Crash of a Douglas C-54A-10-DC Skymaster into the Pacific Ocean: 9 killed

Date & Time: Mar 28, 1964 at 0600 LT
Type of aircraft:
Registration:
N4726V
Flight Phase:
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Honolulu – Los Angeles
MSN:
10315
YOM:
1944
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
3
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
6
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
9
Captain / Total flying hours:
23454
Captain / Total hours on type:
16000.00
Circumstances:
The DC-4 took off from Honolulu at 22:47 PST for a flight to Los Angeles, ETA 10:27 PST. At 05:54 PST the pilot reported a bad fire in the no. 2 engine and stated that a ditching might become necessary. Nothing more was heard from the flight. Extensive search efforts were discontinued after 5 days; nothing had been found. A total of 15-17 min maintenance delay had occurred on the Los Angeles-Philippines round trip. Among the causes of these delays was a recurring oil leak in the propeller governor assembly for the no. 2 engine.
Probable cause:
In-flight No.2 engine fire for an undetermined cause, resulting in ditching at sea.
Final Report:

Crash of a Douglas C-124C Globemaster II into the Pacific Ocean: 9 killed

Date & Time: Jan 2, 1964
Operator:
Registration:
52-0968
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Wake Island - Hickam
MSN:
43877
YOM:
1952
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
8
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
1
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
9
Circumstances:
While on a flight from Wake Island to Hickam AFB in Honolulu, the four engine aircraft crashed in unknown circumstances into the Pacific Ocean some 1,200 km west of Honolulu. No trace of the aircraft nor the nine occupants was found.

Crash of a Curtiss C-46A-15-CU Commando into the Atlantic Ocean: 3 killed

Date & Time: Dec 9, 1963
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
N5160V
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Gander – Santa Maria
MSN:
26512
YOM:
1943
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
3
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
3
Circumstances:
The twin engine aircraft crashed in unknown circumstances into the Atlantic Ocean about 240 km northwest of the Azores Islands while on a flight from Gander to Santa Maria. All three crew members were killed.

Crash of a Douglas C-133A-15-DL Cargomaster into the Atlantic Ocean: 10 killed

Date & Time: Sep 22, 1963
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
56-2002
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Dover - Lajes
MSN:
45167
YOM:
1956
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
10
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
10
Circumstances:
About 57 minutes after his departure from Dover AFB, en route to Lajes, Azores Islands, the crew informed ground about his position flying at an altitude of 14,000 feet. In unknown circumstances, the airplane went out of control and crashed into the ocean about 1,440 km east of the coast of New Jersey. SAR operations were initiated but eventually suspended few days later as no trace of the aircraft nor the 10 crew members was found.
Probable cause:
Due to lack of evidences, the exact cause of the accident could not be determined with certainty.

Crash of a Boeing KC-135A-BN Stratotanker into the Atlantic Ocean: 5 killed

Date & Time: Aug 28, 1963 at 1230 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
61-0322
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Homestead - Homestead
MSN:
18229
YOM:
1962
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
5
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
5
Circumstances:
Following an uneventful refuelling mission of a Boeing B-47, the Stratotanker was returning to its base at Homestead, south Florida, some 1,125 km from its position. It was flying with a second USAF Boeing KC-135A-BN Stratotanker registered 61-0319 and carrying a crew of six. The first KC-135 was flying at an altitude of 36,000 feet while the second was following at an altitude of 35,500 feet. En route, both airplanes went into a low pressure area and apparently collided. All contacts were lost at 1230LT. SAR operations were conducted and some debris were found a day later some 480 km west of Bermuda. All 11 crew members were killed.
Probable cause:
Due to the lack of evidences, the exact cause of the accident could not be determined with certainty. However, it is believed that both Stratotanker collided in flight, maybe following a loss of speed and altitude from the first aircraft after it encountered downdraft or atmospheric turbulences.

Crash of a Boeing KC-135A-BN Stratotanker into the Atlantic Ocean: 6 killed

Date & Time: Aug 28, 1963 at 1230 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
61-0319
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Homestead - Homestead
MSN:
18226
YOM:
1962
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
6
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
6
Circumstances:
Following an uneventful refuelling mission of a Boeing B-47, the Stratotanker was returning to its base at Homestead, south Florida, some 1,125 km from its position. It was flying with a second USAF Boeing KC-135A-BN Stratotanker registered 61-0322 and carrying a crew of five. The first KC-135 was flying at an altitude of 36,000 feet while the second was following at an altitude of 35,500 feet. En route, both airplanes went into a low pressure area and apparently collided. All contacts were lost at 1230LT. SAR operations were conducted and some debris were found a day later some 480 km west of Bermuda. All 11 crew members were killed.
Probable cause:
Due to the lack of evidences, the exact cause of the accident could not be determined with certainty. However, it is believed that both Stratotanker collided in flight, maybe following a loss of speed and altitude from the first aircraft after it encountered downdraft or atmospheric turbulences.

