Oklahoma City

AAXICO Airlines, Inc., Douglas DC-6A, N6579C, operating as AAXICO Flight No. 1416B, a regularly scheduled Civil Air Movement (CAN) cargo flight, crashed during an approach to a landing at Whiteman Air Force Base (AFB), Knob Noster, Missouri, at approximately 0601 c.s.t., on May 18, 1965. The crew of three, the only persons on board, escaped uninjured. The flight scheduled from Hill AFB, Ogden, Utah, to Offutt AFB, Omaha, Nebraska, with several scheduled stops at various Air Force Bases en route, departed Tinker AFB, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, on an Instrument Flight Rules (IFR) flight plan at 0446 c.s.t., for Whiteman AFB. Shortly after departure the flight canceled IFR and continued in accordance with Visual Flight Rules (VFR). The flight approached Whiteman AFB from the south and was cleared for a straight-in visual approach to runway 36. At this time a line of thunderstorms was located to the west of the field, portions of which were moving across the approach end of the runway obstructing the crew's sighting of the base and runway. The flight continued the approach, encountering heavy rain which reduced visibility to the point that visual contact with the ground was lost. The aircraft struck the trees 4,204 feet short of the runway threshold and 740 feet to the right of the extended runway center-line while on a magnetic heading of 020 degrees. The aircraft continued to the ground, shearing the landing gear, the No. 4 engine and right outer wing panel, and slid approximately 1,200 feet on the bottom fuselage surface. Ground impact ruptured the right wing fuel tanks spilling fuel along the wreckage path which resulted in a ground fire of short duration. The left inboard tanks ruptured causing a fire which destroyed the fuselage interior.

The aircraft departed Bridgeport, Connecticut, for California at 1245LT carrying two crew members. Two stops were then made at White Plains,N. Y. and at LaGuardia Field where 2 passengers boarded the aircraft. At 1346 the flight left La Guardia for Tulsa, Oklahoma, under Visual Flight Rules and no flight plan was filed. At Tulsa the aircraft was refueled with 906 gallons of gasoline which filled to capacity both main tanks, the nose tank and the rear fuselage tank. After the pilots were briefed by the Tulsa U.S. Weather Bureau Office, an Instrument Flight Rules flight plan was filed with the Air Route Traffic Centre. At 2114LT Oklahoma City Airway Communications Station received a call from the flight on 126.7 mcs requesting cancellation of the IFR flight plan and asking for a landing clearance at Oklahoma City. The flight was given the special 2100LT weather as 10,000 feet overcast, sky partially obscured, fog. visibility 1-1/2 miles, and was advised to contact RAPCON (Radar Approach Control) on 119.3 mcs for a clearance to land as IFR conditions prevailed. The crew advised that it desired clearance for Will Rogers Field. This was the last radio contact with the aircraft. It crashed at 2117LT 2 3/8 miles northwest of Union City, Oklahoma, and 23 miles west of Will Rogers Field, Oklahoma City. Two explosions were heard in the air prior to the crash and portions of the empennage and fuselage were found along the last 3 miles of the flight path. All four occupants were killed, among them George Skakel Sr., founder of Great Lakes Carbon Corporation and his wife Ann.

Braniff Airways' Flight 65 departed Denver, Colorado, at 1535 on March 26, 1952, for Dallas, Texas, with intermediate stops scheduled at Colorado Springs, Colorado, and Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. The crew consisted of Captain J. W. Stanford, First Officer J. P. Beakley, and Hostesses Dorothy Currey and Betty Murphy. The flight arrived at Colorado Springs after a routine trip and departed there at 1620. On departure it was cleared IFR (Instrument Flight Rules) direct to LaJunta, Colorado, and then by Red Airway 35 to Garden City, Kansas, and Red Airway 59 to Oklahoma City; to cruise at 8,000 feet to LaJunta, and to descend and maintain 7,000 feet from LaJunta to Oklahoma City. According to company records, the gross weight of the aircraft was within approved limits and the load was properly distributed. At 1653 the flight reported over LaJunta at 8,000 feet, descending to 7,000. Four minutes later, at 1657, the flight canceled its IFR flight plan and advised that it was proceeding VFR (Visual Flight Rules) direct to Oklahoma City via Liberal, Kansas. When in the vicinity of Hugoton, Kansas, at approximately 6,000 feet MSL, (3000 feet above the ground), one of the hostesses advised the crew that the right wing was on fire. This was the first indication the crew had that anything was wrong, as the fire-warning signal devices had not functioned and all engines appeared to be operating in a normal manner. The captain immediately looked through the small window in the forward cargo loading door on the right and saw a brilliant red reflection on the inboard surface of the No. 4 engine nacelle. Because of the brilliance of the reflection and the fact that it covered the entire visible portion of this nacelle, he believed the fire was of considerable proportion. He immediately asked the copilot where the fire was and was advised that he thought it was No. 3. The captain then decided to land as quickly as possible on a small airport near Hugoton which he had seen only a few seconds before the hostess came to the cockpit. Accordingly, the hostess was told to advise the passengers that an emergency landing was to be made, and the "Fasten seat belt" and "No smoking" signs were turned on. The captain then disengaged the autopilot, closed the throttle of the No. 3 engine, put the mixture control at idle cutoff, closed the fuel selector valve, and set the propeller control at the full high pitch position. Following this, he dived the aircraft in an attempt to extinguish the fire and to lose altitude. At this time the copilot asked the captain if he wanted the No. 3 engine's propeller feathered, and the captain said, "No." When an air speed of approximately 230 miles per hour was reached, power was reduced on the remaining three engines. During the dive the aircraft was heading in a southeasterly direction, and after a short time the dive was decreased and a steep left turn was made to a westerly heading. When the air speed decreased to approximately 200 miles per hour, the captain pulled the No. 3 fire extinguisher selector valve control handle (this also operates the fire wall shutoff valves), and then pulled the discharge handle of the left CO 2 bottle. When this bottle was discharged, the reflection on the No. 4 engine nacelle was observed to diminish appreciably. The captain said that at this time he thought he asked the copilot to discharge the right CO 2 bottle; however, this bottle was not discharged. The landing gear was lowered, and power was resumed on the three remaining engines. About this time the fire warning light in the cockpit came on, and the bell rang. These warning signals continued to operate intermittently. As soon as the gear was down, the descent was steepened and a series of steep slipping "S" turns were made toward the north while approaching the airport. At an altitude of approximately 200 to 300 feet above the ground, a pronounced buffeting (similar to that which accompanies a near stalling attitude) was experienced. This buffeting was so pronounced it was difficult to control the aircraft; however, it soon stopped and normal control was again resumed. When the buffeting occurred, the indicated air speed was approximately 150 mph. It is believed that the No. 3 engine fell from the aircraft at this time. The captain next called for full flaps. Although the copilot immediately executed this command, no apparent effect of the flaps being lowered was noticed by the crew, and a few seconds later, the aircraft touched down in the middle of the airport. The captain applied brake pressure immediately, but the aircraft did not decelerate. Approaching the north boundary of the field, the captain tried to turn left to avoid crossing a road which was adjacent to the airport, but the nose steering wheel was inoperative. Left rudder was immediately applied; however, the aircraft responded so quickly to this action that right rudder had to be applied at once to keep the aircraft from ground looping. After the aircraft was gain rolling straight, the captain pulled back on the wheel, causing the nose wheel to life from the ground, and the aircraft rolled beyond the airport boundary across a highway, through two fences and a ditch, and came to rest in a wheat field. All of the occupants were evacuated in an orderly manner, some through the forward compartment and main cabin doors by using descent ropes and a few by means of an emergency exit located on the left side of the aircraft.

While flying in a thunderstorm, the aircraft went out of control, dove into the ground and crashed in a hilly terrain. All five crew members were killed. It appears there were severe turbulence in the area at the time of the accident.

While flying in a thunderstorm, the aircraft went out of control, dove into the ground and crashed in a hilly terrain. All five crew members were killed. It appears there were severe turbulence in the area at the time of the accident.

Shortly after takeoff from runway 03, while in initial climb at a height of 30 feet, the right engine lost power. In the mean time, undercarriage was retracted. The speed decreased, the aircraft banked left and eventually crashed in a field located half a mile from the airport. Five passengers were killed while nine other occupants were injured. The aircraft was destroyed.

Shortly after takeoff from Oklahoma City-Will Rogers Airport, while in initial climb, the aircraft went out of control and crashed. A pilot was killed while the second occupant was seriously injured.

Shortly after takeoff, while in initial climb, the left engine exploded. The crew attempted to return when, during the last turn at 115°, at a speed of 80 knots, the left wing stalled and hit the ground. The aircraft cartwheeled and crashed some 600 metres from the runway end, bursting into flames. The stewardess and seven passengers were killed.
Crew:
Claude H. Seaton, pilot,
Malcolm Wallace, copilot,
Louise Zarr, stewardess.

Crashed on takeoff from Oklahoma City Airport, while performing a position flight to Amarillo with one engine inoperative. The copilot was killed while the captain was seriously injured. The aircraft was destroyed by impact forces and a post crash fire.

En route from Oklahoma City to Fort Worth, the pilot encountered poor weather condition with thunderstorm activity. While cruising at low altitude, the engine failed. The pilot lost control of the airplane that crashed in a pasture located about 8 km north of Alvord. A passenger was injured and all three occupants were killed.