Crash of a Boeing B-52F-70-BW Stratofortress off Matagorda Island: 8 killed

Date & Time: Feb 29, 1968
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
57-0173
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Carswell - Carswell
MSN:
464162
YOM:
1957
Crew on board:
8
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
8
Circumstances:
The crew departed Carswell AFB on a routine training mission over the Gulf of Mexico. En route, the airplane went out of control and crashed into the sea few dozen miles off Matagorda Island. Few debris were found some days later but no trace of the eight crew members who were probably killed upon impact.
Crew:
Maj Frank M. Salavarria, pilot,
Lt William T. Causey, copilot,
Cpt Charles W. Roberts, radio navigator,
M/Sgt Kermit C. Casey, air gunner,
Lt Michael L. Carroll, navigator,
Cpt John T. Pantilla, EWO,
Cpt Thomas D. Childs,
Maj Phillip F. Strine.
Probable cause:
Due to the lack of evidences, the exact cause of the accident could not be determined with certainty. However, the assumption that the loss of control may have been the consequence of a stab trim issue caused by an electric bus failure was not ruled out.

Crash of a Fairchild C-123K Provider at Duke Field: 4 killed

Date & Time: Jan 25, 1968
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
55-4518
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Duke - Duke
MSN:
20179
YOM:
1955
Crew on board:
4
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
4
Circumstances:
The crew was completing a local training mission at Duke Field, Florida. Following several touch-and-go manoeuvres, the crew completed a circuit at low height to start a new approach when, during a last turn, the airplane stalled and crashed in flames half a mile short of runway threshold. The airplane was destroyed and all four crew members were killed.
Probable cause:
It is believed that the approach speed was too low, causing the aircraft to stall during the last turn at low height. The distance between the aircraft and the ground was insufficient to expect recovery.

Crash of a Piper PA-31-310 Navajo in Tobaccoville: 6 killed

Date & Time: Jan 20, 1968 at 1217 LT
Type of aircraft:
Registration:
N9098Y
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
MSN:
31-134
YOM:
1968
Crew on board:
2
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
4
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
6
Captain / Total flying hours:
9000
Captain / Total hours on type:
31.00
Circumstances:
The crew was completing a local training flight and was simulating stalls at low height when control was lost. The twin engine airplane entered a flat spin and crashed in an open field located near Tobaccoville. All six occupants were killed.
Probable cause:
The pilot-in-command failed to obtain/maintain flying speed.
Final Report:

Crash of a Douglas C-47A-90-DL in General Carneiro

Date & Time: Jan 20, 1968
Operator:
Registration:
2026
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Schedule:
Belo Horizonte - Belo Horizonte
MSN:
20459
YOM:
1944
Country:
Crew on board:
0
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
Crashed in unknown circumstances in General Carneiro, in the suburb of Belo Horizonte while completing a local training mission. The crew fate remains unknown.

Crash of a Hawker-Siddeley HS.125-3B in Luton: 2 killed

Date & Time: Dec 23, 1967
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
G-AVGW
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Luton - Luton
MSN:
25120
YOM:
1967
Region:
Crew on board:
2
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
2
Circumstances:
The crew was engaged in a local training flight at Luton Airport. Shortly after takeoff with an engine voluntarily shut down, the airplane went out of control and crashed in flames onto a factory near the airport. The aircraft was destroyed and both crew were killed while no one on the ground was injured.
Probable cause:
Loss of control shortly after takeoff with an engine inoperative, which probably reduced the aircraft capabilities.

Crash of an Avro 696 Shackleton MR.3 near Inverness: 13 killed

Date & Time: Dec 21, 1967
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
XF702
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Site:
Schedule:
Kinloss - Kinloss
YOM:
1958
Region:
Crew on board:
11
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
2
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
13
Aircraft flight hours:
3814
Circumstances:
The aircraft was engaged in a three hour routine training flight out from RAF Kinloss. Shortly after takeoff, weather conditions deteriorated with low clouds, fog, turbulences and icing conditions. While cruising at low height, the airplane struck the top of a hill at Creag Bhan. The aircraft disintegrated and all 13 occupants were killed.
Crew:
S/Ldr Michael Charles McCallum, pilot,
F/O Terence Charles Swinney, copilot,
F/O David John Evans, copilot,
F/Lt Bruce George Wishart Mackie, navigator,
F/O Ralph Joseph Fonseca, navigator,
Sgt Malcolm Arthur Jones, air engineer,
F/O John Verner Young, air electronics officer,
F/Sgt David John Harris, air electronics operator,
Sgt Michael Barry Bowen, air electronics operator,
Sgt Charles Peter Matthews, air electronics operator,
Sgt Kenneth Browne Hurry, air signaller.
Passengers:
S/Ldr Harry Harvey, air electronics officer,
P/O Iain Campbell MacLean.
Probable cause:
It is believed that the airplane went out of control following an excessive accumulation of ice on wings and fuselage.

Crash of a Rockwell Aero Commander 560E in Kingshill: 2 killed

Date & Time: Dec 12, 1967 at 1140 LT
Registration:
N8448C
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Christiansted - Christiansted
Crew on board:
2
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
2
Captain / Total flying hours:
10850
Captain / Total hours on type:
500.00
Circumstances:
The crew was completing a local training flight at Christiansted-Alexander Hamilton Airport. While approaching from the north, the airplane stalled and crashed in Kinsghill, about 2 miles north of the airfield. The aircraft was destroyed and both pilots were killed.
Probable cause:
Loss of control while practicing single engine approach. The crew failed to maintain flying speed and inadequate flight supervision.
Final Report:

Crash of a Morane-Saulnier M.S.760 Paris IR in Loges-en-Josas

Date & Time: Dec 7, 1967
Operator:
Registration:
37/F-RABZ
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Vélizy-Villacoublay - Vélizy-Villacoublay
MSN:
37
YOM:
1959
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
2
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
The crew was completing a local training mission at Vélizy-Villacoublay Airbase when the aircraft crashed in unknown circumstances in Loges-en-Josas, some 4 km west of the airfield. Both pilots were injured and the aircraft was destroyed.

Crash of an Armstrong Whitworth AW.650 Argosy 222 in Stansted

Date & Time: Dec 4, 1967
Operator:
Registration:
G-ASXP
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Stansted - Stansted
MSN:
6804
YOM:
1965
Location:
Region:
Crew on board:
3
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
The crew was engaged in a local training flight at Stansted Airport. Shortly after takeoff, while in initial climb, the crew lost control of the airplane that stalled and crashed in flames in an open field. The aircraft was destroyed and all three crew members were injured. The crew was simulating an engine failure at takeoff when control was lost.
Probable cause:
The accident was due to a loss of control during a takeoff with a simulated failure of the engine. The loss of control was most probably the result of No.4 propeller going into ground fine pitch when the engine was throttled back.

Crash of a Grumman S-2E Tracker into the South China Sea: 2 killed

Date & Time: Nov 20, 1967
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
150602
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
USS Kearsarge - USS Kearsarge
MSN:
169
YOM:
1957
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
2
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
2
Circumstances:
The crew departed USS Kearsarge on a training mission over the South China Sea. The accident occurred in unknown circumstances, causing the death of both crew members.