Crash of a Douglas DC-3-208 in Long Beach: 2 killed

Date & Time: Jun 27, 1966 at 1115 LT
Type of aircraft:
Registration:
N17337
Flight Phase:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Gulfport – New Orleans
MSN:
1962
YOM:
1937
Crew on board:
2
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
10
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
2
Captain / Total flying hours:
2132
Circumstances:
Shortly after takeoff from Gulfport-Biloxi Airport, while in initial climb, the right engine failed. The copilot informed ATC about his situation and was cleared to return for an emergency landing. Shortly later, the airplane stalled and crashed in Long Beach, southeast of the airport. A pilot and a passenger were killed while 10 other occupants were injured. The aircraft was destroyed.
Probable cause:
Failure of the right engine due to the failure of the number 3 piston ring caused by an oil starvation. This was the result of an inadequate maintenance and inspection.
The following factors were considered as contributing:
- Failed to obtain/maintain flying speed,
- Improper in-flight decisions or planning,
- Improper operation of powerplant,
- Poor crew coordination,
- Improper emergency procedures,
- Right propeller was not feathered.
Final Report:

Crash of a Douglas R4D-5 off Apia: 3 killed

Date & Time: May 11, 1966 at 1810 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
5W-FAB
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Apia - Apia
MSN:
13996/25441
YOM:
1944
Region:
Crew on board:
3
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
3
Captain / Total flying hours:
4812
Captain / Total hours on type:
1060.00
Copilot / Total flying hours:
1791
Aircraft flight hours:
7290
Circumstances:
The crew departed Apia-Faleolo Airport around 1735LT for a local training flight, carrying three pilots. After several circuits in the area, the crew decided to return to the airport when, at an altitude of 3,000 feet, the airplane went out of control, entered a dive and eventually crashed into the Apolima Strait, few km off shore. Few debris were found floating on water while the main wreckage was not recovered. All three crew members were killed, among them the Chief Pilot and General Manager of the company.
Probable cause:
The in-flight opening and separation from the structure of the air-stair door which struck the aircraft's tail and so damaged it that uncontrollable pitch-down of the nose resulted in the aircraft diving into the sea.
Final Report:

Crash of a Douglas DC-3C in Skopje

Date & Time: Apr 16, 1966
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
YU-ABG
Flight Phase:
Survivors:
Yes
MSN:
14035/25480
YOM:
1944
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
0
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
Crashed in unknown circumstances while taking off from Skopje Airport. There were no casualties.

Crash of a Douglas DC-3 in Duchity: 30 killed

Date & Time: Jan 22, 1966
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
N4662
Flight Phase:
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Schedule:
Les Cayes – Jérémie
Location:
Country:
Crew on board:
7
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
28
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
30
Circumstances:
Few minutes after its takeoff from Les Cayes Airport, while climbing, the airplane struck the slope of a mountain located in Duchity. The wreckage was found 15 km northwest of Les Cayes Airport. Five passengers were seriously injured while 30 other occupants were killed.

Crash of a Douglas DC-3A in Legazpi: 2 killed

Date & Time: Dec 16, 1965 at 1722 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
PI-C856
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Manila – Legazpi
Flight number:
AM101
Location:
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
3
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
18
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
2
Captain / Total flying hours:
1957
Captain / Total hours on type:
1256.00
Copilot / Total flying hours:
2596
Copilot / Total hours on type:
709
Circumstances:
Flight AM101 was a scheduled domestic flight from Manila to Legaspi. It took off from Manila International Airport at 1505 hours. At 1640 hours it established initial contact with Legaspi Radio, reported 7 minutes north-west of the field and requested weather and landing information. Legaspi Radio transmitted the following information: 1600H surface wind 0400/8 kt, visibility 5 km clouds 6 oktas 450 metres, 8 oktas 2,100 metres; temperature 24°, dewpoint 24°, runway in use 06 QNH 29.81 inches. At 1707 hours the flight requested information regarding the traffic in the circuit and was informed that there was none. At 1715 hours the sound of an aircraft, presumably AM101, was heard south of the airport but the aircraft was hardly visible. At 1716 hours the flight inquired again about the present weather and the 1700 hours weather observation was passed to the aircraft. Subsequent inquiry about present visibility, wind direction and speed was made by the flight which was advised that the wind was 040 18 kt and the visibility approximately 4 km. At 1718 hours the flight was seen turning for a landing on Runway 24. The landing roll was described by witnesses as unusually fast after the aircraft made a two-wheel touchdown, tail wheel high approximately 300 m after the threshold of Runway 24. Before the tail wheel came into contact with the runway full power was applied and the aircraft was observed airborne. At approximately 200 ft altitude, it initiated a tight left turn, collided with the top of a tree and then hit a building located two miles southwest of Legaspi Airport. Both pilots were killed while all other occupants were injured.
Probable cause:
The Board determined that the probable cause of this accident was a power stall during a tight turn manoeuvre at too low an altitude from which successful recovery was impossible.
Final Report:

Crash of a Douglas DC-3A near Salt Lake City: 13 killed

Date & Time: Nov 27, 1965 at 0715 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
N485
Flight Phase:
Survivors:
No
Site:
Schedule:
Lake City – Provo – Albuquerque
MSN:
4848
YOM:
1942
Flight number:
EDD065
Crew on board:
4
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
9
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
13
Captain / Total flying hours:
12361
Captain / Total hours on type:
1443.00
Circumstances:
The airplane was on a charter flight from Salt Lake City to Albuquerque with an intermediate stop at Provo, carrying football supporters. Four minutes after its departure from Salt Lake City Airport, the crew encountered poor weather conditions when, at an altitude of 5,500 feet, the airplane struck the slope of a mountain located 22 miles south of Salt Lake City. The wreckage was found 11 feet below the summit (5,449 feet) and was destroyed upon impact. All 13 occupants were killed, among them the captain Garth Edde who founded Edde Airlines in 1960. At the time of the accident, the airplane was one mile east of the intended track.
Probable cause:
It was determined that the crew flew under VFR mode in adverse weather conditions. The crew exercised poor judgment.
Final Report:

Crash of a Douglas DC-3 in Bucaramanga: 15 killed

Date & Time: Oct 17, 1965
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
HK-118
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Bogotá – Bucaramanga
MSN:
6182
YOM:
1942
Flight number:
AV508
Country:
Crew on board:
3
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
12
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
3
Circumstances:
While approaching Bucaramanga-Gomez Niño Airport from the north, the Dakota collided with a private Piper PA-18A Super Cub registered HK-922P. Following the collision, both aircraft dove into the ground and crashed near the Las Terrazas residential area. All 15 occupants on board the DC-3 and the pilot of the PA-18 were killed.
Probable cause:
The exact cause of the collision remains unclear.

Crash of a Douglas DC-3A-197 on Mt Kantakan: 10 killed

Date & Time: Sep 11, 1965 at 1625 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
PI-C942
Flight Phase:
Survivors:
No
Site:
Schedule:
Cebu City – Bacolod
MSN:
1926
YOM:
1937
Flight number:
FE060
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
3
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
7
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
10
Captain / Total flying hours:
2427
Captain / Total hours on type:
495.00
Copilot / Total flying hours:
1345
Copilot / Total hours on type:
715
Aircraft flight hours:
74853
Circumstances:
Flight 60 was a scheduled domestic flight from Lahug Airport, Cebu City, to Bacolod Airport, Negros Occidental. It departed Lahug Airport at 1519 hours on a VFR flight plan and six minutes later it made contact with Cebu Control Tower giving its ETA at Bacolod as 1555 hours. Nothing further was heard from the flight. The estimated time en route was 45 minutes. At 1700 hours the flight was declared in distress and a communication search was started. It was subsequently found that the flight had run into some tree tops on the side of Mt. Kanlaon and had crashed at Mt. Kantakan, La Carlota, Negros Occidental, at approximately 1625 hours. The wreckage was found a week later and all 10 occupants have been killed.
Probable cause:
The Board determined that the probable cause of this accident was an error of judgment on the part of the pilot to fly VFR into an instrument meteorological condition resulting in a collision with the terrain.
Final Report:

Crash of a Douglas DC-3A near Libmanan: 10 killed

Date & Time: Mar 8, 1965 at 1030 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
PI-C948
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Schedule:
Manila – Naga
MSN:
4892
YOM:
1942
Flight number:
FE043
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
3
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
9
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
10
Captain / Total flying hours:
4454
Captain / Total hours on type:
3646.00
Copilot / Total flying hours:
1462
Copilot / Total hours on type:
761
Aircraft flight hours:
31929
Circumstances:
Flight 43 was a non-scheduled domestic flight from Manila International Airport to Naga-Pili Airport. It took off from Manila at 0943 hours, Philippine local time, on a DVFR flight plan at 7,500 ft. Estimated time en route was 1:10 hours. At 1010 hours the flight reported over Alabat at 5 500 ft, estimating arrival at Pili Airport at 1045 hours. No difficulties were reported by the crew. This was the first and last message from the flight. At 1515 hours a communication search was initiated. Alert phase and distress phase were respectively declared at 1350 and 1455 hours, then an aerial search was initiated which continued up to the receipt of the information from the two survivors that the aircraft had crashed and burned on the steep and thickly forested slope of Mt. Tangcong Vaca (height: 2,480 ft). The site of the accident was 19 NM north-west of Pili Airport, at approximately 1500 ft AMSL. The accident occurred at approximately 1030 hours.
Probable cause:
The probable cause of this accident was VFR flight into instrument meteorological conditions resulting in collision with the rising terrain.
Final Report:

Crash of a Douglas DC-3 on Mt Nakanoone: 2 killed

Date & Time: Feb 14, 1965
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
JA5080
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Site:
Schedule:
Osaka – Tokyo
MSN:
4436
YOM:
1942
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
2
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
2
Circumstances:
While cruising at an altitude of 2,200 meters in marginal weather conditions, the airplane struck the slope of Mt Nakanoone located some 65 km northeast of Hamamatsu. SAR operations were conducted but eventually suspended few days as no trace of the aircraft nor the crew was found. The wreckage was found on 29 December 1966 in an isolated area. Both pilots were killed.