Crash of a Douglas C-118A near Bogotá

Date & Time: Feb 10, 1991 at 1140 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
HK-1702
Flight Phase:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Bogotá – Arauca
MSN:
44670
YOM:
1955
Country:
Crew on board:
5
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
80
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
The four engine aircraft was chartered by the Colombian Army to transfer 80 soldiers from Bogotá to Arauca. They were seating on the cabin floor with their equipment. In the morning, the crew encountered technical problems after takeoff from Bogotá Airport and was forced to return. After repairs were completed, the aircraft departed again before noon. During initial climb, the engine n°1 caught fire. The crew declared an emergency and was cleared to return when the fire spread to the engine n°2. The captain realized he could not reach the airport so he attempted an emergency landing in a pasture located 16 km from the airfield. The aircraft belly landed and slid for about 400 meters before coming to rest, bursting into flames. All 85 occupants escaped uninjured while the aircraft was destroyed by fire.
Probable cause:
Failure and explosion of engine n°1 for unknown reasons.

Crash of a Douglas C-118A Liftmaster near Sainte-Anne-des-Monts: 4 killed

Date & Time: Jun 26, 1989 at 1940 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
C-GBYA
Flight Phase:
Survivors:
No
Site:
Schedule:
Bonaventure - Bonaventure
MSN:
43717
YOM:
1953
Country:
Crew on board:
4
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
4
Aircraft flight hours:
24220
Circumstances:
A Douglas C-118A (DC-6A) fire fighting plane was destroyed in an accident near Sainte-Anne-des-Monts, QC, Canada. All four crew members were killed. The Conifair plane took off from Bonaventure Airport, QC (YVB) at 19:15 for a spray operation 30 miles southeast of Sainte-Anne-des-Monts. This was to be the last spraying flight of the season out of the Bonaventure base. A crew of four was on board, including two flight engineers who were on a familiarization training flight. The aircraft was carrying 2,952 U.S. gallons of Dipel 132, a non-toxic microbial insecticide. The aircraft arrived over the spray area at 19:35. An inertial navigation system (INS) to follow pre-established spraying tracks. The first track was sprayed uneventfully. At the end of the first track, the aircraft made a 180-degree turn to spray the second track, which was parallel to and about 800 feet northeast of the first track. This meant that the aircraft had to fly from a valley at an elevation of 1,000 feet above sea level (asl) up a mountain consisting of two levels. The first level is about 1,800 feet asl and about 3,280 feet along the flight path. After the first level, the terrain rose within approximately 1,000 feet along the flight path, to the summit of the mountain at an elevation of 2,175 feet asl. The two occupants of a Cessna 310 spotter aircraft observed a decrease of the DC-6A ground speed during the climb over the first level of the mountain. They then noticed that the aircraft yawed and started a steep, left turn. The spotter crew stated that, shortly after the start of the left turn, the DC-6A left wing began to strike trees. The aircraft nosed down, crashed on the side of the mountain, and exploded at an elevation of 2,050 feet asl.
Probable cause:
On a low-level spraying flight, the crew attempted a climb over rising terrain which exceeded the climb performance of the aircraft.

Crash of a Douglas C-118A Liftmaster in San Salvador: 37 killed

Date & Time: May 1, 1986 at 0632 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
FAS302
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
San Salvador - Panama
MSN:
44654
YOM:
1955
Country:
Crew on board:
4
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
33
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
37
Circumstances:
After takeoff from San Salvador-Ilopango Airport, while in initial climb, one of the four engine failed and caught fire. The airplane was unable to gain sufficient height and struck the slope of a mountain located about 3 km from the airport. The aircraft disintegrated on impact and all 37 occupants were killed.
Probable cause:
Engine failure and fire during initial climb for unknown reasons.

Crash of a Douglas C-118A in Egegik

Date & Time: Jul 7, 1985 at 0115 LT
Type of aircraft:
Registration:
N2878F
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Egelik - Kodiak
MSN:
44660
YOM:
1955
Location:
Crew on board:
3
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Captain / Total flying hours:
18640
Captain / Total hours on type:
468.00
Aircraft flight hours:
22655
Circumstances:
Airplane accelerated to V1 and struck through on sandy beach. The nose pitched up and the pilot lost directional control. The airplane struck adjacent bank caught fire. It was totally destroyed.
Probable cause:
Occurrence #1: loss of control - on ground/water
Phase of operation: takeoff - roll/run
Findings
1. Airport facilities, runway/landing area condition - inadequate
2. Airport facilities, runway/landing area condition - dirt bank/rising embankment
3. Airport facilities, runway/landing area condition - rough/uneven
4. (c) directional control - not maintained - pilot in command
5. (c) ground loop/swerve - uncontrolled - pilot in command
----------
Occurrence #2: on ground/water encounter with terrain/water
Phase of operation: takeoff - roll/run
Findings
6. (c) unsuitable terrain or takeoff/landing/taxi area - not identified - pilot in command
7. (c) preflight planning/preparation - disregarded - pilot in command
Final Report:

Crash of a Douglas C-118A Liftmaster in San Manuel

Date & Time: Apr 28, 1984 at 1630 LT
Type of aircraft:
Registration:
N92860
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Saint Petersburg – Chandler
MSN:
44619/549
YOM:
1955
Crew on board:
3
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
1
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Captain / Total flying hours:
6983
Captain / Total hours on type:
3200.00
Circumstances:
The aircraft skidded off the departure end of the runway collapsing the landing gear in a ditch as it caught on fire. This aircraft was on a ferry flight and had several mechanical problems. Among these was the prop reversers which failed on landing. The anti-ice/de-ice systems failed to work properly which contributed to the need to land short of destination. The copilot reported that she did not check the anti-icing equipment on pre-flight. She was also not qualified to be a copilot on this flight. The airspeed indicators were malfunctioning during landing. The crew members all said that they knew the airspeed was much too high. The copilot said she could not understand how the pilot thought he could land at such a high speed. She also said he called for reverse and applied brakes too late in the rollout.
Probable cause:
Occurrence #1: overrun
Phase of operation: landing - roll
Findings
1. (f) weather condition - tailwind
2. (c) wrong runway - selected - pilot in command
3. (f) pressure induced by others - pilot in command
4. (f) propeller system/accessories,reversing system - failure,partial
5. (c) airspeed - excessive - pilot in command
6. (f) anti-ice/deice system,windshield - inoperative
7. (c) proper touchdown point - not attained - pilot in command
8. (c) operation with known deficiencies in equipment - performed - pilot in command
9. (f) precautionary landing - premature - pilot in command
10. (c) judgment - poor - pilot in command
11. (f) procedures/directives - not followed - pilot in command
----------
Occurrence #2: main gear collapsed
Phase of operation: landing - roll
Findings
12. (f) landing gear, main gear - overload
Final Report:

Crash of a Douglas C-118A Liftmaster in Beni: 3 killed

Date & Time: May 23, 1978
Type of aircraft:
Registration:
CP-1338
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
MSN:
43566/244
YOM:
1952
Location:
Country:
Crew on board:
5
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
3
Circumstances:
During the takeoff roll, the crew encountered an unexpected situation. The captain decided to abort the takeoff procedure and initiated an emergency braking maneuver. Unable to stop within the remaining distance, the airplane overran, lost its undercarriage and came to rest in flames. Three crew members were killed and two others were seriously injured.

Crash of a Douglas DC-118A Liftmaster in Bogotá: 8 killed

Date & Time: Apr 29, 1978 at 1603 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
HK-1705
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Bogotá - Barranquilla
MSN:
43565
YOM:
1952
Country:
Crew on board:
3
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
9
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
8
Circumstances:
After takeoff from Bogotá-El Dorado runway 30, the four engine airplane encountered difficulties to gain height. It struck an eucalyptus then stalled and crashed in a pasture located about one km from the airfield. Four occupants were injured while eight others were killed.
Probable cause:
It is believed that one of the four engine exploded during initial climb for unknown reasons.

Crash of a Douglas C-118B at Ponta Pelada AFB: 16 killed

Date & Time: Apr 28, 1971
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
2414
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Manaus - Rio de Janeiro
MSN:
43746
YOM:
1952
Country:
Crew on board:
7
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
78
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
16
Circumstances:
The airplane departed Ponta Pelada AFB in Manaus for Rio de Janeiro, carrying Brazilian soldiers and their family members. About 20 minutes into the flight, the crew encountered technical problems with one of the right engine and decided to return to Manaus for a safe landing. After touchdown, one of the right engine caught fire and exploded. The pilot-in-command stopped the airplane that was on fire. 36 occupants evacuated safely and were unhurt while 33 others were wounded. 16 occupants were killed and the aircraft was totally destroyed by fire.

Crash of a Douglas C-118A Liftmaster in Trabzon

Date & Time: Aug 29, 1968
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
53-3243
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
MSN:
44614/537
YOM:
1955
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
0
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
Suffered an accident at Trabzon Airport. There were no casualties.