Keflavik

Prior to takeoff from Keflavik Airport, the crew completed a taxi run at a too high speed of 50 knots to blow snow from the wings. Then the crew started the takeoff procedure but shortly after liftoff, the airplane rolled to the left. Full right rudder and aileron failed to stop the roll, so the power was cut off on the right engine. The aircraft touched down and ran off the left side of the runway. The right main gear ran into soft dirt and folded back. While both crew members were unhurt, the aircraft was written off.

Due to a pilot error, the airplane landed on a taxiway. There were no casualties but the aircraft was written off.

The crew was completing a flight from the US to France to deliver the aircraft to the French Air Force (Armée de l'Air) via Keflavik and Prestwick. During a night approach, the crew encountered low visibility due to poor weather conditions. While flying at an altitude of 800 feet, the aircraft hit the ground, became briefly airborne and crashed in a huge explosion some 20 km east of Prestwick Airport, near the village of Sorn. The wreckage was found five hours later and both crew members have been killed.
Crew:
Edgar Joseph Flanagan, pilot,
Wayne Archer Taylor, navigator.

The crew was completing a flight from Montreal to Karachi, the aircraft being delivered to the Pakistan government. While approaching the Scottish coast, both engines failed. The captain attempted to ditch the aircraft off Kyleake. On touchdown, the seaplane lost its floats, drifted away and eventually sank. Five crew members were rescued while the navigator was killed.

Few minutes after takeoff from Keflavik, bound for the east coast of the US, the airplane went out of control and crashed into the sea about 80 km off shore. All nine crew members were killed.

After touchdown at Keflavik Airport, the four engine aircraft veered to the right of the runway, hit frozen snow banks and came to rest in flames. All six crew members were evacuated safely while the aircraft was destroyed.

The aircraft was performing a flight from RAF Scampton (Lincolnshire) to Schilling AFB (Smoky Hill AFB) in Salina, Kansas, with an intermediate stop in Keflavik. While flying over Scotland at an altitude of 8,500 feet, the pilot encountered poor weather conditions and requested to ATC the permission to climb to 14,400 feet. Shortly later, at a speed of 500 km/h, the four engine aircraft hit the slope of the Stob na Boine Druim-fhinn mountain located two miles northwest of Lochgoilhead. The aircraft was destroyed by impact forces and a post crash fire and all 20 occupants were killed.
Crew:
1st Lt Sheldon C. Craigmyle, pilot,
1st Lt Myrton P. Barry, copilot,
1st Lt Richard D. Klingenberg, navigator,
1st Lt Robert A. Fritsche, bombardier.
Passengers:
T/Sgt Delbert E. Cole,
M/Sgt Wayne W. Baker,
T/Sgt John B. Lapicca,
S/Sgt Malcolm W. Bovard,
Sgt Anthony V. Chrisides,
Sgt Rufus W. Mangum,
Pfc Jack L. Heacock,
M/Sgt Henry P. Prestoch,
T/Sgt Frank M. Dobbs Jr.,
Sgt Cecil G. Jones,
Sgt Charles W. Hess,
Pfc Robert Brown Jr.,
T/Sgt Rufus G. Taylor,
Sgt Paul W. Knight,
Pfc Frederick N. Cook,
Pfc Bruce J. Krumhols.

At 1430LT on 2nd January 1947 an SB-17 belonging to 1386th AAF Base Unit Air Sea Rescue took off from Keflavik airfield, Iceland on a local flight expected to last 2 to 3 hours, however approx 1 hour after leaving the field a snow storm developed and the crew now on instruments and were given instructions by ATC to fly to Prestwick as the visibility at Keflavik was too bad, and so a flight plan was arranged and radioed to the pilot. Expecting this to be just a local flight, the navigator was without proper charts, they had no Wireless Op on board, and little fuel for any marginal error. Drift readings were taken and bearings using the astro compass and radio compass were taken, though stronger than forecast headwinds slowed the aircraft down and it took much longer to reach their turning over Scotland, also heavy cloud hindered any visual contact, but eventually an island, that of Shetland was spotted and it was estimated that they should reach the Scottish mainland within 30 minutes, however, as they continued past their ETA, no land was sited and the Navigator suggested they do a 180 degree turn and head back to the Island, this they did and back over Shetland at approx midnight, they flew a few miles off shore, jettisoned the lifeboat, circled a number of times firing off flares, then with an estimated guess of less than an hours fuel left,the pilot gave the order to abandon the aircraft, then putting it on a SW course on autopilot, he left the aircraft himself. Three of the crew landed on the Shetland mainland itself, one came down on a tiny island in Braewick Voe, and another landed in the sea and struggled to unhitch his chute, but fortunately the wind blew him towards the shore. After a long night with the Co-Pilot suffering a sprained knee, and the Pilot suffering exposure, all were eventually found and taken to hospital where they were given hot drinks and blankets, and treated for their injuries. The Fortress went down in the sea somewhere to the West of the Shetland mainland at a location yet to be discovered. Maybe one day a fishing boat will pull up a piece of wreckage identified as coming off a Flying Fortress and the last resting place of 44-83771 will be known.
Crew (1386 BU):
1/Lt W. E. Dee, pilot,
1/Lt M. H. Craven Jr., copilot,
1/Lt W. L. Pilcher, navigator,
H. E. Shields, flight engineer,
R. M. Gessert, flight engineer.
Source: http://www.aviation-safety.net/wikibase/wiki.php?id=99049

While cruising along the east Canadian coast, the crew informed ATC about severe icing conditions and obtained the permission to divert to Charlottetown Airport. The aircraft passed the runway threshold at a height of 7 meters and then stalled and crashed in flames on the runway. The copilot was killed while 13 other occupants were injured. The aircraft was destroyed.

The Liberator was one of many aircraft that following the end of the war in Europe was being used to take aircrews back to the United States. The aircraft were typically approaching the end of their useful lives but only had to make it across the Atlantic. The aircraft had taken off from RAF Valley on Anglesey bound for Meeks Field in Keflavik. When the aircraft nearing the southern end of the Isle of Skye, the port outer engine caught fire. It would appear that the fire could not be brought under control, as when the aircraft crossed the coast, the port wing outboard of the number one engine broke away. As the wing fell, it struck the tail section, causing it to separate from the aircraft before the plane dived into a hilltop and exploded. All 14 occupants were killed.
Crew:
1st Lt William H. Bell, pilot,
1st Lt Theodore E. Lundell, copilot,
1st Lt Albert L. Harmonay, navigator,
T/Sgt Svend E. Hansen, flight engineer,
S/Sgt Robert R. Bisbing, radio operator.
Passengers:
F/O Edward Grzesiek,
F/O George W. Baker,
F/O Stephen A. Fenwick,
F/O Marvin Fleak,
2nd Lt Arthur A. Vogel,
F/O Eldon E. Eads,
F/O Edward J. Ruszala,
F/O Wilbur L. Titus,
F/O Newton D. Stanley.
Source:
http://www.peakdistrictaircrashes.co.uk/pages/scotland/scotland41-29369.htm