Crash of an Antonov AN-12BP near Mexico City: 3 killed

Date & Time: Apr 21, 2010 at 2050 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
UP-AN216
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Cebu City - Angeles City
MSN:
4 020 01
YOM:
1964
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
6
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
3
Circumstances:
The aircraft departed Cebu City on a cargo flight to Angeles City, carrying six crew members and a load of various goods on behalf of UPS. En route, a short circuit occurred in the electrical system, followed by one or more engine failure. The crew elected to divert to the nearest airport. Unfortunately, this was not possible and the captain attempted an emergency landing in a paddy field. The aircraft came to rest on an embankment and was destroyed by a post impact fire. Three crew members were killed while three others were seriously injured.
Probable cause:
In flight short-circuit on the electrical system for unknow reasons.

Crash of a Rockwell Aero Commander 560 at Clark AFB: 1 killed

Date & Time: Oct 13, 1988 at 0848 LT
Operator:
Registration:
RP-C2351
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Manila - Clark
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
2
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
4
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
1
Circumstances:
The twin engine aircraft departed Manila Intl Airport at 0800LT on a charter flight to Clark AFB, carrying four passengers and two pilots. On approach to Clark AFB, the crew encountered limited visibility due to rain showers. On short final, the aircraft struck an electrical pole and a tree then crashed short of runway threshold. Five occupants were injured while the copilot was killed.

Crash of a Lockheed C-5A Galaxy in Saigon: 155 killed

Date & Time: Apr 4, 1975 at 1630 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
68-0218
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Saigon - Clark - Los Angeles
MSN:
500-0021
YOM:
1970
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
16
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
314
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
155
Circumstances:
The airplane was engaged in a humanitarian flight, taking part to the 'Operation Babylift', a mission consisting to bring Vietnamese orphans back to the US in the few remaining days before the Republic of Vietnam fell. At 1603LT, the airplane departed Saigon-Tan Son Nhat Airport bound to the east. Twelve minutes later, while cruising at an altitude of 23,000 feet over the South China Sea, a technical issue occurred on the rear access ramp doors followed by a rapid decompression of the cabin. A crew member fell out of the airplane and shortly later, the access ramp door detached and fell into sea as well. The captain contacted ATC, declared an emergency and was cleared to return to Saigon Airport. At that time, two of the four hydraulic systems were out of order and control and trim cables to the rudder and elevators were severed, leaving only one aileron and wing spoilers operating. Nevertheless, the crew was able to descend to runway 25L when the rate of descent increased to 4,000 feet per minute. The airplane struck the ground a first time at a speed of 250 knots about 4 km short of runway 25L, bounced for three seconds and then crashed 500 meters further in a rice paddy field. The aircraft disintegrated on impact and debris scattered on a wide area. There were on board 149 orphans, 10 members of a medical team, 155 military personnels and 16 crew members. It was reported that 141 orphans were killed as well as six soldiers, five crew members and three of the medical team. The United States Navy amphibious cargo ship USS Durham, frigate USS Reasoner and command ship USS Blue Ridge were assigned to search for the flight data recorder in the South China Sea. The recorder was found and US Navy ships and helicopters also discovered debris from the doors in the South China Sea as well as the body of a crew member.
Probable cause:
When the rear doors were eventually recovered from the sea, investigation determined that some of the locks had not engaged properly. Maintenance records showed that locks had been cannibalized for spares, then subsequently improperly refitted so that not all the door locks were engaging correctly. Accounts also indicated the initial maintenance inspection noticed 5 of the 7 locks were not operating and failed the aircraft for flight. With external organizational pressure to get the flight airborne, a second off-shift maintenance team was called in. They subsequently missed the locks during inspection and the aircraft was cleared for flight. Furthermore, the flight crew confirmed that they had encountered difficulty closing the doors before takeoff. As the air pressure differential increased with altitude, the few locks that were working correctly were unable to bear the load, and the door failed.

Crash of a Lockheed HC-130H Hercules off Batan Islands: 13 killed

Date & Time: Feb 5, 1969 at 1145 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
65-0990
Flight Phase:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Clark - Clark
MSN:
4151
YOM:
1966
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
4
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
10
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
13
Circumstances:
In the morning, three USAF Lockheed HC-130H Hercules departed Clark AFB (Angeles City) on a SAR mission following the sinking of the Japanese ship christened 'Shoka Maru' which was cruising from Japan to Cambodia and sank in the Bashi Canal. While cruising at low height off the Batanes Islands, the airplane struck the top of a wave and crashed into the sea. A passenger was rescued while 13 other occupants were killed. At the time of the accident, the crew was flying at an insufficient altitude and the sea was rough with 6 to 10 meters hollows.

Crash of a Douglas C-47 at Clark AFB: 5 killed

Date & Time: Mar 25, 1965
Operator:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
5
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
5
Circumstances:
On final approach to Clark AFB, the twin engine airplane collided with a USAF Rockwell T-39A Sabreliner registered 62-4458. The jet was carrying a crew of two who was completing a local training flight. Both airplane crash 1,5 km east of the airfield and all seven occupants on both aircraft were killed.

Crash of a Rockwell T-39A Sabreliner at Clark AFB: 2 killed

Date & Time: Mar 25, 1965
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
62-4458
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Clark - Clark
MSN:
276-11
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
2
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
2
Circumstances:
The crew was completing a local training flight at Clark AFB. On final approach, the Sabreliner collided with a USAF C-47 carrying a crew of five. Both airplane went out of control and crashed 1,5 km east of the airbase. All seven crew members on both aircraft were killed.

Crash of a Boeing C-135B stratolifter at Clark AFB: 80 killed

Date & Time: May 11, 1964 at 1920 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
61-0332
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Travis – Hickam – Clark
MSN:
18239
YOM:
1962
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
10
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
74
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
80
Circumstances:
The aircraft was completing a flight from Travis AFB to Clark AFB with an intermediate stop at Hickam Field, Honolulu, carrying US soldiers and their family members. While descending to Clark AFB runway 02, the crew encountered poor weather conditions with low clouds, rain falls and a limited visibility to one mile. Five km from the runway threshold, the crew passed below the glide and the ATC in charge of the approach sent three warnings to the crew. Despite this, the pilot-in-command continued the approach and at three km from the runway threshold, the crew was instructed to go around. As the captain had the runway in sight, he neglected this order and decided to continue the approach, changed his frequency and contacted the tower when he was cleared to land. At a distance of 1,050 meters short of runway threshold, the nose gear struck a fence and the left wing struck the TACAN (Tactical Air navigation) antenna. The airplane stalled, hit the ground and slid for several yards, crossed a road where it struck a taxi and came to rest in flames 600 meters short of runway and 100 meters to the left of the extended centerline. Five crew members, among them both pilots, were injured, while all 74 passengers, five others crew members and the taxi driver were killed. Both taxi's passengers were injured as well.
Probable cause:
Wrong approach configuration on part of the flying crew who decided to continue the approach despite he was instructed by ATC to abandon the approach and to go around. Marginal weather conditions were considered as a contributing factor as well as the lack of ATC coordination as the ATC in charge of the approach instructed the crew to go around and the ATC by the Tower cleared the crew to land.

Crash of a Lockheed L-1049H Super Constellation into the Philippines Sea: 107 killed

Date & Time: Mar 16, 1962 at 0022 LT
Operator:
Registration:
N6921C
Flight Phase:
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Travis – Honolulu – Wake Island – Agana – Clark – Saigon
MSN:
4817
YOM:
1957
Flight number:
FT739
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
11
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
96
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
107
Captain / Total flying hours:
19500
Captain / Total hours on type:
3562.00
Copilot / Total flying hours:
17500
Copilot / Total hours on type:
3374
Aircraft flight hours:
17224
Circumstances:
On March 15, 1962, sometime after its last position report at 1422 G.m.t. (22 minutes past midnight, local time), a Flying Tiger Line Inc., Lockheed 1049H, N6921C, operated as Military Air Transport Service Flight 739/14, disappeared west of the position 13 degrees 14' North Latitude and 140 degrees 00' East Longitude en route from Agana Naval Air Station, Guam, to Clark Air Force Base, Philippine Islands. A widespread and intensive search was initiated after the aircraft failed to arrive at Clark Air Force Base at 1916 G.m.t., its estimated time of arrival. The flight was officially declared missing at 2227 G.m.t. which was the estimated fuel exhaustion time for the aircraft. All occupants, 96 military passengers and a crew of 11, are missing and presumed dead. Crew members of a surface vessel witnessed what appeared to have been a midair explosion at 1530 G.m.t., near the position and at the time estimated by the pilot of N6921C for his next scheduled position report. No wreckage or debris which could be definitely associated with the aircraft has been found.
Probable cause:
The Board is unable to determine the probable cause of this accident from the evidence now available.
Final Report:

Crash of a Douglas C-47A-20-DK in Tainan: 15 killed

Date & Time: Nov 7, 1959
Operator:
Registration:
42-93074
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Tainan – Clark
MSN:
12945
YOM:
1944
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
4
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
11
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
15
Circumstances:
Shortly after takeoff from Tainan Airport, en route to Clark AFB in the Philippines, the airplane crashed in unknown circumstances, killing all 15 occupants.

Crash of a Douglas C-124C Globemaster II into the Philippines Sea: 19 killed

Date & Time: Sep 2, 1958 at 0610 LT
Operator:
Registration:
52-1081
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Andersen - Clark
MSN:
43990
YOM:
1952
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
7
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
12
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
19
Circumstances:
Shortly after takeoff from Andersen AFB, the crew obtained the permission to climb to 8,000 feet. Few minutes later, the airplane crashed into the Philippines Sea about 55 km west of Guam Island. Few debris were found floating on water but all 19 occupants have been killed.
Probable cause:
The exact cause of the accident could not be determined with certainty. However, it is believed that a sudden and intense fire erupted in the cabin in flight and none of the occupant was able to extinguish it. The fire then spread rapidly, causing the aircraft to be out of control.