Crash of a De Havilland DH.106 Comet 4C off Mumbai: 63 killed

Date & Time: Jul 28, 1963 at 0150 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
SU-ALD
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Tokyo – Hong Kong – Bangkok – Bombay – Bahreïn – Cairo
MSN:
6441
YOM:
1960
Flight number:
MS869
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
8
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
55
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
63
Captain / Total flying hours:
14841
Captain / Total hours on type:
1473.00
Copilot / Total flying hours:
5463
Copilot / Total hours on type:
475
Circumstances:
Flight 869 was a scheduled international flight from Tokyo, Japan to Cairo, United Arab Republic via Hong Kong, Bangkok, Bombay and Bahrain. A crew change was effected at Bangkok. Based on the tape recordings of messages exchanged between the aircraft and Santa Cruz approach and radar control, the flight was reconstructed. It was uneventful until 2016 hours GMT when it reported arriving over the Santa Cruz VOR at 7 000 ft. It was cleared to descend to 4 000 ft over the VOR and was requested to report what type of approach would be carried out for landing on runway 09. The aircraft reported it would follow the ILS back beam procedure. It was advised by Santa Cruz approach that the back beam of the ILS was not flyable but that it could home on the 270° radial of the VOR. The aircraft agreed to do a VOR letdown for runway 09, and shortly thereafter reported it was leaving 7 000 ft outbound over the sea on the 272° radial of the VOR. At 2018 Santa Cruz radar, which was monitoring the flight, warned it that if it flew more than 6 or 7 miles west of the field it would run into very heavy turbulence. Shortly thereafter the flight requested permission to make a left-hand procedure turn instead of the normal right-hand turn. This was granted. At 2019 the flight commenced the procedure turn inbound. Santa Cruz radar advised the flight that it was then 6 miles west-northwest of the field. Flight 869 acknowledged this message and was not heard from again. During the turn in severe turbulence and heavy rain the pilot lost control of the aircraft. It was found later on that the air- craft had crashed into the sea 9 NM west of Madh Island at approximately 2020 hours.
Probable cause:
The committee was faced with difficulties during the course of the investigation due to the fact that neither the exact location of the wreckage could be fixed no the wreckage salvaged. Moreover, the accident occurred suddenly with no airborne emergency reported and late at night over the sea in limited visibility. There were no eyewitnesses. However, in the presence of the facts available, it can be concluded that the accident was probably due to loss of control while turning in severe turbulence and heavy rain.
Final Report:

Crash of a De Havilland DH.106 Comet 4C on Mt Matto: 18 killed

Date & Time: Mar 20, 1963 at 0323 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
SA-R-7
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Site:
Schedule:
Geneva – Nice
MSN:
6461
YOM:
1962
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
8
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
10
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
18
Circumstances:
The four engine aircraft was completing a flight from Geneva to Nice, carrying eight crew members and ten members of the Saudi Royal Family. While cruising by night above the Alps and along the border between France and Italy, the crew was in communication with ATC based in Aix-en-Provence and was instructed to descent to 10,000 feet when the airplane struck the slope of Mt Matto located 28 km southwest of Cuneo. The wreckage was found a day later and all 18 occupants have been killed.

Crash of a De Havilland DH.106 Comet 4C on Mt Khao Yai: 26 killed

Date & Time: Jul 19, 1962 at 2244 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
SU-AMW
Flight Phase:
Survivors:
No
Site:
Schedule:
Tokyo – Hong Kong – Bangkok – Bombay – Bahrain – Cairo
MSN:
6464
YOM:
1962
Flight number:
MS869
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
8
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
18
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
26
Circumstances:
Flight UA869 departed from Hong Kong for Bangkok, an intermediate stop, on a scheduled service to Cairo. Takeoff time was 13:30 UTC. The flight climbed to 31000 ft, the selected cruising altitude. At 15:14 UA869 advised Bangkok ATC that the flight had crossed the Bangkok FIR boundary at 15:08 and passed over Ubol NDB at 15:13 and requested to fly direct from Ubol NDB to Bangkok VOR. This request was granted by Bangkok ATC. At this time UA869 advised Bangkok ATC that the ETA for Bangkok VOR would be 15:47. At 15:27 the flight advised Bangkok ATC that it would be over the 100 mile perimeter at 15:30. After reporting that it was 90 miles out the crew requested descent clearance to a lower altitude. Bangkok control cleared the flight to descend to 4000 ft on the Bangkok VOR radial of 073 degrees and to report when commencing descent from 31000 ft. The flight was instructed to contact Bangkok approach control at 15:39. At 15:35 the flight was cleared to 3000 ft and informed that the altimeter setting was 1007.8 mb. At 15:40 the flight transferred to the Bangkok approach control. Immediately after this UA869 reported to approach control that it was descending from 13000 ft and estimating Bangkok VOR at 15:44. Approach control advised the flight to adjust the altimeter setting to 1007.8 mb and then cleared the flight to cross Bangkok VOR for final approach on runway 21R and report immediately on descending from 3000 ft. This was the last contact with the flight. The Comet flew into the side of Khao Yai Mountain, 52 nm NE of Bangkok.
Probable cause:
The principal cause of the accident was the pilot's action in commencing descent at 1530 hours when the aircraft was 137 miles and not 90 miles from the Bangkok VOR as reported to Bangkok Control, and the aircraft, therefore, collided with a mountain at a point 52 miles distant. It is probable that the pilot-in-command did not actually pass over the point he reported to the Flight Control Units, but only estimated he had passed three points which resulted in grave errors of time and distance in his computations. It is also probable that the pilot-in-command had been too self-confident so that his actions were not according to the fundamental principles of air navigation.
Final Report:

Crash of a De Havilland DH.106 Comet 4B in Ankara: 27 killed

Date & Time: Dec 21, 1961 at 2343 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
G-ARJM
Flight Phase:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
London – Rome – Athens – Istanbul – Ankara – Nicosia – Tel Aviv
MSN:
6456
YOM:
1961
Flight number:
BE226
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
7
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
27
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
27
Captain / Total flying hours:
13240
Captain / Total hours on type:
785.00
Circumstances:
The aircraft was on a scheduled flight from London to Rome, Athens, Istanbul, Ankara, Nicosia and Tel Aviv. From Istanbul the flight was operated by British European Airways on behalf of Cyprus Airways. The operating crew, employed by BEA, consisted of a captain and two first officers. Also aboard were four cabin staff employed by Cyprus Airways and 27 passengers. The trip to Ankara was normal. The time between landing and starting engines at Ankara was 46 minutes during which light snow was falling. (At take-off the aircraft had a light covering of snow on the upper surface of its wings, however, this deposit had no bearing on the accident). The radio-telephony tape recording showed that the aircraft taxied out along the short taxiway, then back-tracked up the runway to its take-off position on runway 21 at the intersection with the longer taxiway. The runway length available from this position was 9,027 feet. Take-off weight was 53 465 kg, i.e. 18 185 kg below maximum permissible weight or 1 085 kg below the regulated take-off weight. The takeoff run as to distance and time was quite normal, as also were rotation and unstick. The first abnormality occurred a second or two after unstick when the aircraft rapidly assumed an excessively steep climbing angle. One witness put the angle achieved as about twice the normal, another as 45° to 50°. There was also evidence from witnesses of a wing drop and of variations in the engine noise during this climb. The aircraft stalled with the left wing down at a height of about 450 ft then sank to the ground in a relatively flat attitude. The accident site was 1 600 m and on a bearing of 214° from Esenboğa Tower. The accident occurred at 2343LT. The aircraft was almost completely destroyed by impact and fire. All 7 crew and 20 passengers were killed. Six passengers were seriously injured.
Probable cause:
The probable cause of the accident was the obstruction of the pitch pointer In the captain's director horizon which led him to make an excessively steep climb immediately following unstick.
Final Report:

Crash of a De Havilland DH.106 Comet 4C in Campinas: 52 killed

Date & Time: Nov 23, 1961 at 0540 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
LV-AHR
Flight Phase:
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Buenos Aires – Campinas – Port of Spain – New York
MSN:
6430
YOM:
1960
Flight number:
AR322
Country:
Crew on board:
12
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
40
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
52
Captain / Total flying hours:
12550
Captain / Total hours on type:
1612.00
Copilot / Total flying hours:
13427
Copilot / Total hours on type:
1074
Aircraft flight hours:
5242
Circumstances:
Less than two minutes after takeoff from Campinas-Viracopos Airport, at an altitude of 100 meters, the airplane struck trees, stalled and crashed in eucalyptus forest. The airplane was totally destroyed by impact forces and a post crash fire and all 52 occupants were killed.
Probable cause:
It was presumed that the co-pilot was under flight instruction. If such was the case, the instructor, who was pilot-in-command, may have failed to brief or supervise the co-pilot properly. Observations of the Government of Argentina as State of Registry: "Argentina has determined, in the light of information it has gathered, that the cause of the accident was: "Failure to operate under IFR during a takeoff by night in weather conditions requiring IFR operation and failure to follow the climb procedure for this type of aircraft; a contributory cause was the lack of vigilance by the pilot-in-command during the operations."
Final Report:

Crash of a De Havilland DH.106 Comet 4 in Buenos Aires

Date & Time: Feb 20, 1960 at 1145 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
LV-AHO
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Buenos Aires - Buenos Aires
MSN:
6410
YOM:
1959
Country:
Crew on board:
6
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
The crew was completing a local training flight at Buenos Aires-Ezeiza-Ministro Pistarini. Following several maneuvers in the area, the crew started a new approach. The aircraft landed hard, causing the undercarriage to puncture the wings and the fuel tanks. The aircraft bounced then swung on runway before coming to rest in flames. While all six crew members were slightly injured, the aircraft was destroyed.
Probable cause:
Wrong approach configuration on part of the instructor who adopted a too high descent angle and failed to flare according to the published procedures.

Crash of a De Havilland DH.106 Comet 4 in Asunción: 2 killed

Date & Time: Aug 27, 1959
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
LV-AHP
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Buenos Aires – Asunción
MSN:
6411
YOM:
1959
Country:
Crew on board:
6
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
44
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
2
Circumstances:
On final approach to Asunción-Silvio Pettirossi Airport, the crew encountered marginal weather conditions with limited visibility. The four engine aircraft was too low, hit trees and struck the ground. On impact, the undercarriage were sheared off and the airplane slid for several yards before coming to rest in a wooded area. A crew member and a passenger were killed while all 48 other occupants were evacuated, some of them wounded. The aircraft was written off.
Probable cause:
The crew led the aircraft pass below the glide in marginal weather conditions and continued the approach at an insufficient altitude, against published procedures.

Crash of a De Havilland DH.106 Comet 1 off San Lucido: 21 killed

Date & Time: Apr 8, 1954 at 2004 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
G-ALYY
Flight Phase:
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
London – Rome – Cairo – Addis Ababa – Nairobi – Johannesburg
MSN:
6011
YOM:
1952
Flight number:
SA201
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
7
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
14
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
21
Captain / Total flying hours:
10971
Captain / Total hours on type:
86.00
Copilot / Total flying hours:
1694
Copilot / Total hours on type:
47
Aircraft flight hours:
2704
Circumstances:
Owned by BOAC, the aircraft was operated by South African Airways with a SAA crew under flight SA201. It left Rome-Ciampino Airport at 1932LT (25 minutes delay due to a technical problem) with an ETA at Cairo Airport at 2220LT. While cruising at an estimated altitude of 35,000 feet off the Italian coast, the aircraft disappeared from radar screens at 2004LT and crashed into the Tyrrhenian Sea, about 17 km off San Lucido. SAR operations were quickly dispatched but eventually suspended few days later as no trace of the aircraft nor the 21 occupants was found.
Probable cause:
Owing to the absence of wreckage, we are unable to form a definite opinion on the cause of the accident near Naples, but we draw attention to the fact that the explanation offered for the accident at Elba appears to be applicable to that at Naples.
Final Report:

Crash of a De Havilland DH.106 Comet 1 off Elbe Island: 35 killed

Date & Time: Jan 10, 1954 at 1105 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
G-ALYP
Flight Phase:
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Singapore – Beirut – Rome – London
MSN:
6003
YOM:
1951
Flight number:
BA781
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
6
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
29
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
35
Captain / Total flying hours:
6566
Captain / Total hours on type:
291.00
Copilot / Total flying hours:
4915
Copilot / Total hours on type:
262
Aircraft flight hours:
3681
Circumstances:
About twenty minutes after its takeoff from Rome-Ciampino Airport, while cruising at an altitude of 27,000 feet between the islands of Elbe and Montecristo, the airplane suffered a brutal decompression, disappeared from radar screens and crashed into the Tyrrhenian Sea. Some debris were found floating about 16 km south of Elbe Island and the main wreckage sank by a depth of 600 meters. All 35 occupants were killed. About 70% of the debris were recovered and the airplane was rebuilt in UK for investigations. As there were suspicions of technical issues, BOAC, Air France and SAA decided to suspend all Comet flights. After fifty modifications and improvements, the airplane started to fly again two months later. It was eventually discovered that the airplane suffered a structural failure and exploded in flight.
Probable cause:
It was the opinion of the Board that the accident was caused by structural failure of the pressure cabin, brought about by fatigue. Investigators reach this opinion for the following reasons:
- The low fatigue resistance of the cabin has been demonstrated by the test described in Part 3, and the test result is interpretable as meaning that there was, at the age of the Elba aeroplanes a definite risk of fatigue failure occurring,
- The cabin was the first part of the aeroplane to fail in the Elba accident,
- The wreckage indicates that the failure in the cabin was of the same basic type as that produced in the fatigue test,
- This explanation seems to us to be consistent with all the circumstantial evidence,
- The only other defects found in the aeroplane were not concerned at Elba, as demonstrated by the wreckage.
Final Report:

Crash of a De Havilland DH.106 Comet 1 in Calcutta

Date & Time: Jul 25, 1953
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
G-ALYR
Flight Phase:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Calcutta – New Delhi
MSN:
6004
YOM:
28
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
6
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
36
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
Because taxi lights were too dim to use at night, the crew had to use the landing lights while taxiing. Both lights had to be alternated left and right to avoid a meltdown by using a switch behind the captains seat. In a left hand turn the captain took his left hand off the steering wheel to select another landing light. The steering centered, and then the aircraft right wheel bogies ran off the paved surface. Engine power was applied on the two right engines, causing the bogie struts to be forced up and into the wing structure causing much damage.
Source:
https://aviation-safety.net/database/record.php?id=19530725-0