Crash of a Rockwell Grand Commander 680 in Charlotte: 1 killed

Date & Time: Oct 4, 1964 at 0112 LT
Operator:
Registration:
N6271D
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
MSN:
680-540-209
YOM:
1957
Crew on board:
1
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
1
Captain / Total flying hours:
5545
Captain / Total hours on type:
100.00
Circumstances:
The pilot was completing a night approach to Charlotte-Douglas Airport when, on short final, the twin engine aircraft struck trees and crashed in flames in a wooded area. The aircraft was destroyed and the pilot was killed.
Probable cause:
Improper IFR operations on part of the pilot. At the time of the accident, weather conditions were slightly worse than forecast.
Final Report:

Crash of a Douglas DC-7B in Charlotte

Date & Time: Jul 20, 1964 at 1858 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
N831D
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
New York – Charlotte
MSN:
45340
YOM:
1957
Flight number:
EA702
Crew on board:
5
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
52
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Captain / Total flying hours:
18022
Captain / Total hours on type:
4241.00
Aircraft flight hours:
19134
Circumstances:
The DC-7 touched down on runway 05 following an ILS approach. Reverser were applied, but the no. 1 engine reverser didn't respond. The pilot moved the no. 4 throttle to idle. The plane had then reached a rough part of the runway (a 1000 feet area, beginning 2750 feet down the runway). The DC-7 was turning slightly right, but this was corrected with left brake and rudder and left nose wheel steering. Severe vibration then caused the plane to veer sharply right off the runway, causing the nose gear to collapse. It appeared that the nose wheel strut collar had failed from both the left and right sides.
Probable cause:
Improper reversing technique resulting in the use of excessive directional corrective forces during which the aircraft struck an unsuitable runway condition. Unsuitable runway condition, resulting from inadequate runway maintenance. Inadequate supervision by the captain.
Final Report:

Crash of a Beechcraft C18S in Beaufort

Date & Time: Apr 29, 1964 at 0635 LT
Type of aircraft:
Registration:
N6419C
Flight Phase:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Beaufort - Beaufort
MSN:
6050
YOM:
1944
Crew on board:
1
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Captain / Total flying hours:
9000
Captain / Total hours on type:
500.00
Circumstances:
The pilot was engaged in a local flight to test new chemical products for spraying mission. Shortly after takeoff, the twin engine aircraft encountered difficulties to gain height, stalled and crashed in flames. The pilot was seriously injured and the aircraft was destroyed by fire.
Probable cause:
The pilot failed to obtain/maintain flying speed.
Final Report:

Crash of a Martin 404 in Wilmington

Date & Time: Aug 22, 1962 at 0748 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
N40401
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Wilmington - Wilmington
MSN:
14101
YOM:
1952
Crew on board:
3
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Captain / Total flying hours:
4492
Captain / Total hours on type:
125.00
Aircraft flight hours:
20260
Circumstances:
The crew was completing a local training flight at Wilmington-New Hanover County Airport. After touchdown, the airplane went out of control, veered off runway and came to rest. While all three crew members were uninjured, the aircraft was damaged beyond repair.
Probable cause:
The accident was the consequence of an unwanted propeller reversal during a critical phase of landing caused by malfunction of the propeller low pitch stop lever assembly, resulting from foreign matter in the servo valve control.

Crash of a Douglas C-47A-25-DK in Greensboro: 7 killed

Date & Time: Feb 4, 1962 at 1603 LT
Operator:
Registration:
42-108992
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
McGuire – Philadelphie – Greensboro – Eglin
MSN:
13768
YOM:
1944
Crew on board:
4
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
3
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
7
Circumstances:
The aircraft was completing a flight from McGuire AFB to Eglin AFB (Hulburt Field) in Florida with intermediate stops at Philadelphia and Greensboro. After its departure from runway 05 at Greensboro-High Point Airport, while climbing to a height of 150-200 feet, the airplane stalled and crashed in flames 1,000 feet past the runway end. The aircraft was partially destroyed by a post crash fire and all seven occupants were killed.
Crew:
Cpt R. J. Rice, pilot,
Cpt David L. Murphy, copilot,
Cpt Thomas D. Carter, navigator,
T/Sgt Bernard P. Terrien, flight engineer.
Passengers:
1st Lt. D. J. Hughes,
Cpt Robert H. Sanford,
T/Sgt Preston Presley.

Crash of a Fairchild C-123B-9-FA Provider in Wilmington: 3 killed

Date & Time: Sep 24, 1961
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
54-0672
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Wilmington - Wilmington
MSN:
20121
YOM:
1954
Crew on board:
3
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
12
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
3
Circumstances:
The crew was taking part to an airshow at Wilmington-New Hanover County Airport with six skydivers on board. Shortly after takeoff, while climbing to a height of 300 feet, the airplane stalled and crashed in flames. Three passengers were killed while 12 other occupants were injured.

