Crash of a Lockheed PV-2 Harpoon in Hayward: 2 killed

Date & Time: Sep 7, 1965 at 1624 LT
Type of aircraft:
Registration:
N7671C
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
MSN:
15-1120
YOM:
1944
Crew on board:
1
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
2
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
2
Captain / Total flying hours:
12000
Circumstances:
After being converted by Oakland Airmotive Centaurus for civil use, the aircraft was engaged in a delivery flight, carrying two passengers and one pilot. Shortly after takeoff from Hayward Airport, while in initial climb, the twin engine aircraft stalled and crashed in flames. The pilot and a passenger were killed while the second passenger was injured. The aircraft was destroyed.
Probable cause:
Improper maintenance, servicing and inspection on part of the maintenance personnel. Inadequate flight preparation on part of the pilot. It was reported that the modification done on the aircraft were not approved by FAA. The aircraft was improperly loaded at the time of the accident, which caused the stall. Errors made in modification work and loading resulted out of limits aft CofG n° 377 filed by FAA.
Final Report:

Crash of a Rockwell Aero Commander 680 into Tustumena Lake: 4 killed

Date & Time: Sep 4, 1965 at 0940 LT
Operator:
Registration:
N6305U
Flight Phase:
Survivors:
Yes
Crew on board:
1
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
4
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
4
Captain / Total flying hours:
5184
Captain / Total hours on type:
403.00
Circumstances:
En route, the pilot encountered poor weather conditions and while cruising at low height, the airplane struck the water surface and crashed into Tustumena Lake. The airplane sank and was not recovered. A passenger survived and was slightly injured while four other occupants were killed.
Probable cause:
The pilot misjudged distance and altitude and continued under VFR mode into adverse weather conditions. The lake was glassy at the time of the accident.
Final Report:

Crash of a Beechcraft C18S in International Falls

Date & Time: Aug 26, 1965 at 1045 LT
Type of aircraft:
Registration:
N59550
Survivors:
Yes
MSN:
8070
YOM:
1944
Crew on board:
2
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
6
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Captain / Total flying hours:
6000
Captain / Total hours on type:
355.00
Circumstances:
On final approach to International Falls Airport, one of the engine failed. The aircraft lost speed and height then struck trees and crash landed short of runway. All eight occupants were evacuated while the aircraft was damaged beyond repair.
Probable cause:
Engine failure caused by a fuel exhaustion. Improper in-flight decision and improper IFR operation on part of the crew.
Final Report:

Crash of a De Havilland U-6A Beaver at Fort Sill AFB: 2 killed

Date & Time: Aug 25, 1965 at 0630 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Fort Sill - Fort Sill
Crew on board:
2
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
2
Circumstances:
On final, the airplane was too low, struck a metallic barrier and banked left, causing the left wingtip to struck the ground. The airplane eventually crashed in flames in a field, killing both crew members. The crew was rehearsing for the artillery and missile school demonstration to be presented the next Saturday. The single engine aircraft crashed several hundred yards east of the barrier erected for short field takeoff and landings and was destroyed by a post crash fire.
Crew:
1st Lt James Lawrence Reed +1.

Crash of a Beechcraft TC-45G Expeditor in Cambridge

Date & Time: Aug 17, 1965 at 1154 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
N159L
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
MSN:
AF-64
YOM:
1952
Crew on board:
1
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Captain / Total flying hours:
11000
Captain / Total hours on type:
400.00
Circumstances:
Shortly after takeoff from Cambridge Airport, while in initial climb, one of the engine failed. The pilot contacted ground and expected to return for an emergency landing but the airplane lost height, struck trees and crashed in flames. While the pilot was uninjured, the airplane was destroyed by fire.
Probable cause:
Engine failure for undetermined reason.
Final Report:

Crash of a Boeing 727-100 off Chicago: 30 killed

Date & Time: Aug 16, 1965 at 2120 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
N7036U
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
New York – Chicago
MSN:
18328
YOM:
1965
Flight number:
UA389
Crew on board:
6
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
24
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
30
Captain / Total flying hours:
17142
Captain / Total hours on type:
59.00
Copilot / Total flying hours:
8466
Copilot / Total hours on type:
363
Aircraft flight hours:
611
Circumstances:
A United Air Lines, Inc., Boeing 727-22, N7036U, Flight 389 (UAL 389) was a regularly scheduled domestic passenger/cargo flight from LaGuardia Airport, New York to O'Hare International Airport, Chicago, Illinois. The aircraft had arrived at LaGuardia, on the date of the accident, following a trip from Los Angeles, California, with stops at Sacramento, California, Reno, Nevada, Denver, Colorado, and Chicago, Illinois. The flight crew of UAL 389 reported for duty at LaGuardia Airport one hour before scheduled departure where they prepared for the flight to Chicago. The stewardesses arrived with the aircraft from Chicago. Persons known to have been in contact with the crew prior to their departure from New York noticed nothing unusual about their behavior or appearance. UAL 389 departed LaGuardia at 1952 on an Instrument Flight Rules (IFR) flight plan at FL 350 and estimated their arrival time at O'Hare to be 2127. The crew reported at FL 350 at 2011.35. At 2102 UAL 389 came under control of the Chicago Air Route Traffic Control Center (ARTCC) reporting its altitude as FL 350 and was cleared to the O'Hare Airport via Pullman VORTAC direct to the Northbrook VORTAC, direct O'Hare and to maintain FL 350. This clearance was acknowledged correctly and the crew was advised that radar contact had been established. At 2103 the ARTCC controller cleared UAL 389 to descend to FL 240 and to "start descent now through 31" (FL 310). UAL 389 replied "...down to 240, leaving three five." At 2106 UAL 389 was cleared to continue its descent to 14,000 feet and given an altimeter setting of 29.90 inches for O'Hare. This message was acknowledged immediately and in reply to the controller's inquiry the crew reported they were leaving FL 280 "now." At 2109 the flight was instructed to change frequencies and within the same minute reported out of FL 260 descending to fourteen thousand. This was the last altitude information received from the crew. At 2111 the flight was cleared to descend to 6,000 feet and the clearance was immediately acknowledged correctly. At 2118:35 control of the flight was passed to Chicago Approach Control (ORD). The radar target of UAL 389 was in the vicinity of the Sturgeon Intersection (intersection of the 011 radial of Chicago Heights and 076 radial of Northbrook VORTAC, 28 miles east of Northbrook VORTAC). At 2118:38 the target was observed approximately 2 miles east of the intersection. At 2119:36 the crew contacted ORD and was advised that radar contact had been established. At this time the aircraft target was 2-3 miles west of Sturgeon. UAL 389 was cleared to maintain 6,000 feet and to depart the Northbrook VORTAC on a heading of 240 degrees. The flight was advised that instrument landing system approaches were in progress on runway 14R at O'Hare and that the current O'Hare altimeter setting was 29.93. The pilot read back the altimeter setting incorrectly, the controller corrected him, and the pilot repeated it correctly. This was the last communication received from the flight and ended at 2120:03. The airplane crashed into Lake Michigan and exploded upon impact. All 30 occupants were killed.
Probable cause:
The Board is unable to determine the reason for the aircraft not being leveled off at its assigned altitude of 6,000 feet.
Final Report:

Crash of a Beechcraft C-45H Expeditor in Long Beach: 8 killed

Date & Time: Aug 7, 1965 at 0209 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
N88Q
Flight Phase:
Survivors:
No
MSN:
AF-710
YOM:
1954
Crew on board:
1
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
7
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
8
Captain / Total flying hours:
7000
Circumstances:
Shortly after takeoff from Long Beach Airport, while climbing by night and a limited visibility due to fog, one of the engine failed. Unable to maintain a safe altitude, the twin engine aircraft struck power cables, stalled and crashed in flames in Lakewood. The airplane was totally destroyed by impact forces and a post crash fire and all 8 occupants were killed.
Probable cause:
Investigations were unable to determined the exact cause of the engine failure.
Final Report:

Crash of a Beechcraft Queen Air 65 in Iron Mountain

Date & Time: Jul 27, 1965 at 2005 LT
Type of aircraft:
Registration:
N575K
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Iron Mountain - Iron Mountain
MSN:
LC-173
YOM:
1965
Crew on board:
2
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Captain / Total flying hours:
9402
Captain / Total hours on type:
52.00
Circumstances:
On final approach to Iron Mountain-Ford Airport, while on a local training mission, the crew voluntarily shut down one engine to simulate a failure. Due to insufficient speed, the airplane stalled and crashed in a field located few miles short of runway. While both occupants were slightly injured, the airplane was damaged beyond repair.
Probable cause:
The crew failed to maintain a sufficient speed on approach.
Final Report:

Crash of a Convair CV-440 Metropolitan in Williamsport

Date & Time: Jul 23, 1965 at 1506 LT
Operator:
Registration:
N8415H
Flight Phase:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Pittsburgh-Du Bois-Phillipsburg-Williamsport-Wilkes-Barre-Newark
MSN:
125
YOM:
1953
Flight number:
AL604
Crew on board:
4
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
36
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Captain / Total flying hours:
10071
Captain / Total hours on type:
1296.00
Copilot / Total flying hours:
5061
Copilot / Total hours on type:
1410
Aircraft flight hours:
26266
Circumstances:
Allegheny Airlines, Inc., Flight 604, a Convair 340/440, N8415H, crashed 5 miles east-northeast of the Williamsport-Lycoming County Airport, Montoursville, Pennsylvania, on July 23, 1965. The 36 passengers, 3 crew members, and 1 jumpseat rider survived but received varying degrees of injuries. The flight, regularly scheduled from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania to Newark, New Jersey, with intermediate stops at Dubois, Phillipsburg, Williamsport and Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania, departed Runway 09 at 1503. e.d.t. Shortly after takeoff smoke and fire were observed coming from the right engine and at approximately 1505:30 the captain advised "Six oh four is coming back in, we've got the right engine feathered.” The crash occurred moments later on the crest of a ridge approximately 600 feet above the airport elevation. The aircraft was destroyed by fire. The failure of the right engine is attributed to the failure of the front row master rod and all the associated link rods. Damage to the rod ends precluded any determination of the cause of the master rod failure.
Probable cause:
The Board determines that the probable cause of this accident was the failure of the crew to implement proper procedures for an engine failure on takeoff.
Final Report:

Crash of a Travel Air 4000 in Alamo: 1 killed

Date & Time: Jul 22, 1965 at 1130 LT
Type of aircraft:
Registration:
N8140
Flight Phase:
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Alamo - Alamo
MSN:
914
YOM:
1929
Location:
Crew on board:
1
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
1
Circumstances:
The pilot was engaged in a crop spraying mission on cotton fields. While flying at low height in marginal weather conditions, the single engine aircraft went out of control and crashed in flames. The aircraft was destroyed and the pilot was killed.
Probable cause:
Loss of control caused by local whirlwind.
Final Report: