Crash of a Curtiss C-46F-1-CU Commando in Detroit

Date & Time: Nov 20, 1964 at 0611 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
N3971B
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Detroit – Wilmington
MSN:
22594
YOM:
1945
Flight number:
VK11346
Crew on board:
2
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Captain / Total flying hours:
10376
Captain / Total hours on type:
5676.00
Aircraft flight hours:
25018
Circumstances:
The crew was engaged in a cargo flight from Detroit to Wilmington and the aircraft was loaded to about 20 pounds under the maximum allowable gross weight of 48,000 pounds. After takeoff from runway 21L, while climbing to a height of 200 feet, the aircraft suffered vibrations then stalled and crashed in a field located 2,050 feet pas the runway end. It slid for about 448 feet before coming to rest with its both wings partially sheared off. Both pilots were evacuated and the aircraft was written off.
Probable cause:
A loss of lift during takeoff, resulting from airframe icing caused by inadequate deicing and preflight inspection. It was determined that the airplane has been improperly deiced prior to takeoff and that a layer of 3 mm of ice was still on the wings at the time of the accident.

Crash of a Fairchild F-27A near Las Vegas: 29 killed

Date & Time: Nov 15, 1964 at 2025 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
N745L
Survivors:
No
Site:
Schedule:
Phoenix – Las Vegas
MSN:
29
YOM:
1958
Flight number:
BO114
Crew on board:
4
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
25
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
29
Captain / Total flying hours:
11171
Captain / Total hours on type:
4055.00
Copilot / Total flying hours:
3249
Copilot / Total hours on type:
811
Aircraft flight hours:
14401
Circumstances:
Weather was poor near Las Vegas with indefinite ceiling at 500 feet, sky obscured, 900 m visibility and light snow. Flight 114 was flying a VOR/DME-3 approach when the plane descended below altitude minima. At 9.7 DME, at an elevation of 3575 feet msl the plane struck rising terrain and crashed. The flight should have been at 4300 feet msl at that point. It appeared that the VOR/DME-3 approach procedure was relatively new, having become effective on October 3, 1964. Until November 15 no approaches using this procedure had been flown. The approach chart depiction for the segment of the approach from the 15 mile fix to the 6 mile fix displayed no descent information on the profile section. However, the profile did show a solid horizontal line between the 6 mile fix and the 3 mile fix, with an altitude of 3,100 feet. Further, the solid line was defined in the Chart Legend as "Flight Path," which implied that a descent to 3,100 feet was proper once the fix to which the flight has been cleared is reached.
Probable cause:
The misinterpretation of the approach chart by the captain which resulted in a premature descent below obstructing terrain.
Final Report:

Crash of a Beechcraft C18S in Fairfield: 4 killed

Date & Time: Nov 15, 1964 at 1339 LT
Type of aircraft:
Registration:
N39Q
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Fairfield - Fairfield
MSN:
6951
YOM:
1944
Crew on board:
2
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
3
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
4
Circumstances:
The crew was completing a local demo flight at Fairfield-Caldwell Wright-Essex County Airport. On final approach, the captain decided to make a go around for unknown reason. Doing so, the twin engine airplane lost height, struck power cables and crashed in flames short of runway threshold. A pilot was seriously injured while four other occupants were killed.

Crash of a Boeing B-52D-65-BO Stratofortress near Jordan: 7 killed

Date & Time: Nov 10, 1964 at 2255 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
55-0108
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Site:
Schedule:
Larson - Larson
MSN:
17224
YOM:
1955
Location:
Crew on board:
7
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
7
Circumstances:
Crashed while on night low‑level mission in Montana. Mission was to make two low-level entry points for training a new navigator and testing ground avoidance equipment. The first entry point was the Flint Rock Oil Burner Run where plane was flying a most level flight path missing the first knoll at 2550' elevation, continued until contacting a second knoll approximately 300' farther on the line of flight where plane disintegrated. The wreckage was found near Jordan, about 60 miles south of Glasgow.
Crew:
Cpt Guido J. Pizzeck Jr., pilot,
Cpt Willis C. Morris, copilot,
Cpt John H. Pulliam, navigator,
Cpt Jerry W. Berendzen, navigator,
1st Lt Daniel C. Woodward, EWO,
1st Lt David L. Harlan, navigator,
T/Sgt Edwin Fonzy Arlington, air gunner.

Crash of a Boeing KC-97 Stratotanker at Pease AFB: 5 killed

Date & Time: Nov 5, 1964
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Pease - Pease
Crew on board:
5
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
5
Circumstances:
Five Boeing KC-97 Stratotanker planes were scheduled to take off from Pease AFB as part of an airborne refueling training mission. The first three took off successfully, however the forth aircraft crashed and exploded on take off, scattering debris across the Pease golf course, and nearby Route 101. All five crewmen aboard were killed. Two civilians, a mother and her daughter, were slightly burned when the accident occurred. They had been sitting in a car on Route 101 watching the aircraft take off.
Crew (100th Air Refueling Squadron):
Cpt Robert L. Thompson, pilot,
Cpt Michael P. Valavon, copilot,
1st Lt Larry C. Dennis, navigator,
S/Sgt Gerald W. Schulz, boom operator,
S/Sgt Richard E. Towle, flight engineer.

Crash of a Beechcraft C-45G Expeditor in Branson: 5 killed

Date & Time: Nov 3, 1964 at 1110 LT
Type of aircraft:
Registration:
N2840G
Flight Phase:
Survivors:
No
Site:
MSN:
AF-383
YOM:
1953
Crew on board:
1
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
4
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
5
Captain / Total flying hours:
20950
Circumstances:
En route, weather conditions deteriorated and the visibility was poor. In heavy snow falls, the twin engine aircraft struck the slope of a mountain located near Branson. The wreckage was found two days later and all five occupants have been killed.
Probable cause:
The pilot continued under VFR mode in adverse weather conditions.
Final Report:

Crash of a Lockheed C-121J Super Constellation at Patuxent River NAS

Date & Time: Nov 3, 1964
Operator:
Registration:
131625
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
MSN:
4126
YOM:
1953
Crew on board:
0
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
The four engine aircraft crashed on landing for unknown reason. There were no casualties but the airplane was damaged beyond repair.

Crash of a De Havilland CV-2B Caribou near Augusta: 3 killed

Date & Time: Oct 31, 1964
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
63-9749
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Augusta - Augusta
MSN:
205
YOM:
1964
Location:
Crew on board:
3
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
3
Circumstances:
The crew departed a temporary airstrip for a local training mission with three other similar aircraft. While in formation, the aircraft collided in unknown circumstances with a second Caribou registered 63-9749 carrying also three crew members. Both aircraft went out of control and crashed in a prairie located 18 miles south of Augusta. All six crew members in both airplanes were killed.

Crash of a De Havilland CV-2B Caribou near Augusta: 3 killed

Date & Time: Oct 31, 1964
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
63-9736
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Augusta - Augusta
MSN:
180
YOM:
1964
Location:
Crew on board:
3
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
3
Circumstances:
The crew departed a temporary airstrip for a local training mission with three other similar aircraft. While in formation, the aircraft collided in unknown circumstances with a second Caribou registered 63-9749 carrying also three crew members. Both aircraft went out of control and crashed in a prairie located 18 miles south of Augusta. All six crew members in both airplanes were killed.

Crash of a Rockwell Grand Commander 680 in Charlotte: 1 killed

Date & Time: Oct 4, 1964 at 0112 LT
Operator:
Registration:
N6271D
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
MSN:
680-540-209
YOM:
1957
Crew on board:
1
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
1
Captain / Total flying hours:
5545
Captain / Total hours on type:
100.00
Circumstances:
The pilot was completing a night approach to Charlotte-Douglas Airport when, on short final, the twin engine aircraft struck trees and crashed in flames in a wooded area. The aircraft was destroyed and the pilot was killed.
Probable cause:
Improper IFR operations on part of the pilot. At the time of the accident, weather conditions were slightly worse than forecast.
Final Report: