Lockheed L-749 Constellation

During the takeoff roll at Algiers-Maison Blanche Airport, the aircraft caught fire for unknown reason. The captain immediately abandoned the takeoff procedure and completed an emergency braking maneuver. The aircraft came to rest in flames on the runway, and while all occupants were evacuated safely, the aircraft was destroyed.

The aircraft took off from Hong Kong-Kai Tak Airport bound for Jakarta at 0425 hours Greenwich Mean Time carrying 8 crew members and 11 passengers. The flight was uneventful until approximately five hours after take-off when a muffled explosion was heard in the aircraft while cruising at an altitude of 18,000 feet over the sea. Smoke started entering the cabin through the cold air ducts almost immediately and a localized fire was detected soon after on the starboard wing behind the number three engine nacelle. A rapid descent was commenced for ditching the aircraft and distress signals broadcast. In spite of fire fighting action, during which No. 3 engine was feathered, the fire spread very rapidly and caused hydraulic failure followed by electrical failure. During the final stages of the descent, executed under extremely difficult circumstances, dense smoke entered the cockpit reducing the visibility to almost nil. The aircraft impacted the water with the starboard wing tip, and the nose submerged almost instantaneously. Only three crew members survived the accident. The aircraft was destroyed. All passengers were Chinese and European journalists flying to Jakarta to take part to the Asia-Afro Bandung Conference.

The crew started the approach to Gander Airport by night and in good weather conditions. Following a stabilized approach, the four engine aircraft landed normally on runway 32. After touchdown, the reverse thrust system were activated when the aircraft veered to the left. Despite several corrections on part of the flying crew such as braking action, movement on the nose wheel steering and power added on both left engines number one and two, the aircraft continued down the runway, overran, lost its undercarriage and came to rest into a ravine. While all 67 occupants were evacuated safely, the aircraft was damaged beyond repair.

The crew was performing a transatlantic flight from Hamburg to Bogotá with intermediates stops at Frankfurt, Paris, Madrid, Lisbon, Ponta Delgada and Hamilton. While approaching Ponta Delgada by night, the crew was informed about fog at destination and as the visibility was below minima, the captain decided to divert to Lajes. After a uneventful refueling stop, the crew took off from Lajes Airport, bound for Hamilton, Bermuda, at 0237LT. Three minutes after its departure from runway 34, while climbing, the four engine aircraft hit the slope of a mountain and burst into flames about 9 km southwest of the airport. The aircraft disintegrated on impact and all 30 occupants were killed.

Following an uneventful flight from Jakarta, the crew started the descent to Singapore-Kallang in good weather conditions. On final approach to runway 06, the four engine aircraft christened 'Belfast' was too low and hit a sea wall, bounced and landed 80 yards past the runway threshold. On touchdown, the right main gear collapsed, the airplane veered off runway to the right, lost its right wing and came to rest in flames upside down. Seven crew members were injured while 33 other occupants, including all 31 passengers, were killed.

The crew of Flight 627 consisted of Captain C. C. Foxworth Captain E. M. Engle, (first officer), Flight Engineer L. P. Devries, Flight Attendant A. J. Folli, and Flight Attendant A. L., Krause. On departure from the ramp, the gross weight of the aircraft was 95,838 pounds; allowable gross takeoff weight was 105,530 pounds. The load was distributed so that the center of gravity of the aircraft was within the approved limits. Flight 627 initially taxied out at 2345, bar 18, for takeoff from Runway 7R. This flight and a preceding flight returned to the ramp because fog drifted in and reduced visibility below the approved minimum of one-fourth mile while they were awaiting clearance for takeoff. 2 Neither flight was issued off clearance, although according to Captain Foxworth, they held at Runway 7R about 15 minutes. The captains of flights reported that when they arrived at Runway 7R the existing visibility was well over the required one-quarter mile, as they could ace beyond the far end of the 8,200-foot runway, and so advised the control tower. About 15 minutes after returning to the ramp, Captain Foxworth was advised by Eastern Operations that visibility had improved, and the flight again taxied out, following another Eastern aircraft, Flight 623W. While they were taxing, the tower suggested that takeoff be made on Runway 22L and advised that visibility to the south-southeast, from tower location, was three miles. Since both flights had taxied beyond this runway at the time this information was conveyed to them, they turned around and Captain Foxworth, now in the lead, took position for takeoff near the end of Runway 22L. The tower advised Flight 627 that the weather was now being reported as thin obscuration, one and one-half miles visibility, fog, and smoke. 4 Captain Foxworth opened the left side "clear-view" window for maximum visibility. The runway lights were turned to full intensity, and the landing lights of the aircraft were on. Captain Foxworth observed that visibility appeared to be at least one-fourth mile, and stare could be seen. He could see the runway border lights and down the runway centerline for some distance. He said that he was unable to see past the intersection. The engines were run up, cockpit checks completed, and airways clearance via Long Beach, Sully, and Woolf intersections was received. Takeoff clearance was issued at 0055, October 19. Captain Foxworth, flying from the left, made the takeoff using the runway border lights and centerline as visual reference guides. The first officer also maintained visual reference except when he briefly directed his attention to retraction of the landing gear. In the takeoff run the captain noticed that visibility was variable due to fog and seemed to get progressively worse, but later stated that he had "expected to come out on top almost any second" after becoming airborne; he did not go on instruments. Takeoff seemed normal. Shortly after calling for retraction of the gear. Captain Foxworth observed that air speed was approaching 110 knots. He said that he lost all ground references at about the intersection of Runways 19L, 25L, and 22L, at or shortly after becoming airborne. A few seconds later he heard the first officer shout a warning and they struck the ground while at takeoff power. A second or two after the first officer moved the landing gear handle to retract position and again directed his attention outside, he saw they were quite low, grabbed for the control wheel to pull the nose up, and simultaneously shouted a warning. He did not recall whether he got his hands on the wheel before impact. The aircraft struck the ground to the left of Runway 22L at Taxiway F. It bounced, and following the second impact skidded to a stop in an undeveloped part of the airport south of Taxiway G. An intense fire immediately developed in the left wing at No. 2 engine position. The pilots, flight engineer, and one passenger left through the crew door, located just to the rear of the cockpit on the right side; all other occupants exited in orderly fashion through the main cabin door at the left rear side of the aircraft.

