Key West

A Coast Guard Falcon aircraft was on scene when the aircraft ditched in the Atlantic ocean due to fuel exhaustion. A life raft and marker were dropped by the Coast Guard aircraft. A search was conducted all day on 3/1/85 and was called off at sunset on on 3/2/85. The occupants were presumed to have been fatally injured or drowned. The aircraft was presumed to have been destroyed.

The aircraft crashed into the ocean shortly after takeoff on an unauthorized flight. The pilot was a student pilot who worked as a refueler of aircraft. The student pilot took the unattended parked aircraft without permission and went for a solo flight at sometime around 0200 hours. The flight ended almost as soon as it began as the aircraft crashed into the ocean 300 yards offshore from Key West, FL. The aircraft sank in 10 feet of water. The pilot was slightly injured.

The approach to Milwaukee-General Billy Mitchell Airport was initiated in poor weather conditions with clouds down to 200 feet and an horizontal visibility limited to half a mile. On final, the four engine aircraft was too low, struck the ground and crashed in flames half a mile short of runway threshold. The aircraft was destroyed by a post crash fire and seven occupants were injured while four others were killed.

The crew was engaged in a training sortie out from Key West NAS when the patrol crashed in unknown circumstances into the gulf of Mexico about 22 miles north of Key West. All ten crew members were killed.

Shortly after takeoff from Key West NAS, while climbing, the seaplane stalled and crashed few hundred yards off shore. All eight crew members were killed.

While cruising at an altitude of 4,000 feet under visual flight rules, the Kansan collided with a Cubana de Aviación DC-4 registered CU-T188 and christened 'Estrella de Cuba' en route to Havana. On impact, the Kansan dove into the sea and crashed few miles off shore while the DC-4 continued for few seconds and then crashed into the sea 1,7 miles from the initial point of impact. Both aircraft were destroyed and all 43 occupants were killed. Weather conditions were good at the time of the collision.

While cruising at an altitude of 4,000 feet under visual flight rules, the Cuban four engine aircraft christened 'Estrella de Cuba' collided with a USN Beechcraft SNB-1 Kansan. Registered 39939, the twin engine aircraft was carrying a crew of four who were performing a training sortie from Key West NAS. On impact, the Kansan dove into the sea and crashed few miles off shore while the DC-4 continued for few seconds and then crashed into the sea 1,7 miles from the initial point of impact. Both aircraft were destroyed and all 43 occupants were killed. Weather conditions were good at the time of the collision.

Crashed into the sea off Long Island, Bahamas, while performing a night flight from Roosevelt Roads NAS (Ceiba, Porto Rico) to Key West. No trace of the aircraft nor the crew was ever found.

The three engine airplane departed Havana on a trip to Key West, carrying two passengers and a crew of three. The airplane has been refuelled prior to departure from Havana, giving an endurance of about three hours, which was more than enough for the 100 miles distance between both airports. About 20 minutes into the flight, while cruising at an altitude of 3,400 feet, the crew encountered poor weather conditions with a visibility below two miles. In such conditions, the pilot lost his orientation and passed over Key West before continuing to the north. After three hours of flight, as the fuel reserve was low, the pilot reduced his altitude to 100 feet and spotted the tanker named 'S. S. Ligonier' cruising in the Gulf of Mexico. After all three engines stopped due to fuel exhaustion, he ditched the airplane around 1915LT in rough sea. All five occupants, slightly injured, were quickly rescued by the crew of the tanker. Some mail bags were salvaged before the aircraft named 'General Machado' sank and was lost.
Crew:
Cpt Robert H. Fatt, pilot,
Angel Alfanco, mechanic,
Hugo C. Leuteritz, radio operator.
Passengers:
Norman Ageton-Iost,
William Mallon.

En route from Key West to Havana, the crew encountered engine problems and elected to make an emergency landing in the sea, some 32 km north of Havana. Waves were about 10 to 15 feet high and the aircraft named 'Columbus' was filled by water. Four passengers were drowned while all five other occupants were rescued by the crew of the ferry ship HM Flagler.
Crew:
C. W. Miller, pilot,
H. Thompson, mechanic.
Passengers:
Edwin F. Atkins,
Edwin F. Atkins Jr.
David Atkins,
Grace MacDonald.