Shreveport

The aircraft departed Hamilton, Ontario, on a cargo flight to Saltillo, Coahuila, with an intermediate stop in Shreveport, LA, carrying two pilots and a load consisting of 4 tons of auto parts. The aircraft arrived in Shreveport at 2319LT and departed at 2348LT. On approach to Saltillo-Plan de Guadalupe Airport, the crew encountered low visibility due to poor weather conditions and dark night. On final approach to runway 17, as the captain was unable to establish a visual contact with the runway, he decided to abandon the approach and initiated a go-around procedure. Nine seconds later, the aircraft stuck the ground and crashed 550 metres to the east of the runway 17 threshold, bursting into flames. The aircraft was totally destroyed, the captain was killed and the copilot was seriously injured.

The pilot reportedly did an unusual amount of engine run-up before pulling onto the runway. He then performed another run-up before departing. This is evidence that he was aware of a problem with his aircraft. The engine(s) were popping and puffing black smoke during the ground run. Yet, the takeoff was continued. The popping and smoke puffing continued after liftoff. A noticeable loss of airspeed occurred during the climbout. The aircraft started the third roll (into the bad engine) before finally going inverted. The aircraft's allowable gross weight was exceeded by at least 205 pounds at takeoff, however, the center of gravity remained within its specified limits. Internal examination of the right engine exhibited evidence that it had operated at sometime on a mixture of gasoline and jet fuel. All six occupants were killed.

Following an uneventful flight from Shreveport, the crew started the descent to Eagle County Airport, Colorado. By a dark night and overcast ceiling, the crew failed to realize his altitude was too low when the airplane struck the slope of a mountain and crashed near Wolcott, about 13 miles northeast of Eagle County Airport. The airplane was destroyed upon impact and all seven occupants were killed.

After takeoff from Mineral Wells, while in initial climb, the airplane banked left, lost altitude and crashed in a field, bursting into flames. The pilot, sole on board, was killed.

After takeoff from Shreveport, the twin engine airplane climbed to its assigned altitude when the pilot obtained the permission to modify his route to avoid a storm. Then the aircraft flew to the east and climbed to the excessive altitude of 41,600 feet (some 6,600 feet above the maximum certified altitude for the aircraft) and the radio contact was lost with the pilot. An Air National Guard Convair F-106 Delta Dart fighter aircraft was dispatched and its pilot confirmed that both occupants seems to be unconscious. After few minutes, both engines stopped due to lack of fuel and the airplane entered a spin and eventually crashed in the Atlantic Ocean about 100 miles east of Norfolk, Virginia. Few debris were found floating on water but the main wreckage was never found as well as both occupants, the pilot Louis Benscotter and the football and baseball coach Robert Edward 'Bo' Rein aged 34.

Shortly after takeoff from Oklahoma City-Will Rogers Airport, while in initial climb, the left engine failed. He feathered the left propeller then initiated a left turn when control was lost. The airplane nosed down and crashed in a huge explosion, killing all seven occupants.

This flight was for the purpose of transporting 10 men from a private duck hunting camp at Lower Mud Lake, Louisiana, near the mouth of the Mermentau River, to Shreveport, Louisiana, about 190 miles north-northwest. There were ten in the hunting party; the other four and baggage for all 14 were flown to Shreveport in another company airplane from the Lake Charles, Louisiana Airport some 30 miles from Lower Mud Lake. At the time of takeoff, weather over the route was overcast with the base of clouds at 800 or 900 feet, and tops sloping from about 2,500 feet at Lower Mud Lake to 7,000 feet at Shreveport. The 1628 weather at Lake Charles Airport, 160 miles from Shreveport, and on course, was: measured ceiling 900 feet, overcast; visibility 10 miles; temperature 47 degrees; dew point 44; wind northeast 17; altimeter 29.92. The gross weight at takeoff was approximately the prescribed maximum of 12,750 pounds; the C. G. was located within prescribed limits. The pilot was W. C. Huddleston, the copilot L. R. Schexnaydre. Takeoff was made at about 1635 from Lower Mud Lake. The aircraft first reported at 1704 to the CAA Alexandria radio station, giving its position as on top (of clouds) over DeRidder, Louisiana, approximately 76 miles from the point of departure and on course. At this time the pilot requested and received Shreveport weather: measured ceiling 600 feet, variable, overcast; visibility 2 miles: drizzle, fog; temperature 36; dew point 34; wind west-northwest 17; altimeter 30.02; ceiling variable 400 to 800 feet. Alexandria radio also advised that it was very possible the drizzle would turn into freezing drizzle because of low temperature in the Shreveport area. The pilot acknowledged and said that he was going to fly on top to Elmgrove, a fan marker about 16 miles southeast of Shreveport, then file an instrument let-down to Shreveport. He then reported that he was in the clear and cloud tops were at 4,500 to 5,000 feet. At 1719 the flight reported to Shreveport Approach Control as being 30 miles southwest of Natchitoches, Louisiana, about 70 miles from Shreveport, altitude 5,500 feet, 500 on top, inbound to Shreveport, and asked for an Instrument Flight Rules clearance for approach. The flight was then issued a 500-feet-on-top clearance to Shreveport Instrument Landing System outer marker, and the pilot replied that he was estimating the outer marker at 1750. At approximately 1729 Approach Control again checked with Fort Worth Air Route Traffic Control to ascertain if any traffic in the vicinity would prevent descent from 500 feet on top to 2,000 feet, with a new clearance to Forbing, Louisiana, a range intersection about 10 miles southwest of the Shreveport Airport. ARTC advised that if the aircraft was above 5,000 feet to start it down immediately. Approach Control then asked the pilot has altitude; he replied that he was now at 6,000 feet, more than 500 feet on top. Approach Control then cleared him to descend to 2,000 feet, maintaining 2,000 feet to Forbing, with no delay expected, to report leaving the 6,000-foot altitude and when passing 5,000 feet, and to start descent immediately. The flight was then advised of reported icing at 4,000 feet and above and given the 1704 Shreveport weather: 300 feet scattered, measured 600 variable, overcast, 2 miles visibility, light snow and fog. This was acknowledged. The flight left 6,000 feet at 1730 and 5,000 feet at 1732 reporting temperatures of 40 degrees F. and 32 degrees F., respectively. At 1745 the flight advised that it was at 2,000 feet and had picked up a "load" of ice. It was cleared to 1,500 feet, the minimum safe altitude, at which time the pilot said he was on the back course of the localiser. The flight was then requested to report when passing the localiser upon winch Approach Control would bring it in. The pilot requested the ground temperature, which was given as 34 degrees F. The next contact advised being at 1,200 feet which was all he "could hold." At 1747 the flight was cleared for an approach and was asked for an arrival estimate at the outer marker. At 1749, the last radio contact with the flight, it reported being contact below the clouds with Wallace Lake in sight and "going in." No emergency, as such, was declared. Several persons near the crash site heard the engines and then saw the aircraft just below the overcast some 400 to 500 feet above the ground. It descended steeply, banking sharply from side to side several times with very loud but normal engine noise. It passed from view beyond trees; almost immediately a crash was heard and a glare seen.

Flight 318 departed Dallas, Texas, on a VFR Flight Plan at 1310, on time, for Atlanta, Georgia, with a scheduled stop at Shreveport, Louisiana. The crew consisted of Captain Douglas B. yolk, First Officer James P. Stewart and Stewardess Joanne Carlson; there were 17 passengers including one infant. The aircraft’s gross weight on departure from Dallas was 24,099 pounds, which was within the allowable weight of 25,200 pounds, and the center of gravity was within the prescribed limits. Flight 318 proceeded normally and at 1352 reported to the company station at Longview, Texas, that it was then west of Gladewater, Texas. Longview gave the flight the latest Shreveport weather which was dark scattered clouds at 1,000 feet, ceiling estimated 4,000 feet broken clouds, overcast at 20,000 feet, visibility 10 miles, thunderstorms, light rain showers, wind south 10. Remarks were thunderstorms south, occasional lightning cloud to cloud south. The flight was also advised by the company’s Longview operator that he had been watching thunderstorms east and southeast of the Longview field and suggested that the flight stay well to the north. Flight 318 answered “OK.” At 1408, in the vicinity of Marshall, Texas, the flight made a routine radio contact with Delta’s Shreveport station, during which it was given the Shreveport altimeter setting of 29.78. At this time the flight advised it was changing over to the Shreveport Control Tower frequency. At about 1412, four minutes later, Flight 318 called the Shreveport Control Tower, which cleared it to make a right-hard turn for landing approach to Runway 13 and gave the wind as southeast 10 miles per hour, Flight 318 acknowledged this message and requested the Shreveport weather which was transmitted as dark scattered clouds at 1,000 feet, ceiling estimated 4,000 feet, overcast at 20,000 feet, visibility 10 miles, thunderstorm, light rain shower. The tower also advised of a thunderstorm approximately 15 miles west of Shreveport. This transmission also was acknowledged by the flight. At 1416 the Shreveport Control Tower asked Flight 318 to give a position report. No reply was received, and a number of unsuccessful attempts were then made to contact the flight. At 1428 the tower was advised that an aircraft had crashed near Marshall, Texas. A passenger was seriously injured while 19 other occupants were killed. The aircraft was destroyed.

The crew was engaged in a training flight from Barksdale AFB. En route, the pilot lost control of the aircraft following an engine failure. The aircraft crashed in a field located 10 miles south of Shreveport and all five crew members were killed.
Crew:
Louis F. Greis, pilot, 4.

While cruising south of Gilmer, a propeller blade detached from the left engine. The crew reduced his altitude to attempt an emergency landing. On approach at night, the left engine torn off. The airplane went out of control and crashed in a desert area. All four occupants were killed.