United States of America

The aircraft arrived in Miami at 1240, following a routine flight from Chicago, Illinois The captain of the inbound flight reported that the only mechanical discrepancy was, "the outflow valves being a little sticky merely made it a little difficult to maintain the pressurization in a smooth manner. "These valves were cleaned, and a leaking rivet at the No. 4 reserve fuel tank was plugged when it was noticed by the mechanic. This was the only maintenance performed during the "turnaround". Flight 705 is regularly scheduled from Miami. to Portland, Oregon, with intermediate stops at Chicago, Illinois and Spokane and Seattle, Washington. The computed takeoff gross weight of 175,784 pounds, and center of gravity (e.g.) of 25 percent mean aerodynamic chord (MAC) were both well within the allowable limits. Prior to departing the ramp at 1325, the crew asked the ground controller about the departure routes being utilized, and he replied that most flights were departing ". . either through a southwest climb or a southeast climb and then back over the top of it. . . "The flight departed Miami with an Instrument Flight Rules (IFR) clearance at 1335 In accordance with the pilot's request for a". . . southeast vector "a left turn was rude after takeoff from runway 27L and circuitous routing was utilized in conjunction with radar vectors from Miami Departure Control, to avoid *** of anticipated turbulence associated with thunderstorm activity (See Attachment A). A similar departure pattern had been previously flown by another flight Subsequently, while maintaining 5,000 feet and a heading of 300 degrees, Flight 705 requested clearance to climb to a higher altitude. Following a discussion between the flight and the Federal Aviation Agency (FAA) radar departure controller about the storm activity, and while clearance to climb was being coordinated with the Miami Air Route Traffic Control Center (ARTCC), the flight advised "Ah-h we're in the clear now. We can see it out ahead . . . looks pretty bad." At 1343, Flight 705 was cleared to climb to flight level 2/ 250 (FL250). They responded, "OK ahhh, we'll make a left turn about thirty degrees here and climb. . "The controller asked of 270 degree was their selected climbout heading, and they replied that this would take them". . . out in the open again". . Accordingly, clearance was granted. Following some discussion about the severity of the turbulence, which was described as moderate to heavy, the flight advised, "OK, you better run the rest of them off the other way then." At 1345 radar service was terminated and control of Flight 705 was transferred to Miami ARTCC. When the flight did not establish radio communication with ARTCC on the initial frequency, Departure Control provided a secondary frequency, and instructed the flight to turn to a heading of 360 degrees which was acknowledged. When Miami ARTCC requested position and altitude, the flight replied, "We're just out of seventeen five (17,500 feet) and standby on the DME one." This transmission ended at 1348, and was the last known communication with Flight 705 The voice transmissions emanating from the flight were made by the first officer. Witnesses in the area reported that a loud explosion had occurred in the air, and several felt a subsequent ground tremor. They also reported that heavy rain had been failing in the area. One witness, in company with five other persons, was seven miles south of the main wreckage site She heard the sound of an explosion which had no echo. When she looked in that direction she saw an orange ball of flame in the edge of a cloud. As she directed the attention of her companions toward this flame, it dropped straight down, becoming a streak, and disappeared behind trees. Shortly after the disappearance a second sound was heard. Statements were received from the crews of four other flights operating in the Miami area at the approximate time of the accident. The first, in a large jet which approached Miami from the west at 7,000 feet, reported the weather as ". . . in and out of broken clouds and light rain showers with light turbulence. Darker heavy shower activity was observed to the (south) of course. We observed no small cells on our radar scope. . only a broad rain area. . . "Another crew, in a four-engine aircraft, departed Miami at 1318, via a departure pattern similar to that which Flight 705 later followed. They described the worst turbulence as". medium to moderate . . . "from west of the airport to north of the Miami VORTAC .3/ They were maintaining 5,000 feet at the time. A third crew in a 720B was folding southeast of Miami at 13,000 feet. They observed numerous rain cells on radar in the Miami area and encountered light ice at this altitude. The fourth crew, also flying a large jet, taxied out shortly after Flight 705 but delayed takeoff for nearly an hour because of the weather. The weather in the Miami area at the time of the accident was characterized by a pre-frontal squall line approximately 250 miles in length, oriented on a northeast-southwest line immediately northwest of Miami (See Attachment A). The U. S. Weather Bureau (USWB) radar observation at Miami at 1344 indicated a broken area of thunderstorms associated with this line, with cells two to twenty miles in diameter, and tops of detectable moisture at 30,000 feet. The line was moving southeast at eight knots, and moderate rain showers were occurring at the station. The 0600 and 1800 Miami radiosonde ascents showed the freezing level to have been at 11,100 and 12,400 feet m.s.1., respectively. SIGMET 4/ No. 3 prepared by the USWB at Miami, valid from 0900-1300, forecast moderate to severe turbulence 5/ in thunderstorms, with a chance of extreme turbulence in heavier thunderstorms. This advisory was called to the attention of the crew of Flight 705 by the operations agent at Miami, and was attached to their dispatch papers. SIGMET No. 4, valid from 1300-1700, was not received until approximately 1315, after the crew of Flight 705 had left the operations office. It forecast moderate to severe turbulence, but deleted the reference to extreme turbulence indicated in SIGMET No 3. Since the dispatcher for this flight is stationed in Minneapolis, the physical Limitations involved made it difficult to apprise the crew of this latest advisory prior to their taxi time of 1325. The aircraft was completely destroyed by impact forces and all 43 occupants have been killed.

Shortly after rotation, while in initial climb, one of the engine failed. The crew feathered the propeller and the captain decided to make an emergency landing. The aircraft belly landed and slid for several before coming to rest in flames in a gully located 4 miles southeast of the airfield. A passenger died while 19 other occupants were rescued. The aircraft was destroyed.

A Slick Airways Lockheed 1049H, N9740Z, crashed and burned during an ILS approach to runway 28R at the San Francisco International Airport at approximately 1207 P.s.t., February 3, 1963. Due to an inoperative glide slope receiver, the crew was listening radar advisories on the localizer receiver for altitude information. The aircraft struck approach lights 1,170 feet from the runway threshold, climbed to about 200 feet and then crashed approximately 1,900 feet beyond the threshold and on the left edge of runway 28L. Of the three crew members and five passengers aboard, the captain, first officer, and two passengers received fatal injuries. The remaining persons aboard received serious injuries. The aircraft was destroyed by subsequent fire.

The crew was completing a training mission our from Walker AFB by night when the tail broke off in turbulence. Four crew members ejected before the aircraft crashed into the Sangre de Christo Mountain Range, some 10 miles northwest of Mora. Two crew members were killed.
Crew:
Four crew survived:
Lt Col Donald Hayes, pilot,
Maj Thomas J. McBride, copilot,
Maj Emil Goldbeck, navigator,
Lt Col Nicholas Horangic, radar operator,
Maj George Szabo, weapons systems operator, †
M/Sgt Harvey Burl Dean, tail gunner. †

Continental Air Lines Flight 290, a Viscount 812, N242V, a regularly flight from Midland, Texas, crashed at the Kansas City Municipal Airport, Kansas City, Missouri, at 2244 c. s. t., January 29, 1963. All the occupants, three crew members and five passengers, received fatal injuries and the aircraft was destroyed by impact and subsequent fire. After making a straight-in approach to land on runway 18, in visual flight conditions, the aircraft continued to fly over the runway in a nose-up attitude without touching down. Near the south end of the runway, from an altitude of approximately 90 feet, the aircraft nosed over sharply, wings level, and dived into the ground. The main wreckage came to rest 680 feet beyond the end of the runway.

The wind direction shifted from east to south while the crew were preparing to land at runway 08. The captain decided to initiate a landing on runway 26. The sink rate during the approach became unsatisfactory and a go around was attempted. The aircraft was in a right turn at 150 feet when the plane settled and crashed in the Chuckchi Sea, some 300 yards from the runway. Both pilots survived the impact, but one of them drowned in the 27° F water. Downdrafts in the area north of the runway probably caused the plane to settle. Downdrafts were known to exist when the wind is southerly. The phenomena is caused by high terrain surrounding the strip on all sides except the north.

The crew was engaged in a training flight out from Westover AFB. While cruising at low height, control was lost. Three crew members were able to bail out before the aircraft crashed in the Elephant Mountain Range located near Greenville. Seven crew members were killed while two survived.
Crew (99th BS):
Lt Col Dante Bulli, pilot,
Maj Robert J. Morrison, copilot, †
Cpt Gerald Adler, navigator,
Lt Col Joe R. Simpson Jr., †
Maj William W. Gabriel, †
Maj Robert J. Hill, †
Cpt Herbert L. Hansen, †
T/Sgt Michael F. O'Keefe, †
Cpt Charles G. Leuchter. †