The airplane left Paris-Orly in good weather conditions. However, few minutes later, the crew was informed about few turbulences over the Alps. While cruising by night at an altitude of 9,500 feet, the four engine aircraft hit the slope of Mt Cemet or Mt Cimet (3,020 meters high) located about 8 km northeast of Allos, in the department of Alpes-de-Haute-Provence. The wreckage was found at the altitude of 2,870 meters, about 150 meters below the summit. The aircraft disintegrated on impact and all 42 occupants were killed, among them the French violinist Jacques Thibaud and the French composer René Herbin.
Crew:
Jacques Tranoy, pilot,
Jacques Calmette, copilot,
Robert Mathis, radio navigator,
M. Fontaine, mechanic,
Jean-Marie Christophe, mechanic,
Monique Perret, stewardess,
Jean Menard, steward,
Rémy Lebars, steward,
Charles Delhomme, steward.

While cruising at an altitude of 17,500 feet between Rhodes Island and Cyprus, the crew noted slight vibrations but was unable to localize them. Four minutes later, a loud bang was noted, an explosion occurred, a brutal depressurization occurred and the aircraft lost 1,000 feet. The captain, who was sleeping, joined immediately his seat, disengaged the automatic pilot system and started an emergency descent with a rate of 300-500 feet per minute. In the mean time, the copilot informed ATC he elected to divert to Nicosia Airport. The crew realized that the engine number three fell off and decided to shut down the engine number four and feathered its propeller. Eventually, the captain decided to ditch the aircraft on a calm sea about two NM off the Fethiye lighthouse. Ten minutes after landing, the empennage broke off and sank. Some passengers swum to the shore and the aircraft eventually sank two hours later. Three crew members were injured, 35 occupants were unhurt and four passengers were killed.

En route to Bangkok, about 450 km from the intended destination, the crew informed ATC about vibrations coming from the engine number three. The flight was continued uneventfully until the descent was started. On final approach to runway 21, a propeller blade detached from the engine number three that caught fire and suffered severe vibrations. On touchdown, the right main gear collapsed and the airplane skidded for several yards before coming to rest in flames. All 44 occupants were evacuated safely before the aircraft christened 'Venlo' was destroyed by fire.

The four engine aircraft christened 'Malabar Princess' left Cairo-Almaza Airport at 0209LT on a direct flight to Geneva, completing an international service from Bombay to London, carrying 40 passengers and a crew of 8. All passengers were Indian and Pakistani marines who were joining their boat based in the harbor of Newcastle upon Tyne. About 20 minutes before its estimated time of arrival in Geneva-Cointrin Airport, while cruising at an altitude of 15,500 feet, the crew informed ATC that he was flying over Grenoble. The radio officer at Geneva Airport misbelieved this position and asked the crew to switch on 333 kHz for a direction finding check. The crew never contacted this frequency and the aircraft disappeared shortly later. As the airplane failed to arrive at Geneva Airport, SAR operations were conducted by the French, Swiss and Italian Authorities. The wreckage was found two days later, Sunday November 5, at an altitude of 4,671 meters, on the Rocher de la Tournette, about 300 meters from the Vallot Refuge. The aircraft disintegrated on impact and all 48 occupants were killed.