Crash of an Aero Commander RL-26D at Mackall AAF: 2 killed

Date & Time: Sep 19, 1961
Operator:
Registration:
58-5512
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
MSN:
680-529-199
YOM:
1958
Crew on board:
2
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
2
Circumstances:
Shortly after takeoff from Mackall AAF, while climbing, the airplane went out of control and crashed three miles south of the airfield. Both occupants were killed.

Crash of a Boeing B-52G-125-BW Stratofortress in Silver Hill: 6 killed

Date & Time: Mar 30, 1961 at 2115 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
59-2576
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Dow - Dow
MSN:
464339
YOM:
1959
Flight number:
Judy 24
Crew on board:
8
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
6
Aircraft flight hours:
233
Circumstances:
The crew departed Dow AFB for a training and refueling mission. At an altitude of 30,000 feet, while preparing to refuel with a USAF KC-125, the pilot-in-command reduce the speed too much, causing the airplane to stall and to enter a dive. Two crew members were able to bail out before the aircraft crashed in a huge explosion near Silver Hill. Six crew members were killed.
Crew:
Cpt William Donald McCullen, pilot, †
Cpt William Woody Farmer, copilot, †
Cpt Robert Marsh Morgenroth, radar navigator, †
Cpt George William Beale, observer, †
S/Sgt James Howard Fults, gunner instructor, †
A1C Robert Nathaniel Gaskey, gunner student, †
Maj Wilbur Fred Minnich, navigator,
1st Lt Glen Charles Farnham, EWO.
Probable cause:
Pilot error.

Crash of a Boeing B-52G-95-BW Stratofortress near Seymour Johnson AFB: 3 killed

Date & Time: Jan 24, 1961 at 1230 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
58-0187
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Seymour Johnson - Seymour Johnson
MSN:
464255
YOM:
1958
Crew on board:
8
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
3
Circumstances:
A fuel leak occurred in the right wing while cruising at high altitude. The crew decided to divert to Seymour Johnson AFB for a safe landing but on final, the right wing detached. The airplane crashed in a huge explosion in a field located 12 miles from the runway threshold. Three crew members were killed while five others were injured. The aircraft was carrying two Mark 39 thermonuclear bombs that were later recovered. In 2013, documents and information relating this story were declassified by the US Government.
Crew:
Maj Walter S. Tulloch, pilot,
Cpt Richard W. Hardin, copilot,
Maj Eugene Shelton, radio navigator, †
Cpt Paul E. Brown, navigator,
1st Lt William H. Wilson, Electronics Warfare Officer
Maj Eugene H. Richards, Electronics Warfare Instructor, †
1st Lt Adam C. Mattocks, pilot,
T/Sgt Francis R. Barnish, air gunner. †
Probable cause:
Fuel leak in flight.

Crash of a Douglas DC-6B in Bolivia: 34 killed

Date & Time: Jan 6, 1960 at 0238 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
N8225H
Flight Phase:
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
New York – Miami
MSN:
43742
YOM:
1952
Flight number:
NA2511
Crew on board:
5
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
29
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
34
Captain / Total flying hours:
16117
Captain / Total hours on type:
8234.00
Copilot / Total flying hours:
3863
Copilot / Total hours on type:
723
Aircraft flight hours:
24836
Circumstances:
Flight 2511 departed New York International (Idlewild) Airport at 2334LT on January 5 on an IFR clearance scheduled as a nonstop flight to Miami, Florida. The flight proceeded routinely in accordance with its flight plan until shortly after passing Wilmington, North Carolina. At 0231 Flight 2511 contacted the company radio station at Wilmington while over Carolina Beach at 18,000 feet, and transmitted a routine progress report. Shortly after the completion of this radio contact a dynamite explosion occurred in the passenger cabin. Following this explosion the aircraft entered a wide descending right turn and crashed 1-1/2 miles north-west of Bolivia at 0238 some 16 miles west of its intended flight path. All 29 passengers and the crew of five were killed. It is believed that Julian Frank was the author of this act of sabotage after he contracted a life-insurance for one million US$. But this assumption was not confirmed as he was himself seating in the aircraft when the explosion occurred.
No reference is made in this report concerning the placing of the dynamite aboard the aircraft or of the person or persons responsible for its detonation. The malicious destruction of an aircraft is a Federal crime. After the Board's determination that such was involved, the criminal aspects of this accident were referred to the Department of Justice through its Federal Bureau of Investigation
Probable cause:
The Board determines that the probable cause of this accident was the detonation dynamite within the passenger cabin.
Final Report: