Crash of an Avro 748-1-105 in Loma Alta: 37 killed

Date & Time: Feb 4, 1970 at 2055 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
LV-HGW
Flight Phase:
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Asunción – Formosa – Corrientes – Rosario – Buenos Aires
MSN:
1539
YOM:
1961
Flight number:
AR707
Location:
Country:
Crew on board:
4
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
33
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
37
Aircraft flight hours:
19049
Aircraft flight cycles:
15739
Circumstances:
The departure from Corrientes was delayed due to poor weather conditions. Shortly after takeoff from Corrientes-Camba Punta in the evening, while climbing, the crew encountered very bad weather conditions with CB's and turbulences. The aircraft bank left to 90° then nosed down to 45° and plunged before crashing at a speed of 400 km/h into a palms area located near Loma Alta, some 35 km southwest of Corrientes. The wreckage was found the next morning. The aircraft disintegrated on impact and all 37 occupants have been killed.
Probable cause:
Loss of control of the airplane and collision with terrain when encountering a zone with adverse meteorological conditions and severe turbulence.

Crash of an Avro 748-2A-235 in Uberlândia

Date & Time: Dec 14, 1969
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
PP-VDQ
Survivors:
Yes
MSN:
1628
YOM:
1968
Country:
Crew on board:
5
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
4
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
On final approach to Uberlândia Airport, while at an altitude of 500 feet, the pilot decided to make a go-around as his position was wrong. Suddenly, the airplane banked right, stalled and crashed in a field located 1,400 meters short of runway 04 threshold. The wreckage was found 900 meter to the right of the extended centerline. All nine occupants were injured and the aircraft was destroyed.

Crash of an Avro 748 in Santa Rosa

Date & Time: Nov 27, 1969 at 1200 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
LV-HHI
Survivors:
Yes
MSN:
1547
YOM:
1962
Country:
Crew on board:
4
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
24
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Aircraft flight hours:
20149
Aircraft flight cycles:
16099
Circumstances:
The crew was completing an approach under VFR mode by night when the airplane struck the ground 3 km short of runway 19 threshold. On impact, it lost its undercarriage and slid for 200 meters before coming to rest. All 28 occupants were evacuated safely while the aircraft was damaged beyond repair.

Crash of an Avro 748-2-231 in Lusaka: 3 killed

Date & Time: Aug 26, 1969
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
AF-601
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
MSN:
1600
YOM:
1967
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
2
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
2
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
3
Circumstances:
Shortly after takeoff from Lusaka Airport, while climbing to a height of 150 feet, the airplane went out of control and crashed. A crew member survived while three other occupants were killed.

Crash of an Avro 748-1-105 in Bahía Blanca

Date & Time: Jul 15, 1969
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
LV-IEV
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Buenos Aires - Bahía Blanca
MSN:
1558
YOM:
1963
Country:
Crew on board:
4
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
35
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Aircraft flight hours:
16137
Aircraft flight cycles:
12930
Circumstances:
The descent to Bahía Blanca-Comandante Espora Airport was started by night. The crew was informed by ATC that the visibility was reduced to 200 meters due to fog which means below minima. The captain decided to attempt an approach to runway 34. After passing the middle marker, he was able to see the runway lights so he decided to continue the approach under visual mode. Shortly later, he lost visual contact when the airplane struck the ground about 25 meters short of runway threshold and 200 meters to the left of the extended centerline. On impact, the right wing was torn off and the airplane lost its undercarriage before coming to rest. All 39 occupants were evacuated safely.
Probable cause:
Wrong approach configuration on part of the captain who decided to land in below-minima weather conditions.

Crash of an Avro 748-2-215 in Maturín: 4 killed

Date & Time: Aug 20, 1968 at 0130 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
YV-C-AMY
Flight Phase:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Maturín – Tucupita
MSN:
1580
YOM:
1965
Country:
Crew on board:
3
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
4
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
4
Circumstances:
Shortly after takeoff from Maturín-Quiriquire Airport, while climbing by night, one of the engine failed. The crew feathered the propeller and elected to return for an emergency landing when the airplane struck an obstacle and crashed. Four occupants were killed while three others were injured.
Probable cause:
Engine failure after takeoff.

Crash of an Avro 748-1-101 in Lympne

Date & Time: Jul 11, 1965 at 1633 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
G-ARMV
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Beauvais – Lympne
MSN:
1536
YOM:
1961
Location:
Region:
Crew on board:
4
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
48
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Captain / Total flying hours:
6799
Captain / Total hours on type:
1096.00
Copilot / Total flying hours:
980
Copilot / Total hours on type:
192
Aircraft flight hours:
3432
Circumstances:
The aircraft was on a scheduled flight from Beauvais, France to Lympne, England. Before taking off the pilot-in-command obtained a weather report from Lympne as follows: Cloud ceiling : 250 ft . Visibility : 2000 m . Surface wind : 220 degrees at 18 kts. It departed Beauvais at 15:51 hours UTC on an IFR flight plan. As the aircraft passed Abbeville, radio contact was established with Lympne and a weather report was obtained which gave a visibility of 1000 m in drizzle, cloud ceiling of 250 ft and surface wind 220/18 kts gusting to 26 kts. The airline's limits for landing on runway 20 were 1100 m RVR and a cloud ceiling of 200 ft. The pilot-in-command again checked landing conditions at Lympne before commencing an instrument approach and, although conditions had not altered significantly since the previous report, he was informed of a "slight improvement" but the wind was still gusting. The final instrument approach to runway 20 using radar began at 4 miles from touchdown; the aircraft was in cloud, flying at 1100 ft, in turbulent conditions. Three and a half miles from touchdown the pilot-in-command began to descend at 350 to 400 ft/min, the equivalent of a 3° glide path in the prevailing conditions. As there was no radar glide path the Lympne radar controller advised the pilots of the height at which the aircraft should have been at each mile before touchdown. When the aircraft was about 5/8 of a mile from touchdown the radar controller gave a final heading correction and at half a mile, when the talkdown finished, he told the pilots that the aircraft was lined up with the right-hand edge of the runway. The rest of the approach was made visually but the radar controller continued to track the aircraft. He observed it deviate further to the right of the extended centre line as it neared the touchdown point. The pilot-in-command stated that he could see the ground from 250 ft, and at 220ft when half a mile from touchdown he could see the far boundary of the aerodrome through heavy drizzle. Height was maintained at 220 ft for 3 or 4 seconds, then the descent was resumed and at a quarter of a mile from touchdown and at 150 to 200 ft, full flap was selected and power reduced to 10600 rpm. At this stage turbulence became severe. The pilot-in-command realized that the aircraft was going to the right of the runway but he decided not to try to regain the centre line as this would require a turn at low altitude. As the aircraft approached the aerodrome boundary the airspeed indicator was fluctuating and an attempt was made to maintain 92 kts the starboard wing was held down slightly to compensate for port drift. The pilot-in-command stated that he began the flare-out 30 to 40 ft above the ground at an IAS of 88 kt but as he closed the throttles the starboard wing went down suddenly. Although he was aware that the aircraft was descending rapidly, he was initially more concerned about restoring lateral level ; only at the last moment did he attempt to check the rate of descent with elevator control but the aircraft struck the ground heavily on its starboard undercarriage. After the impact, the starboard wing, engine nacelle and undercarriage became separated from the main structure, the aircraft rolled over to starboard and slid along the grass inverted, coming to rest after having swung through approximately 180°.
Probable cause:
A heavy landing following an incomplete flare from a steeper than normal approach.
Final Report: