Douglas DC-7

Operator:

Registration:

N317A

Flight Phase:

Flight Type:

Positioning

Survivors:

Site:

Norfolk-Chambers Field NAS

Schedule:

New York - Norfolk

MSN:

44138

YOM:

1954

Location:

Virginia

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

The crew was performing a positioning flight from New York to Chambers Field NAS at Norfolk to pick up troops on behalf of the US Army. On approach, the primary hydraulic system failed. Nevertheless, the crew was able to continue the approach and the aircraft touched down 275 feet past the runway threshold. After a course of 1,400 feet, the airplane veered off runway to the left and struck an embankment before coming to rest. All five crew members were uninjured while the aircraft was damaged beyond repair.

Probable cause:

Loss of directional control during the landing roll caused by improper use of propeller reversing and braking. The following factors contributed to the accident:
- The captain's inadequate familiarity with the aircraft systems and procedures under normal system hydraulic failure,
- Failure of the hydraulic system for an undetermined reason.

Ground accident of a Douglas DC-7 in Oakland

Date & Time: Jun 20, 1961

Type of aircraft:

Operator:

Registration:

N312A

Flight Phase:

Taxiing

Flight Type:

Survivors:

Site:

MSN:

44133

YOM:

1954

Location:

Oakland

California

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

The parked airplane was struck by a Lockheed L-749A Constellation registered N5595A and operated by International Aircraft Services that was towed at Oakland Airport. The circumstances of the occurrence remains unclear. There were no injuries but both airplanes were damaged beyond repair.

Crash of a Douglas DC-7 in Nuremberg

Date & Time: Feb 18, 1961 at 1200 LT

Type of aircraft:

Operator:

Registration:

N745PA

Flight Phase:

Flight Type:

Cargo

Survivors:

Site:

Schedule:

Frankfurt – Stuttgart

MSN:

44887

YOM:

1956

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

The crew was completing a cargo flight from Frankfurt to Stuttgart-Echterdingen Airport. On final, weather conditions were marginal with low clouds down to 200 meters and a visibility limited to a half mile. As the copilot was unable to locate the runway, he decided to make a go around when the right main gear and the engine number three struck an earth mound located 20 meters short of runway threshold. Upon impact, the engine number three and the right main gear were sheared off. The captain regained control, continued the climb and informed ground he was diverting to Nuremberg Airport for a safe landing. Authorities were informed of the situation and the runway was recovered with foam. After a belly landing, the airplane slid for several yards and came to rest. All three crew members were uninjured while the aircraft was damaged beyond repair.

Probable cause:

It was determined that the copilot-in-command continued the approach below the glide and executed an improper approach according to procedures, causing the aircraft to be too low on final. A lack of supervision on part of the captain was considered as a contributing factor.

Crash of a Douglas DC-7C into the Philippines Sea: 1 killed

Date & Time: Jul 14, 1960 at 0430 LT

Type of aircraft:

Operator:

Registration:

N292

Flight Phase:

Flight

Flight Type:

Survivors:

Site:

Lake, Sea, Ocean, River

Schedule:

New York – Seattle – Anchorage – Cold Bay – Tokyo – Naha – Manila

MSN:

45462

YOM:

1958

Flight number:

NW1-11

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Captain / Total flying hours:

17780

Captain / Total hours on type:

1071.00

Copilot / Total flying hours:

2964

Copilot / Total hours on type:

1190

Aircraft flight hours:

9233

Circumstances:

While the flight was en route between Okinawa and the Philippine Islands, the No. 2 engine experienced an appreciable power loss followed by overspeeding of the propeller. The crew instituted emergency procedures but was unable to control or feather the propeller. The propeller separated from the engine with a resulting nose section fire. Attempts to extinguish the fire failed, and the crew elected to ditch the aircraft. The ditching was accomplished at night during a rainstorm and while under Instrument conditions. All 58 occupants, including the 7 crew members, successfully evacuated the aircraft. Of these, 44 suffered minor injuries and one woman passenger died.

Probable cause:

The Board determines that the probable cause of this accident was the internal failure of No. 2 engine, resulting in oil contamination, loss of oil supply, subsequent loss of the No. 2 propeller assembly, and fire-in-flight, which necessitated a ditching.

Final Report:

Crash of a Douglas DC-7C in Shannon: 34 killed

Date & Time: Feb 26, 1960

Type of aircraft:

Operator:

Registration:

I-DUVO

Flight Phase:

Takeoff (climb)

Flight Type:

Survivors:

Site:

Schedule:

Rome – Shannon – Gander – New York

MSN:

45231

YOM:

1958

Flight number:

AZ618

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

Shortly after takeoff from runway 05, while climbing to a height of 165 feet, the pilote started a turn to the left according to departure procedures. While turning, the airplane lost height, causing the left wing tip to struck a stone wall located near the Clonloghan church. Out of control, the aircraft crashed in flames in an open field and was completely destroyed upon impact. Eleven of the 12 crew members were killed as well as 23 passengers. Eighteen people were seriously wounded.

Probable cause:

No definite evidence leading to a particular reason for this accident was revealed by the investigation. It can only be concluded that the airplane lost height in a turn shortly after takeoff and struck the ground.

Crash of a Douglas DC-7B off Pilottown: 42 killed

Date & Time: Nov 16, 1959 at 0055 LT

Type of aircraft:

Operator:

Registration:

N4891C

Flight Phase:

Flight

Flight Type:

Survivors:

Site:

Lake, Sea, Ocean, River

Schedule:

Miami – Tampa – New Orleans

MSN:

45355

YOM:

1958

Flight number:

NA967

Location:

Pilottown

Louisiana

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Captain / Total flying hours:

14700

Captain / Total hours on type:

400.00

Copilot / Total flying hours:

8710

Copilot / Total hours on type:

400

Aircraft flight hours:

6578

Circumstances:

While cruising at an altitude of 14,000 feet by night and approaching the Louisiana Coast, the airplane disappeared from radar screens and crashed into the Gulf of Mexico about 30 miles east of Pilottown. Intensive sea and air searches resulted in finding nine floating bodies and a small amount of floating debris the following morning. None of this disclosed conclusive evidence as to the genesis of the accident. The main wreckage has not been located despite several well planned searches. There was no radio message of impending trouble or any distress call from the crew prior to the accident. All 42 occupants were killed in the crash.

Probable cause:

Analysis of this accident must rest almost entirely on circumstantial evidence for the aircraft's wreckage still lies on the bottom of the Gulf. There is little or no physical evidence upon which to explain this accident. The aircraft was airworthy at the tine of departure, the crew was competent, weather conditions were good, and when disaster struck, the flight was very close to being both on course and on schedule. No operational or maintenance item was found which can reasonably be linked to this accident. It may safely be concluded that there was no warning of the disaster. This is evident by the lack of any unusual radio messages. As has been detailed, the fire marks on bodies and on debris were of the type caused exclusively by a flash surface fire, probably both hot and brief, upon impact with the water. Because of the lack of physical evidence, the probable cause of this accident remains unknown.

Final Report:

Crash of a Douglas DC-7C in Bordeaux: 54 killed

Date & Time: Sep 24, 1959 at 2324 LT

Type of aircraft:

Operator:

Registration:

F-BIAP

Flight Phase:

Takeoff (climb)

Flight Type:

Survivors:

Site:

Schedule:

Paris – Bordeaux – Bamako – Abidjan

MSN:

45366

YOM:

1957

Flight number:

TAI307

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Captain / Total flying hours:

11704

Captain / Total hours on type:

479.00

Copilot / Total flying hours:

10829

Copilot / Total hours on type:

312

Aircraft flight hours:

5844

Circumstances:

Shortly after a night takeoff from runway 23 at Bordeaux-Mérignac Airport, the aircraft followed a straight-in path but failed to gain sufficient height. After a short course, while at an altitude of about 100 feet, the four engine aircraft struck pine trees, stalled and crashed in flames in a wooded area located 1,050 meters past the runway end. The aircraft was destroyed by impact forces and a post crash fire and all 9 crew members and 45 passengers were killed. Eleven passengers were seriously injured.

Probable cause:

The Board considered that the accident was probably caused by the most unfavorable combination of several of the following factors:
- Failure of one or more engine,
- Wrong maneuver of the undercarriage or flaps,
- Malfunction of the control systems,
- Incident in the cockpit,
- False indication on one or more instruments,
- Wrong indication of the artificial horizon,
- Failure of the anemometer,
- Incorrect altimeter setting,
- Error in the variometer.
The reconstructed flight showed that during the first segment of climbout and during a very short critical phase, a slight increase in speed will produce a considerable decrease in rate of climb or even a slight loss of altitude. In view of the rapid sequence of cockpit operations during this phase, together with the rapid variation in flight parameters, and the lack of precision - even inaccuracy - of readings of certain instruments, and lacking time reference and external visual references, a pilot may follow a line of flight that will bring the aircraft back near the ground if, during this period, optimum climbing speed is not maintained and the altimeter is not carefully watched.

Final Report:

Crash of a Douglas DC-7C in San Francisco

Date & Time: Feb 20, 1959

Type of aircraft:

Operator:

Registration:

N740PA

Flight Phase:

Flight Type:

Training

Survivors:

Site:

Schedule:

San Francisco - San Francisco

MSN:

44882

YOM:

1956

Location:

San Francisco

California

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

The crew was completing a local training at San Francisco Airport, part of a transition program. The approach was completed with a high rate of descent and when the pilot-in-command elected to complete the flare, the four engine aircraft descended until it impacted the runway surface. The undercarriage was sheared off on impact and the airplane skidded for several yards before coming to rest in flames. All three crew members were evacuated safely while the aircraft was damaged beyond repair.

Crash of a Douglas DC-7C in Casablanca: 65 killed

Date & Time: May 18, 1958 at 0425 LT

Type of aircraft:

Operator:

Registration:

OO-SFA

Flight Phase:

Flight Type:

Survivors:

Site: