Lisbon

Shortly after takeoff from Nouadhibou Airport, while in initiale climb, one of the engine caught fire. The crew reduced his altitude and attempted an emergency landing in a beach located 6 km from the airport. The aircraft crash landed and came to rest, bursting into flames. All six occupants escaped uninjured while the aircraft was destroyed by fire.

The aircraft was on a scheduled international flight from Buenos Aires to Rio de Janeiro (Galeao Airport) and Lisbon. It arrived at Galeao Airport following an uneventful flight. Another crew took over for the last segment of the flight. The takeoff run began at 2303 hours GMT from runway 14. The aircraft's acceleration appeared to be normal. The pilot-in-command declared that, at a speed between 100 and 135 kt (V1), he noted that the control column was too far back and pushed it forward. At this point the co-pilot released the controls, which is normally done when the aircraft reaches V1. It is believed that in fact an attempt to rotate the aircraft was made around 132 kt. The aircraft continued to accelerate normally. The co-pilot announced 148 kt, the rotation speed (VR), and the pilot pulled back on the control column. However, the aircraft did not respond, so he pushed it forward again. No indication of this rotation attempt was revealed by the flight recorder reading. He and the co-pilot then pulled back on the control column, however, the nose of the aircraft did not rotate since the pilot had already reduced power 14 seconds after reaching VR. Also, the tape reading indicated that the brakes were used for 5 seconds prior to any power reduction. The first marks of braking were found approximately 2300 m from the threshold. The pilot realized that the aircraft could not be stopped on the remaining portion of the runway so he turned the aircraft off the runway to the right and fully reduced power. The brakes were applied but not reverse thrust. Heavy and steady braking marks started 2600 m from the threshold. Of his own accord, the co-pilot applied full power for reversion and tried to operate the spoilers but could not do so because of the bumps The right wing lowered, dragging engines No. 3 and 4. The left wheels of the landing gear sank into the sand, and engines No. 1 and 2 also began to drag. All four engines lost their ejectors and reversion cones, causing the aircraft to accelerate. It continued moving at a high speed, hit the airport wall, crossed the adjoining highway, lost engines No. 1 and 2 and the left landing gear and finally came to rest in the sea. 50 m from shore. It drifted 100 m while floating and then sank to a depth of 8 m. There were no lights on board the aircraft when it came to a stop as the automatic emergency lighting system did not function. One cabin attendant used one of the two flashlights available. The darkness increased the panic and confusion. The passengers could not use the main door as an exit because it would open into the sea. They did not know where the emergency exits were. However, the exits were then opened and most of the passengers left the aircraft on the starboard side. The fact that the lour exits were all in the central part of the fuselage hampered the evacuation as the number of passengers (94) was considerable. The crew left the aircraft via the cockpit windows. No instructions had been given on emergency procedures and therefore the passengers and most of the crew did not take their life jackets with them when leaving the aircraft. Although the aircraft was equipped with six life rafts no crew member tried to use them. The aircraft drifted 330 feet downstream and submerged in 25 minutes. A crew member and 14 passengers were killed, 46 occupants were wounded and 44 were uninjured.

The aircraft lined up on runway 12 and took at 1820 GMT (night takeoff evening twilight ended at 1756 hours). According to the controller on duty at the control tower the aircraft's landing lights were not on during the take-off. The aircraft lifted off runway 12 after what appeared to be an unusually long run of approximately 2,300 meters (of 2,850 meters available) after release of the brakes and gained height with difficulty. The anti-collision light was seen at a low altitude and the disappeared behind the trees. Five seconds later the sky was lit up by a fire. The left wing and left side of the fuselage struck the first trees of the forest at a height of about 22 meters above the elevation and about 2,300 meters beyond the threshold of runway 30. After the initial impact in a near level flight attitude and with the aircraft slightly banked to port, it then went progressively into a dive with the left wing low and sheared the tops of the trees over a traversed distance of about 130 meters before final impact with the water of a creek. The attitude of the aircraft on final impact was approximately 25° nose down with the same angle of left bank. The aircraft exploded on impact. The fuel and oil spread over the surface of the water and ignited. The fire destroyed the submerged parts of the wreckage. All 111 occupants were killed.

Few minutes after takeoff from Lisbon-Portela de Sacavém Airport, while climbing, the four engine aircraft went out of control and crashed into the sea few km off shore. All eight crew members were killed in the crash. They were returning to Brazil, carrying the bodies of Brazilian soldiers killed during the Second World War.

While completing an approach by night, the airplane crashed in unclear circumstances in Bucelas, about 12 km north of the Lisbon Airport. Two crew members were killed while four others were injured.

Few minutes after takeoff from Lisbon-Portela de Sacavém Airport, while climbing, the airplane stalled and crashed into the Tagus River. All 11 occupants were killed.

The crew was conducting a demonstration flight at Lisbon-Portela de Sacavém Airport. On final approach, the aircraft was too low and struck the ground few hundred yards short of runway threshold and crashed. Both crew members were injured and the aircraft was destroyed.

The Sabena flight, originating at Brussels, Belgium had departed Lisbon following an intermediate stop on a flight to Leopoldville (now Kinshasa), Belgian Congo. Vibration in the no. 1 engine forced the crew to shut it down. Casablanca ACC was advised that the flight wanted to make an emergency landing there. At 04:19 a runway 21 approach was attempted, but the aircraft did not touch down. Some 600 m past the runway threshold at a height of 5 m and with landing gear down and full flaps, full power was applied. The DC-7 then climbed in a sharp left turn. Reaching a height of 25 m, the plane stalled, crashed into buildings and caught fire. The correct procedure for going around would have been to apply full throttle only gradually attaining V2 speed; retracting the landing gear; and, at 115 kt, retracting the flaps from 50 to 20°.

The brand new twin engine airplane was on a delivery flight to the Government of Ceylon from Kansas City to Colombo with several intermediate stops. While approaching Naples-Capodichino Airport, the aircraft struck a hill located at Camaldoli, about 7 km short of runway 06 threshold. The airplane was destroyed and all three occupants were killed, the pilot William Palmer, his wife and one technician. For undetermined reason, the pilot was completing the approach at an insufficient altitude.

At approximately 2246LT the aircraft took-off from Southampton Water on a scheduled flight to Lisbon, en route for Madeira, with 50 passengers and a crew of 8. It made a normal climb and three minutes later passed a routine departure message to Southern Air Traffic Control Centre, London. At 2254LT however, the radio officer called the Aquila base at Southampton and transmitted this message: "No. 4 engine feathered. Coming back in a hurry." Approximately one minute later the aircraft crashed into the face of a quarry between Chessell and Brook on the Isle of Wight. The wreckage caught fire and, despite the efforts of people who quickly came to the scene, none of the crew and only fifteen of the passengers survived.