United States of America

The crew (pilots and instructors) departed Pittsburgh-Greater Pittsburgh Airport at 2230LT for a local training flight (proficiency check). About thirty minutes into the flight, the crew reported an engine fire and elected to return for an emergency landing when the airplane went out of control, clipped trees and crashed in flames near the Snowden Junior-Senior High School. The aircraft was destroyed and all five crew members were killed.
Crew:
MaJ Leroy E. Smith,
Maj Ivan Allen Jr.,
Maj Frank Connelly,
Lt David Slone,
Cpt Griffin.

On December 24, 1961, N1503V, a Kodiak Airways, Inc., Grumman G-21A, a twin engine six-place amphibian crashed shortly after initial lift-off while making a water takeoff from Old Harbor, Kodiak Island, Alaska. One passenger seated in the cockpit was thrown into the water and drowned. The pilot, who was also thrown from the aircraft, and the remaining three cabin passengers, who exited through the main cabin door, were rescued within a few minutes. The aircraft was totally destroyed at impact and sank in 75 feet of water. Ceiling and visibility were unrestricted and the sea was relatively calm. At approximately 1050 a.s.t., the aircraft started its takeoff in a southwesterly direction. The initial takeoff appeared to be normal, but immediately after lift-off the aircraft was observed to descend, strike the water, and climb steeply. The aircraft then pitched down abruptly and crashed, with the nose and tail breaking off at impact.

Shortly after takeoff from Richards-Gebaur AFB, while climbing, the crew declared an emergency and informed ground about an engine failure. The pilot obtained the permission to return for an emergency landing when the airplane went out of control and crashed in Belton, about 2 miles southeast of the airfield. The airplane was destroyed and all seven crew members were killed.

The twin engine aircraft crashed in the Tierfort mountains, about 7,5 miles east of Fort Irwin. Both occupants were killed.

Crashed on landing for unknown reason. There were no injuries among the occupants while the aircraft was damaged beyond repair.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.