United States of America

Site:

MSN:

J-58

YOM:

1951

Location:

Huron

South Dakota

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Captain / Total flying hours:

5500

Captain / Total hours on type:

50.00

Circumstances:

Shortly after a night takeoff from Huron-William Washington Howes Airport, while in initial climb, the seaplane stalled and crashed. Both occupants were seriously injured and the aircraft was damaged beyond repair. At the time of the accident, the OAT was 18° F (-8° C) with a relative high humidity.

Probable cause:

Inadequate preflight preparation on part of the pilot who decided to takeoff without deicing the airplane. The pilot took off with heavy accumulation of frost on wings.

Final Report:

Crash of a Beechcraft D18S in Baltimore: 1 killed

Date & Time: May 2, 1967 at 0043 LT

Type of aircraft:

Beechcraft D18

Operator:

Mikal Corporation

Registration:

N44596

Flight Phase:

Takeoff (climb)

Flight Type:

Cargo

Survivors:

Site:

MSN:

A-5

YOM:

1945

Location:

Baltimore

Maryland

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Captain / Total flying hours:

4024

Captain / Total hours on type:

64.00

Circumstances:

Just after liftoff from Baltimore-Friendship Airport, while climbing by night, the airplane encountered difficulties to gain height. It stalled then crashed on the ground near the runway end. The pilot was killed and the passenger was seriously injured. The aircraft was destroyed.

Probable cause:

The pilot failed to obtain/maintain flying speed due to an inadequate preflight preparation. The aircraft was improperly loaded, over max gross weight and exceeded after CofG limits. The cargo was not tied down in the cabin.

Final Report:

Crash of a Beechcraft E18S in Acworth: 1 killed

Date & Time: Apr 28, 1967 at 1205 LT

Type of aircraft:

Beechcraft E18

Operator:

Registration:

N918X

Flight Phase:

Flight

Flight Type:

Private

Survivors:

Site:

Lake, Sea, Ocean, River

MSN:

BA-99

YOM:

1955

Location:

Acworth

Georgia

Country:

Region:

Rockwell Aero Commander 500

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Captain / Total flying hours:

6822

Captain / Total hours on type:

2235.00

Circumstances:

While in cruising altitude, the pilot lost control of the airplane that entered a dive and eventually crashed into a lake located near Acworth, Georgia. The aircraft was destroyed and the pilot, sole on board, was killed. The airplane was owned by C. W. Matthews.

Probable cause:

Loss of control in flight caused by the lower left wing spar (elliptical steel tube) failure due to fatigue fracture.

Final Report:

Crash of a Rockwell Aero Commander 500 in Hazlehurst: 1 killed

Date & Time: Apr 27, 1967 at 1150 LT

Type of aircraft:

Operator:

Vicksburg Air

Registration:

N6231B

Flight Phase:

Flight

Flight Type:

Ferry

Survivors:

Site:

Plain, Valley

MSN:

500-644

YOM:

1958

Location:

Hazlehurst

Mississippi

Country:

Region:

Lockheed C-121 Super Constellation

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Captain / Total flying hours:

783

Captain / Total hours on type:

281.00

Circumstances:

While in cruising altitude, the twin engine aircraft entered an uncontrolled descent until it crashed in an open field. The pilot, sole on board, was killed.

Probable cause:

The loss of control was the consequence of a structural failure in flight of the left wing outer panel, both engines and empennage due to exceeded designed stress limits of aircraft.

Final Report:

Crash of a Lockheed C-121H Super Constellation off Nantucket: 15 killed

Date & Time: Apr 25, 1967 at 1905 LT

Type of aircraft:

Operator:

Registration:

53-0549

Flight Phase:

Flight

Flight Type:

Survey / Patrol / Reconnaissance

Survivors:

Site:

Lake, Sea, Ocean, River

Schedule:

Otis - Otis

MSN:

4364

YOM:

1955

Location:

Nantucket

Massachusetts

Country:

Region:

Beechcraft C-45 Expeditor

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

The four engine airplane departed Otis AFB at 1858LT on a maritime patrol flight. Shortly after takeoff, the crew informed ground about the failure of the engine number three that caught fire and was cleared to divert to Nantucket for an emergency landing. While approaching Nantucket Island, the airplane went out of control and crashed into the sea. A passenger survived while all 15 other occupants were killed. The plane was piloted by Col James P. Lyle Jr., commander of the 551st Airborne Early Warning and Control Wing based at Otis. The survivor was the navigator, Lt Joseph H. Guenet from Montreal, Quebec.

Probable cause:

Engine fire during initial climb.

Crash of a Beechcraft C-45H Expeditor in Lake City: 1 killed

Date & Time: Apr 24, 1967 at 1445 LT

Type of aircraft:

Operator:

Registration:

N9528Z

Flight Phase:

Flight Type:

Survivors:

Site:

MSN:

AF-109

YOM:

1952

Location:

Lake City

Colorado

Country:

Region:

Lockheed L-1049 Super Constellation

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Captain / Total flying hours:

8400

Captain / Total hours on type:

1500.00

Circumstances:

The twin engine aircraft was involved in a local training mission, carrying three crew members and several skydivers (firefighters) on behalf of the US Forest Service. Following two successful missions, the crew was approaching the mountain over Lake City and the pilot-in-command reduced his speed to allow the skydivers to bail out when the airplane stalled, struck trees and crashed in a wooded area. A crew member was killed and two others were seriously injured.

Probable cause:

It was determined that the pilot-in-command misjudged distance, speed and altitude following a poorly planned approach. High density altitude and downdrafts/updrafts were considered as contributing factors.

Final Report:

Crash of a Lockheed L-1049H Super Constellation in Kotzebue

Date & Time: Apr 17, 1967 at 1452 LT

Type of aircraft:

Operator:

Registration:

N7777C

Flight Phase:

Landing (descent or approach)

Flight Type:

Scheduled Revenue Flight

Survivors:

Site:

Kotzebue-Ralph Wien Memorial

MSN:

4803

YOM:

1956

Location:

Alaska

Country:

Region:

Landing (descent or approach)

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Captain / Total flying hours:

10182

Captain / Total hours on type:

2017.00

Circumstances:

The approach to Kotzebue-Wien Memorial Airport was completed in whiteout conditions with a very limited visibility. Following a 'normal' approach, the airplane belly landed and slid for few hundred yards before coming to rest. All 32 occupants were evacuated while the aircraft was damaged beyond repair.

Probable cause:

The crew failed to follow the approach check-list and forgot to lower the landing gear, causing the airplane to make a wheels-up landing.

Final Report:

Crash of a Beechcraft King Air A90 in Endicott: 3 killed

Date & Time: Apr 16, 1967 at 2223 LT

Type of aircraft:

Beechcraft 90 King Air

Operator:

Registration:

N129GP

Flight Phase:

Flight Type:

Executive/Corporate/Business

Survivors:

Site:

MSN:

LJ-216

YOM:

1967

Location:

Endicott

New York

Country:

Region:

Rockwell Aero Commander 680

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Captain / Total flying hours:

13389

Captain / Total hours on type:

41.00

Circumstances:

The crew started the descent to Endicott-Tri Cities Airport by night and poor weather conditions consisting of fog, rain falls and low clouds. On approach, the twin engine aircraft was too low, struck tree tops and crashed few miles short of runway threshold. Both pilots and a passenger were killed while two passengers were seriously injured.

Probable cause:

Improper IFR operations on part of the flying crew who was being radar vectored to over Tri-Cities Airport but was not authorized to attempt an instrument approach. Poor weather conditions were considered as a contributing factor.

Final Report:

Crash of a Rockwell Aero Commander 680F in Reynoldsdale: 2 killed

Date & Time: Apr 15, 1967 at 0420 LT

Type of aircraft:

Operator:

Registration:

N718MS

Flight Phase:

Flight Type:

Survivors:

Site:

Schedule:

Altoona - Philadelphia

Location:

Reynoldsdale

Pennsylvania

Country:

Region: