Crash of a Fairchild C-119F Flying Boxcar in the Kagoak River

Date & Time: May 8, 1983
Registration:
N13626
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
MSN:
10836
YOM:
1951
Crew on board:
0
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
While taxiing on the icy Kagoak River, the airplane went through the ice and partially sank. There were no injuries.

Crash of a Fairchild C-119 Flying Boxcar in Srinagar: 23 killed

Date & Time: Feb 7, 1982
Operator:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Site:
Schedule:
Pathankot – Srinagar
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
5
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
18
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
23
Circumstances:
While descending to Srinagar Airport on a flight from Pathankot, the crew encountered poor weather conditions and limited visibility due to snow falls. Too low, the airplane struck the slope of a mountain and was destroyed. All 23 occupants were killed.

Crash of a Fairchild C-119L Flying Boxcar in Dahl Creek

Date & Time: Sep 7, 1981 at 1100 LT
Operator:
Registration:
N8504W
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Anchorage - Dahl Creek
MSN:
256
YOM:
1953
Crew on board:
2
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Captain / Total flying hours:
6000
Captain / Total hours on type:
500.00
Circumstances:
Upon landing at Dahl Creek, the right main gear collapsed. The airplane slid for few dozen yards before coming to rest. Both pilots escaped uninjured while the aircraft was damaged beyond repair.
Probable cause:
Failure of the right main gear locking mechanism upon landing due to overload failure and the gear shear pin failure.
Final Report:

Crash of a Fairchild C-119C-17-FA Flying Boxcar near Frazier Park: 2 killed

Date & Time: Jul 8, 1981 at 0927 LT
Operator:
Registration:
N13742
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Santa Barbara - Santa Barbara
MSN:
10431
YOM:
1949
Flight number:
Tanker 88
Crew on board:
2
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
2
Aircraft flight hours:
5014
Circumstances:
The airplane departed Santa Barbara Airport at 0857LT, heading for a fire burning on the Los Padres National Forest. The airtanker arrived at the fire location and was given direction for the drop by the Incident Commander (IC). The IC instructed the airtanker pilots to keep the drop high because of steep terrain and snags. They were also instructed to drop only one-half the retardant, saving the remainder for another run. The airtanker pilots acknowledged the instructions. The airtanker pilots notified the IC that they were on final approach. As the airtanker approached the intended drop area, the IC noted from the sound of the engines that they were "revved up." He also heard cracking and popping sounds. When the airtanker came into his sight, the IC and another person noticed that the drop doors on the airtanker were not open and that the landing gear was retracted. The IC had worked with this airtanker and its crewmembers on several previous occasions. The IC noted that the airtanker was lower than he had expected, traveling at an air speed higher than he had observed on previous drops, and that the airtanker was in a descending attitude. The IC and one other person observed the airtanker continue past the intended drop site and then suddenly drop vertically approximately 50 to 100 feet. At that moment, the left wing tip (approximately half of the total left wing span) flexed downward, snapped off, and began cartwheeling along behind the airtanker. The airtanker began to roll left, its nose began to drop, it began to strike trees, and then it struck ground at 0927. The captain and copilot were fatally injured upon impact. The aircraft was totally destroyed.
Source: USDA & USFS
Probable cause:
Ground investigation confirmed the loss of the left wing prior to impact. Portions of the left wing, left flap, left inboard aileron, and approximately 20 feet of intact left wing tip were recovered between 50 to 800 feet in front of the impact point. Investigation by the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) and Forest Service teams showed definite pre-mishap cracks in the inner left wing aileron bell crank control assembly. The possibility of a bell crank failure could have induced aileron flutter, which in turn could have contributed to wing destruction causing the wing to separate from the airtanker.

Crash of a Fairchild C-119G Flying Boxcar in Bettles

Date & Time: Jun 27, 1981 at 2215 LT
Operator:
Registration:
N8682
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Bettles - Fort Yukon
MSN:
10859
YOM:
1952
Flight number:
Tanker 138
Location:
Crew on board:
2
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
4
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
En route from Bettles to Fort Yukon on a fire fighting mission, the airplane was climbing when the right engine caught fire and exploded. The captain ordered the four passengers (firefighters) and the copilot to evacuate the cabin and the captain, sole on board, attempted an emergency landing on a sandbar located near the Kayokuk River. All six occupants were rescued while the aircraft was damaged beyond repair.
Probable cause:
Powerplant failure for undetermined reasons. The following contributing factors were reported:
- Fire in engine,
- Inadequate maintenance and inspection,
- Loose gravel,
- Sandy terrain,
- Forced landing off airport on land,
- Unknown intern fire in right engine,
- Unfeathered propeller.
Final Report:

