Antarctica

Flight Type:

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Site:

MSN:

43384

YOM:

1944

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Upon landing at Sentinel Ridge Polar Station, one of the ski collapsed on landing. The aircraft went out of control and came to rest, damaged beyond repair. There were no casualties.

Probable cause:

A ski was sheared off on landing.

Ground accident of a Douglas R4D-8L in Sentinel Ridge

Date & Time: Nov 12, 1961

Type of aircraft:

Douglas DC-3

Operator:

Registration:

17219

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Site:

MSN:

43323

YOM:

1944

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During the roll out, the left landing gear collapsed, resulting in substantial damage to the aircraft. Because of the remote location, the aircraft was declared not salveageable Nov 24, 1961.

Probable cause:

Failure of the left main gear during roll out.

Crash of a Lockheed P2V-7LP Neptune in Wilkes Station: 5 killed

Date & Time: Nov 9, 1961

Type of aircraft:

Lockheed P-2 Neptune

Operator:

Registration:

140439

Flight Phase:

Takeoff (climb)

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Site:

Lockheed L-1049 Super Constellation

Schedule:

Wilkes Station - McMurdo Sound

MSN:

726-7098

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Crashed on takeoff while in support of Operation Deep Freeze 1962. While taking off from the skiway at Wilkes Station Antarctica, the Neptune caught fire and crashed. Of the nine men on board, only four survived. The previous landing had been so violently rough that it had broken loose the 400 gal internal tank in the bomb bay and the 4" filler pipe was spewing out raw fuel running down the bottom of the plane on take-off. At the ignition of the JATO on the t/o run, it acted like a Roman Candle. With the burning of the fiberglass tail cone, all of the acrid smoke was drawn right up to the cockpit and the pilots were blinded. They tried to return to the field and just couldn't make it. The pilot managed to level the wings before they hit and that saved some of the guys. 5 killed, 4 injured.
Source : Joe Baugher
Photos and details:
http://www.antarctica.gov.au/news/2012/antarctic-air-crash-victims-remembered

Probable cause:

An investigation of the crash reported the cause as a collision with the ground following an intense, uncontrollable fire in the landing gear - bomb bay fuel tank area.

Crash of a Lockheed WV-2 Super Constellation at McMurdo Sound Station

Date & Time: Oct 31, 1960

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Registration:

126513

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De Havilland DHC-2 Beaver

MSN:

4302

YOM:

1955

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Upon landing at McMurdo Sound-Williams Field, the four engine airplane struck a snowbank, causing the landing gear to collapse. The aircraft went out of control, lost its left wing and both left engines before coming to rest. All 23 occupants were uninjured. The flight was completed on behalf of the 8th Oceanographic Development Squadron of the US Army.

Crash of a De Havilland DHC-2 Beaver on Beardmore Glacier

Date & Time: Jan 15, 1960 at 1500 LT

Type of aircraft:

Operator:

Registration:

NZ6010

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Douglas C-47 Skytrain (DC-3)

Site:

Plain, Valley

MSN:

911

YOM:

1956

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The crew was completing a supply mission to Beardmore Glacier and elected to land in whiteout conditions when the airplane struck the icy ground and crashed. Both pilots were rescued five days later and the aircraft was abandoned in situ.

Crash of a Douglas R4D-8 at Byrd Station

Date & Time: Jan 6, 1960

Type of aircraft:

Operator:

Registration:

17154

Flight Phase:

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Survivors:

Site:

MSN:

43373

YOM:

1944

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Crashed in whiteout conditions while attempting to land at Byrd Station on a supply mission. There were no casualties but the aircraft was written off.

Crash of a Douglas R4D-5 in Cape Hallett

Date & Time: Sep 15, 1959

Type of aircraft:

Douglas DC-3

Operator:

Registration:

17163

Flight Phase:

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Site:

MSN:

12519

YOM:

1944

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On touchdown, the right main gear collapsed. The airplane veered off runway and came to rest. There were no casualties but the aircraft was written off.

Probable cause:

Failure of the right main gear on landing.

Crash of an Ilyushin II-12L at Mirny Ice Station

Date & Time: Jan 31, 1959

Type of aircraft:

Ilyushin II-12

Operator:

Registration:

CCCP-04249

Flight Phase:

Flight Type:

Cargo

Survivors:

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