Crash of a Rockwell Aero Commander 560F off Saint Ann's Bay: 2 killed

Date & Time: Apr 14, 1976
Operator:
Registration:
N1902S
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Barranquilla - Miami
MSN:
560-1226-50
YOM:
1962
Country:
Crew on board:
1
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
1
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
2
Circumstances:
En route from Barranquilla to Miami, the pilote informed ATC about an engine failure and elected to make an emergency landing when the airplane crashed into the sea off Saint Ann's Bay. Both occupants were killed.
Probable cause:
Engine failure in flight for unknown reasons.

Crash of a Cessna 411 in Braco

Date & Time: May 5, 1974 at 0530 LT
Type of aircraft:
Registration:
N4925T
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Cockburn Town - Montego Bay
MSN:
411-0125
YOM:
1965
Location:
Country:
Crew on board:
1
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
1
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
At about 0530LT, the aircraft was fired upon by soldiers of the Jamaica Defence Force (JDF) as it was attempting to take off from the Braco Airfield near Discovery Bay. The plane crashed and burned at the edge of the runway. The occupants escaped the fire but the pilot was seriously injured as the passenger was slightly wounded. According to the JDF, the pilot was attempting to take off shortly after he had landed and after the JDF had ordered him to halt. The aircraft was fired upon only after it had refused to obey the order and after it had run the JDF men off the runway. The JDF found several thousands US$ in cash on the two Americans and a load Smith & Wesson revolver. He was later reported that the aircraft had an engine trouble en route from Turks & Caicos Islands to Montego Bay. Jamaican Authorities reported to the US DEA that they saw the aircraft arrive in Braco Airfield and after landing, the pilot climbed on a wing and signaled with a flashlight. When challenged, he reentered the aircraft and attempted to run down the guard. At this point the JDF guards opened fire.
Probable cause:
Shot down by JDF soldiers while taking off.

Crash of a Piper PA-31-310 Navajo near Balaclava

Date & Time: Apr 18, 1974
Type of aircraft:
Registration:
N11FL
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
MSN:
31-232
YOM:
1968
Country:
Crew on board:
2
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
The twin engine airplane crashed in unknown circumstances in the region of Balaclava, in the parish of St Elizabeth. The aircraft was destroyed by a post crash and both occupants left the area and were not found. Narcotics were found on board.

Crash of a Lockheed 18 LodeStar in Clarendon: 1 killed

Date & Time: Sep 11, 1972 at 0130 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
N1040E
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
MSN:
2543
YOM:
1943
Country:
Crew on board:
1
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
2
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
1
Circumstances:
Shortly after a night takeoff from Clarendon-Vernamfield Airport, the twine engine airplane struck trees and crashed in a wooded area. A passenger was killed while two other occupants were injured. The aircraft was destroyed.
Probable cause:
Collision with trees during initial climb. The following factors were reported:
- Premature liftoff,
- Takeoff from an unlighted runway by night,
- Yawed left into trees,
- Vast amount of ganja on board.
Final Report:

Crash of a Curtiss C-46F-1-CU Commando off Kingston

Date & Time: Sep 13, 1967 at 1749 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
N1309V
Flight Phase:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Kingston - Oakland
MSN:
22599
YOM:
1945
Country:
Crew on board:
2
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
2
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Captain / Total flying hours:
12000
Captain / Total hours on type:
5000.00
Circumstances:
After takeoff from Kingston-Palisadoes Airport, while climbing, the crew informed ground about an engine failure and elected to return for a safe landing. Later, the captain realized he could not make it and decided to ditch the aircraft few km offshore. All four occupants were quickly rescued while the aircraft was lost.
Probable cause:
Powerplant failure for undetermined reason.
Final Report:

Crash of a Curtiss C-46A Commando near Kingston: 2 killed

Date & Time: Nov 26, 1962 at 0350 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
HK-354X
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Schedule:
Fairbanks – Miami – Kingston – Bogotá
Country:
Crew on board:
3
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
2
Circumstances:
The Curtiss C-46 operated on a ferry flight from Fairbanks to Bogotá via Miami and Kingston, carrying four spare engines and spare parts. The plane arrived at Kingston on November 25, 17:01 GMT. Following refueling of the aircraft, fuel was observed venting from the right front tank. This caused a delay in departure. At 08:47 GMT the next day, the C-46 lifted off from runway 29 after a long takeoff run and was cleared to climb ahead to 1500 feet. The plane started to turn left on crossing the coastline. Three minutes after takeoff, while still in a shallow climbing left-hand turn, the aircraft flew onto the southern face of Port Henderson Hills at a height of 700 feet. After scraping along rough ground over the brow of the hill, the aircraft fell down a steep precipice and caught fire.
Probable cause:
The aircraft was turned during the climb after takeoff at a height insufficient to clear rising ground. The ability of the pilot to avoid the hill may have been affected by some mechanical or other failure, although the occurrence of such a failure was not established. A contributing factor was that the carriage of one pilot was inadequate for the safe operation of an aircraft of this type.
Final Report:

Crash of a Lockheed L-1049E-55 Super Constellation in Montego Bay: 37 killed

Date & Time: Jan 21, 1960
Operator:
Registration:
HK-177
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
New York – Montego Bay – Barranquilla – Bogotá
MSN:
4556
YOM:
1954
Flight number:
AV671
Country:
Crew on board:
7
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
39
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
37
Circumstances:
Avianca Flight 671, a Lockheed Super Constellation, took off from New York-Idlewild for a flight to Bogotá via Montego Bay and Barranquilla. En route to Montego Bay, the no. 3 engine malfunctioned and was stopped. The flight diverted to Miami, arriving there at 16:57. A replacement propeller governor was fitted, but during pre-flight checks a further defect in the no. 2 engine was found. This was rectified and the flight departed Miami at 00:12, the copilot being the pilot flying. Upon arrival near Montego Bay, clearance was given for a standard instrument approach. The airfield was sighted following the procedure turn at 2,000 feet and the approach was continued visually. Following a heavy touchdown, the plane bounced and landed back on the runway and skidded down the runway in flames, coming to rest inverted, 1,900 feet from the runway threshold and 200 feet to the left. Five crew members and four passengers survived while 37 other occupants were killed. The airplane was destroyed by fire.
Probable cause:
The adoption of a final approach path resulting in a heavy landing during which a major structural failure occurred in the port wing in the immediate vicinity of Station 80 joint caused by the transmission of stresses through the undercarriage in excess of those which would be encountered if the rate of sink of the aircraft at the time of impact had been controlled within the designed maximum of 10 feet per second. The primary responsibility for the safety of an aircraft and its complement is vested in the captain. However, there is evidence of mitigating circumstances in that the errors of judgement that precipitated the disaster reflect some deficiency of knowledge which should have been instilled in the training and flight proficiency checking of the pilots of HK-177. A measure of responsibility for the accident must, therefore, devolve on the supervisory and advisory authorities for the overall conduct of the operation.

Crash of a Lockheed 18-56 LodeStar off Kingston: 13 killed

Date & Time: Apr 10, 1953
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
VP-JBC
Flight Phase:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Kingston – George Town
MSN:
2568
YOM:
1943
Country:
Crew on board:
3
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
11
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
13
Circumstances:
Shortly after takeoff from Kingston-Palisadoes Airport, while climbing to a height of 100-200 feet, the twin engine aircraft banked left, lost height and crashed into the sea. A passenger was rescued while 13 other occupants, were killed. The pilot, Owen Roberts, was the owner of the company. Later, the international Airport of George Town in the Cayman Islands was renamed on his honor.
Probable cause:
The failure of the port engine which in turn was due to the cracking of the Accessory Drive Gear. Thereafter the disaster must be attributed to the failure of the pilot to take precautionary steps on hearing the back firing, which, so far as he knew, might or might not have been a warning of possible engine failure.

Crash of a Convair CV-240-2 off Kingston

Date & Time: Sep 2, 1951 at 1010 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
N90662
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Miami – Camagüey – Kingston – Maracaibo
MSN:
49
YOM:
1948
Flight number:
PA507
Country:
Crew on board:
4
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
30
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Captain / Total flying hours:
9666
Captain / Total hours on type:
2618.00
Copilot / Total flying hours:
2591
Copilot / Total hours on type:
1199
Aircraft flight hours:
4146
Circumstances:
Flight 507 departed Miami, Florida, at 0700, September 2, 1951, and made a routine scheduled stop at Camagüey, Cuba. No irregularities were reported by the flight crew upon arrival at Camagüey, and the flight departed there on schedule at 0900, cleared under visual flight rules direct to Kingston, Jamaica, with Montego Bay, Jamaica, as an alternate. The gross weight of the aircraft and distribution of the disposable load were within allowable limits upon departure from Camagüey. The flight was uneventful between Camagüey and Kingston, and routine radio contacts were made en route At 1003 Flight 507 reported its position to Palisadoes Airport Tower, Kingston, as 20 miles north and a little later was cleared into the traffic pattern for Runway 14. The flight acknowledged this clearance and shortly thereafter reported that the field was in sight Palisadoes Tower then advised Flight 507 of the presence of a local squall between Kingston and the approach end of Runway 14, with heavy rain at the airport, and suggested a low approach. When the aircraft first came into view of the air traffic controller, it was just emerging from the heavy part of the squall, which was then over the approach end of Run-way 14 and moving northwesterly. At this time the flight requested and received permission to circle the airport to the right Witnesses located near the approach end of Runway 14 observed the aircraft flying in a southeasterly direction, paralleling the runway. At approximately the runway intersection, 2 the aircraft turned right and continued around the airport to a point northwest of the approach end of Runway 14 and over Kingston Harbor, here it was observed to descend into the water about 800 feet short of the runway. No one was seriously injured. A motor launch from a nearby salvage vessel arrived alongside the wrecked aircraft in a matter of minutes and took the survivors ashore. The wreckage floated for a short time, then sank, leaving only a part of the tail group and one wing visible above the surface of the water.
Probable cause:
The Board determines that the probable cause of this accident was the serious error in judgment and piloting technique on the part of the co-pilot and the failure of the captain to recognize the error and take over the controls in sufficient time to take corrective action. It was also determined that the rain squall in the Kingston area was local in nature and the visibility and ceiling at the airport were well above minimums. Also there was no malfunctioning of the aircraft or any of its components prior to impact.
Final Report:

Crash of a Consolidated PBY-5 Catalina off Kingston

Date & Time: Apr 9, 1950
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
VP-BAO
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Miami – Nassau – Kingston
MSN:
118
YOM:
1941
Country:
Crew on board:
2
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
2
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
The aircraft was engaged on a ferry flight from Miami to Kingston with an intermediate stop in Nassau, following inspections and repairs. During the flight from Nassau to Kingston, both engines failed and the aircraft was forced to alight on the sea south of Kingston. All four occupants were rescued while the aircraft sank and was lost.
Source:
https://aviation-safety.net/database/record.php?id=19500409-0
Probable cause:
The primary cause of the accident was the failure of both engines due to stoppage of fuel supply. This resulted in a forced alighting in a heavy sea with subsequent damage due to which the aircraft sank. The investigation board considers that the following were contributory factors to the accident:
- Incorrect installation of Fuel Shut Off cocks,
- Failure to rectify fuel sight gauges,
- Seizure of fuel selector valves precluding proper pre-flight fuel system checks in Miami and Nassau,
- Inadequate final handing over inspection of aircraft,
- Inadequate acceptance inspection of aircraft,
- Weather conditions at Kingston which precluded a more direct approach.