Crash of a Fairchild C-119 Flying Boxcar in King Salmon

Date & Time: Jul 5, 1980 at 1208 LT
Operator:
Registration:
N90268
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Kenai - King Salmon
MSN:
11219
YOM:
1953
Crew on board:
2
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Captain / Total flying hours:
3568
Captain / Total hours on type:
37.00
Circumstances:
On landing at King Salmon Airport, the left engine fire warning sounded. In the meantime, an explosion occurred in the left wing tip. The crew lost control of the airplane that veered off runway and came to rest in flames. While both occupants escaped uninjured, the aircraft was damaged beyond repair.
Probable cause:
Fire observed in the left engine nacelle area and the left wing tip exploded for reasons that could not be determined.
Final Report:

Crash of a Fairchild C-119G Flying Boxcar in Agra: 46 killed

Date & Time: Feb 22, 1980
Operator:
Flight Phase:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Agra - Agra
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
4
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
43
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
46
Circumstances:
The aircraft was engaged in a local training mission carrying four crew members and 43 paratroopers. During the takeoff roll, the captain decided to precipitate the rotation due to the presence of a cyclist on the runway. The aircraft took off but due to an insufficient speed, stalled and crashed. A paratrooper was seriously injured while 46 other occupants were killed.

Crash of a Fairchild C-119 Flying Boxcar on Mt Daxue: 20 killed

Date & Time: Aug 28, 1979 at 1500 LT
Operator:
Registration:
3194
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Site:
Schedule:
Chiayi – Hsinchu
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
5
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
15
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
20
Circumstances:
Around 1400LT, the aircraft departed Chiayi on a liaison flight to Hsinchu. Weather conditions en route were not favorable with low clouds. About an hour into the flight, while cruising in clouds, the aircraft struck the slope of Mt Daxue. The wreckage was found two months later, in October, in an isolated area. All 20 occupants were killed. Among the 15 passengers, seven were from the 41st Squadron and eight from the 42nd Squadron.
Crew:
Cpt Peng Tiansheng, pilot,
Lt Zhang Shouxin, copilot,
Sgt Peng Xingren,
Zhou Jie +1.
Probable cause:
Controlled flight into terrain.

Crash of a Fairchild C-119L Flying Boxcar near Casa Grande: 4 killed

Date & Time: Jul 8, 1979 at 2100 LT
Operator:
Registration:
N1040E
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Site:
Schedule:
Chandler - Chandler
MSN:
11270
YOM:
1953
Crew on board:
1
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
3
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
4
Circumstances:
The crew departed Chandler-Stellar Airpark on a local flight. En route, one of the engine failed. The pilot attempted an emergency landing when the airplane crashed in flames in an open field. The aircraft was destroyed and all four occupants were killed.
Probable cause:
Controlled collision with ground after pilot attempted an emergency landing due to engine problems. The following contributing factors were reported:
- Engine structure: master and connecting rods,
- Engine structure: piston, piston rings,
- Material failure,
- Intentional wheels-up landing,
- Complete failure of one engine,
- Forced landing off airport on land.
Final Report:

Crash of a Fairchild C-119L Flying Boxcar off Big Creek

Date & Time: Jul 6, 1979
Operator:
Registration:
N90269
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Big Creek – King Salmon
MSN:
230
YOM:
1952
Crew on board:
2
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
3
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
Crashed into the Bering Sea shortly after takeoff from a sand beach at Big Creek. The aircraft was destroyed and all five occupants were injured.
Here is the testimony from Jim Larison who was on board to make a documentary for PBS at the time of the accident:
The C-119 aircraft was attempting to take off, but the aircraft could not make lift off speed in time to avoid having to turn right along the beach. As the pilot attempted to turn right we began sliding sideways. The farther right we turned the more the wind became a factor. The aircraft could not gain sufficient airspeed but the speed was great enough that we were light on our wheels so could not make the turn either. Centrifugal force drove us sideways toward the sea. The pilots straightened it up and tried to lift off but we did not have sufficient airspeed to make it into the air. We went out into the Bering Sea perhaps a quarter mile before stalling. The aircraft crashed into the sea and was torn to pieces. The cockpit ended up underneath the fuselage under about 10 feet of water. I was trapped in the wreckage under the fuselage. The pilot came back into the aircraft and freed me from the wreckage. There was no fire. There were five people on board. Luckily no fatalities but survivors were airlifted to Anchorage for medical care. Aircraft was eventually pulled out of the sea and now rests at the mouth of Big Creek in a sand dune.
Photos James 'Jim' Larson.
Probable cause:
The exact cause of the accident remains unknown.