Crash of a Vickers 789D Viscount in Boston

Date & Time: Nov 15, 1961 at 1710 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
N6592C
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Washington DC – New York – Boston
MSN:
234
YOM:
1957
Flight number:
NE120
Crew on board:
8
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
37
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Captain / Total flying hours:
17000
Captain / Total hours on type:
2000.00
Copilot / Total flying hours:
3000
Copilot / Total hours on type:
300
Aircraft flight hours:
8328
Circumstances:
On November 15, 1961, at approximately 1710LT, 47 minutes after sunset, a ground collision occurred at Logan International Airport, Boston, Massachusetts, between a National Airlines DC-6B, N8228H, attempting a takeoff on runway 09 and a Northeast Airlines Viscount N6592C, during its landing roll on runway 04R. National Airlines Flight 429 originated at Boston. Its destination was Norfolk, Virginia, with five intermediate stops. Northeast Airlines Flight 120 originated at Washington, D. C. Its destination was Boston, Massachusetts, with an intermediate stop at LaGuardia Airport, New York. There were no serious injuries to either the crew or passengers of the DC-6; however, four passengers of the Viscount received minor cuts and abrasions while deplaning. There was major damage to both aircraft. As a result of this accident the Board recommended to the Federal Aviation Agency that consideration be given to requiring that all restrictive clearances or instructions issued by air traffic control be acknowledged by pilot repetition.
Probable cause:
The Board finds that this ground collision accident occurred as the result of commencement of takeoff by National 429 without clearance. Contributing factors were the failure of tower personnel to provide adequate surveillance of the active runways and to issue an appropriate warning message to the pilot of National 429 alerting him to the impending traffic confliction.

Crash of a Douglas DC-6B in Boston

Date & Time: Nov 15, 1961 at 1710 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
N8228H
Flight Phase:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Boston – New York – Norfolk
MSN:
43821
YOM:
1953
Flight number:
NA429
Crew on board:
5
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
25
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Captain / Total flying hours:
8000
Captain / Total hours on type:
1445.00
Copilot / Total flying hours:
6000
Copilot / Total hours on type:
1459
Aircraft flight hours:
26849
Circumstances:
On November 15, 1961, at approximately 1710LT, 47 minutes after sunset, a ground collision occurred at Logan International Airport, Boston, Massachusetts, between a National Airlines DC-6B, N8228H, attempting a takeoff on runway 09 and a Northeast Airlines Viscount N6592C, during its landing roll on runway 04R. National Airlines Flight 429 originated at Boston. Its destination was Norfolk, Virginia, with five intermediate stops. Northeast Airlines Flight 120 originated at Washington, D. C. Its destination was Boston, Massachusetts, with an intermediate stop at LaGuardia Airport, New York. There were no serious injuries to either the crew or passengers of the DC-6; however, four passengers of the Viscount received minor cuts and abrasions while deplaning. There was major damage to both aircraft. As a result of this accident the Board recommended to the Federal Aviation Agency that consideration be given to requiring that all restrictive clearances or instructions issued by air traffic control be acknowledged by pilot repetition.
Probable cause:
The Board finds that this ground collision accident occurred as the result of commencement of takeoff by National 429 without clearance. Contributing factors were the failure of tower personnel to provide adequate surveillance of the active runways and to issue an appropriate warning message to the pilot of National 429 alerting him to the impending traffic confliction.

Crash of a Douglas DC-4 in Cincinnati

Date & Time: Nov 14, 1961
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
N30061
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
MSN:
10331
YOM:
1944
Crew on board:
3
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
On touchdown, the aircraft went out of control and came to rest in flames. All three crew members were injured and the aircraft was destroyed by fire.

Crash of a Lockheed L-049E Constellation in Richmond: 77 killed

Date & Time: Nov 8, 1961 at 2124 LT
Registration:
N2737A
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Newark – Wilkes Barre – Baltimore – Columbia
MSN:
1976
YOM:
1946
Flight number:
IM201
Crew on board:
5
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
74
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
77
Captain / Total flying hours:
4433
Captain / Total hours on type:
293.00
Copilot / Total flying hours:
17841
Copilot / Total hours on type:
352
Aircraft flight hours:
32589
Circumstances:
On November 8, 1961, at 2124 e.s.t., an Imperial Airlines, Lockheed L-49, crashed and burned during an attempted landing at Byrd Field, Richmond, Virginia. Seventy-four passengers and three flight crew members died as a result of carbon monoxide poisoning. Two members of the flight crew escaped from the burning wreckage. The aircraft was totally destroyed. The flight was en route from Baltimore, Maryland, to Columbia, South Carolina, when in the vicinity of Richmond the crew as a result of fuel mismanagement allowed the Nos. 3 and 4 engines to run the No. 4 fuel tank dry. When they were unable to restart the two engines, they feathered the propellers and elected to land at Richmond. As the flight approached the airport for its intended landing on runway, Captain Greenlee, who was acting as copilot, without warning to the captain in command, turned the aircraft to attempt a landing on runway 02 and put the landing gear selector in the down position. When the landing gear did not extend due to crew mismanagement of the hydraulic system, a go-around was attempted with only the Nos. 1 and 2 engines operating. During the go-around, which was poorly executed, the No. 1 engine failed as a result of overboosting. With only one engine remaining in operation it was impossible to maintain flight. The crew also misjudged the aircraft flight path, overshot the extended centerline of runway 33 and crashed one-half mile to the left of the final approach path and one mile from the runway threshold.
Probable cause:
The Board determines the probable cause of this accident was the lack of command coordination and decision, lack of judgment, and lack of knowledge of the equipment resulting in loss of power in three engines creating an emergency situation which the crew could not handle.
Final Report:

Crash of a Beechcraft C-45 Expeditor at Travis AFB: 7 killed

Date & Time: Oct 18, 1961
Type of aircraft:
Flight Phase:
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Travis – San Francisco
Crew on board:
2
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
5
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
7
Circumstances:
The twin engine aircraft was performing a flight from Travis AFB to San Francisco, carrying a crew of two and five passengers, among them four US Army Officers who should be transferred to San Francisco. Shortly after takeoff, while in initial climb, the airplane banked left, stalled and crashed in flames. All seven occupants were killed.

Crash of a Douglas DC-7 at Chambers Field NAS

Date & Time: Sep 26, 1961
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
N317A
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
New York - Norfolk
MSN:
44138
YOM:
1954
Crew on board:
5
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
The crew was performing a positioning flight from New York to Chambers Field NAS at Norfolk to pick up troops on behalf of the US Army. On approach, the primary hydraulic system failed. Nevertheless, the crew was able to continue the approach and the aircraft touched down 275 feet past the runway threshold. After a course of 1,400 feet, the airplane veered off runway to the left and struck an embankment before coming to rest. All five crew members were uninjured while the aircraft was damaged beyond repair.
Probable cause:
Loss of directional control during the landing roll caused by improper use of propeller reversing and braking. The following factors contributed to the accident:
- The captain's inadequate familiarity with the aircraft systems and procedures under normal system hydraulic failure,
- Failure of the hydraulic system for an undetermined reason.

Crash of a Fairchild C-123B-9-FA Provider in Wilmington: 3 killed

Date & Time: Sep 24, 1961
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
54-0672
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Wilmington - Wilmington
MSN:
20121
YOM:
1954
Crew on board:
3
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
12
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
3
Circumstances:
The crew was taking part to an airshow at Wilmington-New Hanover County Airport with six skydivers on board. Shortly after takeoff, while climbing to a height of 300 feet, the airplane stalled and crashed in flames. Three passengers were killed while 12 other occupants were injured.

Crash of a Martin P5M-2S Marlin on Montague Island: 10 killed

Date & Time: Sep 22, 1961
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
140144
Flight Phase:
Survivors:
No
Site:
Schedule:
Kodiak - Kodiak
Crew on board:
10
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
10
Circumstances:
The seaplane (VP-45) departed Kodiak that day on a maritime patrol flight over the gulf of Alaska. While cruising at low height in limited visibility, the airplane struck the slope of a mountain located in the south part of the Montague Island. The wreckage was found a day later and all 10 crew members were killed.

Crash of a Douglas C-47A-90-DL near Newhall: 3 killed

Date & Time: Sep 20, 1961 at 2126 LT
Operator:
Registration:
43-16002
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Schedule:
Oxnard – Palmdale – George – Oxnard
MSN:
20468
YOM:
1944
Crew on board:
6
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
3
Captain / Total flying hours:
3013
Captain / Total hours on type:
2307.00
Copilot / Total flying hours:
2791
Copilot / Total hours on type:
1312
Circumstances:
The crew was completing a training mission on behalf of the 28th Squadron based in Oxnard. Following several touch-and-go maneuvers at Palmdale Airport, the crew continued to George Airbase in Victorville. While returning to Oxnard, the captain contacted ATC and received the permission to divert to Ventura Airport to perform few instruments approaches. While descending under VFR mode by night, the captain was informed about the presence of two successives cloud layers at 5,000 feet and 3,000 feet and instructed to report while over the last marker. Five minutes later, the airplane struck trees and crashed about 7 miles southwest of Newhall. Three crew members were killed instantly while three others walked away for all night to find help the next morning at 0630LT.
Probable cause:
The exact cause of the accident remains undetermined but it is believed the pilot-in-command was descending at a too low altitude maybe to maintain a visual contact with the ground.

Crash of an Aero Commander RL-26D at Mackall AAF: 2 killed

Date & Time: Sep 19, 1961
Operator:
Registration:
58-5512
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
MSN:
680-529-199
YOM:
1958
Crew on board:
2
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
2
Circumstances:
Shortly after takeoff from Mackall AAF, while climbing, the airplane went out of control and crashed three miles south of the airfield. Both occupants were killed.