United States of America

The crew was conducting a cargo flight from Lowry AFB to Ogden-Hill AFB on behalf of the US Air Force. While cruising over the Rockies at an altitude of 12,500 feet, the crew encountered poor weather conditions when the airplane struck the slope of mountain and crashed in flames. SAR operations were initiated but eventually suspended few days later as no trace of the airplane nor the three occupants was found. The wreckage was located on 8 July 1964. All three occupants were killed and the aircraft was destroyed by fire.

A Purdue Aeronautics Corporation, Douglas DC-3, N386T crashed while making an instrument approach to the Morgantown Municipal Airport, Morgantown, West Virginia. The accident occurred 2.5 nautical miles from the Morgantown VOR on the 340 degrees radial at 1110 c.s.t. 1 November 29, 1963. The stewardess was fatally injured in the accident but the captain and first officer escaped with minor injuries. There were no other persons aboard the aircraft. The aircraft was damaged beyond repair by the impact and post impact fire. N386T was being ferried to Morgantown in preparation for a charter flight.

Suffered a ground accident while taxiing at Newark Airport. There were no injuries but the aircraft was damaged beyond repair.

Following an uneventful flight, the crew started the approach to Nashville Airport in poor weather conditions with fog, rain showers and a 400 feet ceiling. After touchdown, the airplane suffered an asymmetrical thrust reversal. Due to high pressure, the nose gear collapsed and the airplane slid on runway for several yards before coming to rest. All 45 occupants were evacuated safely while the aircraft was considered as damaged beyond repair.

An AAXICO Airlines, Inc., C-46-F, N 67941, a cargo flight, crash landed in a plowed field and skidded into a small earthen dam approximately 35 miles eastnortheast of Malmstrom Air Force Base, Great Falls, Montana, at approximately 1500 m.s.t., on August 14, 1963. The crash occurred after the pilot failed to maintain altitude and appropriate single-engine airspeed following the shut-down of the right engine. The first officer sustained fatal injuries; the captain sustained serious injuries, and the aircraft was substantially damaged. There was no fire.

After touchdown at Seldovia Airport, the airplane encountered difficulties to stop within the remaining distance, overran, hit obstacles and went down an embankment before coming to rest. All four occupants were rescued while the aircraft was damaged beyond repair.

A Mohawk Airlines, Inc., Martin 404, N449A, operating as Flight 112 from Rochester, New York, to Newark, New Jersey, crashed on the Rochester-Monroe County Airport July 2, 1963, at approximately 1649 e d t. Seven of the forty-three persons aboard, including both pilots, were fatally injured. Flight 112 commenced a takeoff on runway 28 as a thunderstorm approaching from the west-northwest, moved over the takeoff runway. After becoming airborne and almost immediately after entering heavy rain and shifting wind conditions, the left wing of the aircraft made contact with the ground. In the ensuing Cartwheel to a stop, the aircraft was destroyed by impact and fire.

The crew was completing a local training flight at Westover AFB and encountered poor visibility due to heavy rain falls. On final, the airplane was too low, struck trees and crashed on a hilly and wooded terrain (777 feet high) located 5 miles short of runway and one mile to the left of the approach path. Three crew members were injured and the fourth occupant was killed. For unknown reason, the aircraft passed below the decision height and was not properly aligned.

Flight 388C was a nonstop flight from Daggett, California, to Manhattan, Kansas. The crew consisted of Captain David R Brown, First Officer Joseph A. Merlo, Flight Engineer Peter H. Raymon, Stewardesses Sandra R. wise, and Ann H. Allen, and Pilot/Observer Penrod Rideout who was assigned to this flight to observe operating procedures preparatory to transitioning to L-1049 type aircraft. The aircraft was serviced with fuel and oil at the company's maintenance base in Long Beach, California, and departed for Daggett at 1210. The only maintenance required prior to departure was the replacement of the Y-lead, high tension ignition leads, and spark plugs of cylinders Nos. 12 and 13 on the No. 3 engine. Upon arrival at Daggett at 1245, Federal Aviation Agency (TAA) and Military Air Transport Service (MATS) inspectors conducted a visual ramp inspection of the aircraft and interrogation of the crew. The only discrepancy noted was small area of corrosion on the underside of the aft fuselage in the vicinity of the lavatory service area. Sixty-four U. S. Army personnel boarded at Daggett and were briefed by a stewardess regarding emergency exit locations, emergency equipment and procedure The aircraft required no servicing or maintenance and there were no carry-over maintenance items reported. Takeoff gross weight was computed to be 116,520 pounds. This weight and the center of gravity (e.g.) were both within prescribed limit. Following an uneventful flight, the crew started the descent to Manhattan Municipal Airport when the observer/pilot, who was standing between the captain's and first off seats, recalled that shortly after entering the final approach he observed the propeller rpm increase approximately 100 rpm and then return to the setting of 2400 rpm, This fluctuation occurred three times. Then, following extension of full flaps, he observed the captain reduce power to approximately inches hg and almost immediately the rate of descent increased and the aircraft yawed to the right. The aircraft, was at an altitude of approximately 75 feet a.g l. when he observed the No 3 propeller reverse indicating the light 3 come on and shouted, "No. 3 is in reverse". This shouted warning was concurrent with the application of engine power and was not heard by the captain. None of the other flight crew members saw the reverse light illuminate. Persons on the ground who witnessed the accident generally agreed that the approach appeared normal until the aircraft reached a point approximately 1/3 of a mile from the airport. It was then observed to settle abruptly and contact the ground several hundred feet short of the runway. Initial impact occurred in a wheat field, 546 feet from the approach end of runway 21. At, this point the aircraft was in a right bank of approximately 15 degrees and aligned slightly to the right of the runway centerline The aircraft bounced once, then continued through the wheat field on all three landing gears until it struck an earth embankment. 3-1/2 feet high, located 176 feet from the end of the runway. This impact sheared the right main landing gear and the nose gear from the aircraft. The right wing separated from the fuselage when the aircraft contacted the end of the runway. The aircraft slid a distance of 774 feet down the runway during which time the left main landing gear failed followed by separation of the left wind. The fuselage came to rest on a heading of approximately 270 degrees, 72 feet from the right side of the runway. There were no fatalities and only one passenger was seriously injured. The aircraft was totally destroyed by a post crash fire.

Suffered an unclear accident upon landing at Andrews AFB. There were no injuries but the aircraft was written off.