Crash of a Douglas DC-7CF into the Pacific Ocean: 101 killed

Date & Time: Jun 3, 1963 at 1016 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
N290
Flight Phase:
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
McChord – Elmendorf
MSN:
45209
YOM:
1957
Flight number:
NW293
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
6
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
95
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
101
Captain / Total flying hours:
15465
Captain / Total hours on type:
3665.00
Copilot / Total flying hours:
11489
Copilot / Total hours on type:
635
Aircraft flight hours:
17418
Circumstances:
A Northwest Airlines, Inc., Douglas DC-7C, N290 MATS charter Flight 293, crashed in the north Pacific Ocean approximately 116 nautical miles west-southwest of Annette Island, Alaska, at approximately 1816 G.m.t., June 3, 1963. The flight departed McChord AFB, Washington, for Elmendorf AFB, Alaska, carrying 95 passengers and a crew of 6. The passenger list included military personnel, dependents, Department of Defense employees and a Red Cross employee. All occupants of the aircraft were lost at sea and the aircraft was destroyed. The aircraft had been airborne approximately 2 hours and 35 minutes when radio contact was lost. No difficulties were reported by the crew prior to this time. The wreckage was sighted by a Royal Canadian Air Force aircraft at 0322 C.m.t., June 4, 1963, at 54 degrees 21' N - 134 degrees 39' W but no survivors were observed. Approximately 1,500 pounds of floating aircraft wreckage was recovered.
Probable cause:
Because of a lack of evidence the Board is unable to determine the probable cause of this accident.
Final Report:

Crash of a Lockheed P-3A-10-LO Orion into the Atlantic Ocean: 14 killed

Date & Time: Jan 30, 1963 at 0200 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
149672
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Patuxent River - Patuxent River
MSN:
5013
YOM:
1962
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
4
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
10
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
14
Circumstances:
The crew departed Patuxent River NAS on a night exercise with a US Marine Ship. While cruising at an altitude of 500 feet, the airplane nosed down and crashed into the Atlantic Ocean, some 231 miles east of Atlantic City, New Jersey. Few debris and the dead body of the captain were found floating on water. No trace of the rest of the crew was found.
Probable cause:
Due to lack of evidence, it was not possible to determine the exact cause of the accident. Nevertheless, altimeters oscillations could occur in flight and may ba a contributing factor.

Crash of a Martin P5M-2 Marlin into the Pacific Ocean: 13 killed

Date & Time: Dec 26, 1962
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
127712
Flight Phase:
Survivors:
No
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
13
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
13
Circumstances:
Crashed in unknown circumstances into the Pacific Ocean some 350 miles southwest of San Diego while conducting a maritime patrol flight. Few debris were found floating on water and all 13 occupants were killed.

Crash of a Lockheed L-1049H-82 Super Constellation into the Atlantic Ocean: 28 killed

Date & Time: Sep 23, 1962 at 2200 LT
Operator:
Registration:
N6923C
Flight Phase:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
McGuire – Gander – Francfort
MSN:
4827
YOM:
1958
Flight number:
FT923
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
8
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
68
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
28
Captain / Total flying hours:
17500
Captain / Total hours on type:
4300.00
Copilot / Total flying hours:
2430
Copilot / Total hours on type:
350
Aircraft flight hours:
15800
Circumstances:
he Super Constellation departed Gander at 17:09 GMT for a military (MATS) charter flight to Frankfurt. Three hours later, at FL210 a fire developed in the no. 3 engine, which was shut down and the propeller feathered. The no. 1 engine oversped 5 minutes later when the flight engineer closed the no. 1 engine firewall shut-off valve in error. The crew were not able to restart the engine, and wanted to divert to Shannon with METO power on the no. 4 engine and reduced power on engine no. 2. The no. 2 engine lost power and finally failed, forcing the crew to carry out a ditching. The left wing broke off, but the fuselage remained intact. The cabin filled with water fast and the aircraft sank nose first in about 10 minutes. The Swiss merchant ship christened 'Celerina' was the first to be on site and its crew was able to evacuate 48 wounded people while 28 others, among them five crew members, were killed. The aircraft sank and was lost.
Probable cause:
The failure of two of the aircraft's four engines, and improper action of the flight engineer which disabled a third engine thereby necessitating a ditching at sea.
Final Report: