Greenland | Bureau of Aircraft Accidents Archives

The crew was involved in a routine survey flight over Greenland and its coasts when the airplane crashed in unknown circumstances onto the Kronborg Glacier. The aircraft was totally destroyed and all 12 crew members from the Thule AFB contingent were killed.

Crash of a De Havilland DHC-3 Otter near Søndre Strømfjord: 1 killed

Date & Time: Aug 29, 1961 at 1523 LT

Type of aircraft:

De Havilland DHC-3 Otter

Operator:

Registration:

CF-MEX

Flight Phase:

Takeoff (climb)

Flight Type:

Scheduled Revenue Flight

Survivors:

Yes

Site:

Plain, Valley

Schedule:

Søndre Strømfjord – Egedesminde

MSN:

332

YOM:

1960

Location:

Kangerlussuaq (Søndre Strømfjord)

Qeqqata Kommunia

Country:

Greenland

Region:

Europe

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Captain / Total flying hours:

4000

Captain / Total hours on type:

1500.00

Aircraft flight hours:

750

Circumstances:

Few minutes after takeoff from Søndre Strømfjord Airport, en route for Egedesminde (Aasiaat), the aircraft caught fire. The crew reduced his altitude and attempted an emergency landing when the airplane crashed. A crew member was killed while five other occupants were injured, some of them seriously. The aircraft was destroyed.

Probable cause:

An in-flight fire, initiated and sustained by a severe fuel leak. The fuel leak was caused by the locking of a carburetor drain plug to unscrew.

Final Report:

Crash of a Douglas C-54A-1-DO Skymaster in Greenland: 2 killed

Date & Time: May 13, 1957 at 0335 LT

Type of aircraft:

Douglas C-54 Skymaster

Operator:

Registration:

N68736

Flight Phase:

Flight Type:

Survivors:

Site:

Schedule:

Qikiqtarjuaq – Narsarsuaq

MSN:

7449

YOM:

1943

Flight number:

UO736

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Captain / Total flying hours:

12929

Captain / Total hours on type:

5150.00

Copilot / Total flying hours:

5675

Copilot / Total hours on type:

3550

Circumstances:

The aircraft carried a crew of three and no passengers. It was one of several Company aircraft under contract to transport diesel oil from Narsarsuaq, Greenland, to various DEW Line sites (Distant Early Warning Radar Line). The flight was returning from DEW site 39 when it crashed during a VFR descent on the Greenland ice cap at approximately 0335LT. After impact, the airplane skidded about 4,500 feet before coming to rest. The copilot survived while two other occupants were killed.

Final Report:

Crash of a Douglas C-124C Globemaster II at Thule AFB

Date & Time: May 15, 1955

Type of aircraft:

Douglas C-124 Globemaster II

Operator:

Registration:

52-1088

Flight Phase:

Takeoff (climb)

Flight Type:

Military

Survivors:

Yes

Site:

Airport (less than 10 km from airport)

Schedule:

Thule - Westover

MSN:

43997

YOM:

1952

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

Crashed shortly after takeoff from Thule AFB while on a flight to Westover AFB. All seven crew members were injured.

Ground accident of a Douglas SC-47D near Narsarsuaq

Date & Time: Apr 14, 1955

Type of aircraft:

Douglas C-47 Skytrain (DC-3)

Operator:

Registration:

43-48765

Flight Phase:

Flight Type:

Survivors:

Site:

MSN:

14581/26026

YOM:

1944

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

While taxiing, the airplane struck an irregularities in the terrain, causing a main gear and its ski to be sheared off. The airplane was damaged beyond repair and there were no casualties.

Crash of a Douglas C-124C Globemaster II at Thule AFB: 10 killed

Date & Time: Sep 12, 1954

Type of aircraft:

Douglas C-124 Globemaster II

Operator:

Registration:

52-1052

Flight Phase:

Landing (descent or approach)

Flight Type:

Military

Survivors:

Yes

Site:

Airport (less than 10 km from airport)

Schedule:

Thule - Westover

MSN:

43961

YOM:

1952

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

Shortly after takeoff from Thule Airbase, while climbing, the pilot informed ground about an engine failure and obtained the permission to return for an emergency landing. Following a circuit, the crew started the descent to runway 16 but encountered poor weather conditions: light snow, visibility 1,500 meters and crosswinds gusting up to 30 knots. On short final, the aircraft was too low and the left wing contacted ground. Out of control, the airplane crashed in flames and came to rest 1,2 km short of runway 16 threshold. Ten crew members were killed while five others were injured. The aircraft was destroyed.

Probable cause:

Engine failure shortly after takeoff.

Crash of a Douglas C-47D in Greenland

Date & Time: Sep 3, 1954

Type of aircraft:

Douglas C-47 Skytrain (DC-3)

Operator:

Registration:

43-48460

Flight Phase:

Flight

Flight Type:

Military

Site:

Plain, Valley

MSN:

14276/25721

YOM:

1944

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

Crashed in unknown circumstances about 306 km east of Thule AFB. The occupant fate remains unknown.

Crash of a Douglas C-47D near Narsarsuaq

Date & Time: Feb 22, 1954

Type of aircraft:

Douglas C-47 Skytrain (DC-3)

Operator:

Registration:

43-16252

Flight Phase:

Flight

Flight Type:

Military

Site:

Plain, Valley

MSN:

20718

YOM:

1944

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

Crashed in unknown circumstances some 56 km northeast of Narsarsuaq. Occupant fate remains unknown.

Crash of a Handley Page H.P.67 Hastings C.2 in North Ice Camp

Date & Time: Sep 16, 1952

Type of aircraft:

Handley Page H.P.67 Hastings

Operator:

Registration:

WD492

Flight Phase:

Flight Type:

Survivors:

Site:

Schedule:

Thule - Thule

MSN:

120

YOM:

1951

Location:

North Ice Camp

Northeast Greenland National Park

Country:

Greenland

Region:

Europe

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

The crew left Thule Airbase on a supply mission to scientists based at North Ice Camp. After twelve dropping missions performed successfully, the pilot-in-command reduced his altitude to 50 feet and attempted an approach at a speed of 125 knots when he encountered white-out conditions. The airplane lost height, causing a wing to hit the ground. The aircraft crash landed 1,6 km south of North Ice Camp and came to rest. All 11 occupants were rescued while the aircraft was damaged beyond repair.

Crash of a Douglas C-47A-85-DL near Narsarsuaq

Date & Time: Sep 5, 1952

Type of aircraft:

Douglas C-47 Skytrain (DC-3)

Operator:

Registration:

43-15599

Flight Phase:

Flight Type:

Survivors:

Site:

MSN:

20065

YOM:

1944

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

The aircraft ran out of fuel, forcing the crew to attempt an emergency landing. The aircraft belly landed about 16 km west of Narsarsuaq. There were no casualties but the aircraft was written off.

Probable cause:

Fuel exhaustion.