This flight was designated by West Coast Airlines, Inc., (WCA) as Pilot Training Flight No. 703. It was for the purpose of rating a company DC-3 captain for F-27 aircraft. N 2703 arrived at Salt Lake City Municipal Airport January 17, 1963, at 1431 1 as West Coast Flight 752 from Seattle, Washington, with stops at Yakima, Pasco, Walla Walla, all in Washington; Lewiston, Montana; and Boise and Twin Falls, both in Idaho. The flight had been uneventful and there were no carryover discrepancies entered in the aircraft's flight log. After completion of turnaround servicing, N 2703 departed the West Coast Airlines ramp at approximately 1506 with Company Cheek Pilot Instructor William Harvey Lockwood, Trainee Captain Elmer J. Cook, and FAA Carrier Inspector Buell Z. Davis aboard. A flight plan was prepared and signed by Captain Lockwood. It listed Elmer J. Cook as the first officer, FAA Inspector Buell Z. Davis as a crew member, and specified that the flight would be in the local area, under VFR conditions, and of 1 hour and 30 minutes duration. At departure Captain Cook occupied the left pilot seat, Captain Lockwood the right pilot seat, and Inspector Davis the observer's (jump) seat. The aircraft carried approximately 3,500 pounds of fuel which was ample for the intended flight. The aircraft's computed gross weight was 28,310 pounds, approximately 7,000 pounds less than maximum allowable for takeoff, and the center of gravity was within prescribed limit. Flight 703 took of f at 1510 and remained in the traffic pattern for a practice landing which was made at 1517. At 1522, Flight 703 made a second takeoff and was last observed three miles south of the airport by the local controller in the tower. The tower clearance for this takeoff was the last radio contact with the flight. The next known sighting of Flight 703 was from the air by the crew of Western Airlines Flight No. 38. At 1531 they observed it at an estimated altitude of 8,000 feet mean sea level (m.s.l.) descending to an estimated altitude of 7,000 feet m.s.l. with the left propeller feathered. It was headed southeasterly, and in the vicinity of the southern tip of Antelope Island in Great Salt Lake, some 10 miles west-northwest of the airport. Several minutes later, the ground controller in the Salt Lake City Tower observed Flight 703 for a few minutes. He saw it approaching the airport from the west at an estimated altitude of 8,000 feet above the ground. It appeared to be flying level as it came approximately over him, continuing a few miles to the east and over Salt Lake City. It then made a right turn to a west-northwesterly heading and continued in that direction until the controller discontinued watching it at a point approximately five miles west of the airport. He did not notice anything unusual about the aircraft's appearance or performance. The next observation of Flight 703 was by a motorist near the southeastern shore of the Great Salt Lake who saw it at an estimated 3,000 feet above the ground descending. He estimated the time of his initial observation to be 1550. The aircraft appeared to be on a northwesterly heading making a normal descent considerate west of the Salt Lake City Airport and continued descent until it appeared "to actually go into the lake itself." He did not see any splash; his position was about six miles from where the wreckage was later found. The official U.S. Weather Bureau observation at Salt Lake City Municipal Airport at 1555 on the day of the accident was: Ceiling estimated 12,000 feet broken, high overcast, visibility 12 miles, temperature 34 degrees F., dewpoint 2 degrees F., wind from south-southwest at 5 knots, altimeter setting 30.05, smoky, snow showers of unknown intensity east. Weather conditions were not appreciably different an hour earlier nor an hour later. At 1700, the Salt Lake City Flight Service Station (FSS) received a request from the Salt Lake City Air Route Traffic Control Center (ARTCC) to initiate a call to Flight 703 on all available frequencies. There was no reply from Flight 703 to these calls. At 1758 the Salt Lake City FSS received information from the Salt Lake City ARTCC that West Coast Flight 703 was overdue and unreported. On January 18, 1963, at approximately 1140, one body and aircraft debris was seen floating in Great Salt Lake. This floating debris was 10.4 nautical miles to the Salt Lake City Very High Frequency Omni Directional Range (VOR) or the 248 de radial. Early next morning the other two bodies were sighted and all three were recovered from the lake.

On approach to Kaktovik Airport completed by night, the pilot encountered poor weather conditions with fog. Descending under VFR, the twin engine aircraft struck the ground few km short of runway. A passenger was seriously injured while all five other occupants were killed.

While approaching Kodiak Airport following a maritime patrol flight over the North Pacific, the crew encountered poor weather conditions and low visibility. The airplane struck the north face of the Mt Old Womens located few miles short of runway. Five crew members were rescued while seven others were killed.
Those killed were:
Lt William M. Carter,
John Anthony Cole,
Lt Paul W. Dannell,
Russel S. Feldmann,
Merlin J. Haas,
Lt Richard T. Healy,
Charles A. Treat.