:
No
Site:
Lake, Sea, Ocean, River
Schedule:
Lajes - Lajes
MSN:
185-5164
YOM:
1965
Location:
Lajes
Azores Islands
Country:
Portugal
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
7
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
7
Circumstances:
The four engine airplane was completing a training mission out from Lajes when it crashed under unknown circumstances into the Atlantic Ocean, about 32 km northeast of Lajes. Few debris were found floating on water and all seven crew members were killed.
Crew:
Lt David G. Schwerstein,
Lt Michael E. Hayes,
Ltjg Michael Dziubak,
Ad1 Robert L. Hasselbacher,
Ad1 Randolph L. Affield,
Ao3 Robert J. Elmore,
At3 Weslie Donald Putnam.
Probable cause:
The exact cause of the accident remains unknown.
Subscribe to Training