Crash of a Howard 500 in Key Largo

Date & Time: Jan 4, 1978 at 1440 LT
Registration:
N127LR
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Mobile - Key Largo
MSN:
500-103
YOM:
1943
Crew on board:
2
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
5
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Captain / Total flying hours:
12322
Captain / Total hours on type:
301.00
Circumstances:
Directional control was lost after touchdown at Key Largo-Ocean Reef Airport. The twin engine airplane ground looped and came to rest. All seven occupants escaped uninjured while the aircraft was damaged beyond repair.
Probable cause:
Ground loop during landing roll after the pilot-in-command failed to maintain directional control due to a poorly maintained runway surface.
Final Report:

Crash of a Cessna 421B Golden Eagle II in Knoxville: 5 killed

Date & Time: Jan 3, 1978 at 1923 LT
Operator:
Registration:
N41037
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Site:
Schedule:
Fort Lauderdale – Knoxville – Chicago
MSN:
421B-0571
YOM:
1974
Crew on board:
1
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
4
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
5
Captain / Total flying hours:
707
Captain / Total hours on type:
50.00
Circumstances:
The pilot was cleared to descend at his discretion to 2,500 feet 34 miles south of Knoxville Airport. While descending at an altitude of 3,800 feet, the twin engine airplane struck trees and crashed in flames in a wooded area located in the Smoky Mountain Range. The aircraft was destroyed and all five occupants were killed.
Probable cause:
Collision with trees while descending due to improper in-flight decisions or planning on part of the pilot. The following contributing factors were reported:
- The pilot misjudged altitude,
- Traffic control personnel: other.
Final Report:

Crash of a Short SC.7 Skyvan 3 Variant 200 in Toksook Bay

Date & Time: Dec 31, 1977 at 0940 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
N64AC
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Bethel -Toksook Bay
MSN:
1849
YOM:
1968
Crew on board:
2
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Captain / Total flying hours:
3800
Captain / Total hours on type:
1605.00
Circumstances:
On approach to Toksook Bay Airport, the crew encountered whiteout conditions with fog and snow falls. While descending under VFR mode, the crew failed to realize his altitude was too low when the airplane struck the ground and crashed in a snow covered area located short of runway. Both crew members were injured and the aircraft was destroyed.
Probable cause:
Controlled flight into terrain on approach after the crew continued VFR flight into adverse weather conditions. The following contributing factors were reported:
- Misjudged altitude,
- Delayed in initiating go-around,
- Whiteout conditions,
- Low ceiling,
- Fog,
- Visibility less than two miles,
- Weather reports not available for Toksook Bay,
- Wind gusting 20 knots.
Final Report:

Crash of a Douglas DC-7CF in South Carolina

Date & Time: Dec 31, 1977
Type of aircraft:
Registration:
N73675
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
MSN:
44878/681
YOM:
1956
Crew on board:
0
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
Suffered an accident somewhere in South Carolina in 1977 (exact date remains unknown). No casualties.

Crash of a Cessna 207 Skywagon near Iliamna

Date & Time: Dec 23, 1977 at 1130 LT
Operator:
Registration:
N1656U
Flight Phase:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Iliamna - Naknek
MSN:
207-0256
YOM:
1974
Location:
Crew on board:
1
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
7
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Captain / Total flying hours:
3222
Captain / Total hours on type:
331.00
Circumstances:
Few minutes after takeoff from Iliamna, the pilot was unable to maintain flying speed. In poor weather conditions, the single engine airplane stalled and crashed in a snow covered field. All eight occupants escaped with minor injuries while the aircraft was destroyed.
Probable cause:
Stall during normal cruise after the pilot failed to maintain flying speed. The following contributing factors were reported:
- Improper in-flight decisions or planning,
- Continued VFR flight into adverse weather conditions,
- Snow,
- Conditions conducive to carburetor/induction system icing,
- Visibility two miles or less,
- IFR weather conditions.
Final Report:

Crash of a Rockwell Aero Commander 520 near Cheshire: 7 killed

Date & Time: Dec 22, 1977 at 2008 LT
Operator:
Registration:
C-GHUN
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Portland - Sacramento
MSN:
520-72
YOM:
1953
Location:
Crew on board:
1
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
6
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
7
Captain / Total flying hours:
305
Circumstances:
While in cruising altitude on a flight from Portland from Sacramento in marginal weather conditions, the twin engine airplane suffered an airframe failure. It entered a dive and crashed in a field located near Cheshire, northwest of Eugene. The aircraft was totally destroyed and all seven occupants were killed.
Probable cause:
Airframe failure in flight and uncontrolled descent following improper in-flight decisions. The following contributing factors were reported:
- Exceeded designed stress limits of aircraft,
- Inadequate preflight preparation,
- Icing conditions including sleet, freezing rain,
- Airframe ice,
- Improperly loaded aircraft, W&B and CofG,
- Separation in flight,
- Visibility less than two miles,
- Approximately 790 lbs over may gross weight at takeoff,
- Aircraft not equipped with anti-icing/deicing equipment.
Final Report:

Crash of a Cessna 404 Titan off Olcott: 1 killed

Date & Time: Dec 22, 1977 at 0924 LT
Type of aircraft:
Registration:
N404SA
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Oshawa – Buffalo
MSN:
404-0025
YOM:
1976
Location:
Crew on board:
1
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
1
Captain / Total flying hours:
4700
Captain / Total hours on type:
51.00
Circumstances:
En route from Oshawa to Buffalo on a cargo flight, the twin engine airplane crashed in unknown circumstances into Lake Ontario off Olcott, New York. Few debris were sighted in heavy seas but no trace of the pilot.
Probable cause:
Due to lack of evidences, the exact cause of the accident could not be determined.
Final Report:

Crash of a Douglas DC-8-54F near Kaysville: 3 killed

Date & Time: Dec 18, 1977 at 0138 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
N8047U
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Site:
Schedule:
San Francisco – Salt Lake City – Chicago
MSN:
45880/275
YOM:
1966
Flight number:
UA2860
Location:
Crew on board:
3
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
3
Captain / Total flying hours:
14954
Captain / Total hours on type:
4148.00
Copilot / Total flying hours:
9905
Copilot / Total hours on type:
366
Aircraft flight hours:
29832
Circumstances:
About 0138:28 m.s.t. on December 18, 1977, a United Airlines, Inc., DC-8F-54 cargo aircraft, operating as Flight 2860, crashed into a mountain in the Wasatch Range near Kaysville, Utah. The three flightcrew members, the only persons aboard the aircraft, were killed, and the aircraft was destroyed. Flight 2860 encountered electrical system problems during its descent and approach to the Salt Lake City Airport. The flight requested a holding clearance which was given by the approach controller and accepted by the flight crew. The flight then requested and received clearance to leave the approach control frequency for a "little minute" to communicate with company maintenance. Flight 2860 was absent from the Approach control frequency for 7 1/2 minutes. During that time, the flight entered an area near hazardous terrain. The approach controller recognized Flight 2860's predicament but was unable to contact the flight. When flight 2860 returned to approach control frequency, the controller told the flight that it was too close to terrain on its right and to make a left turn. After the controller repeated the instructions, the flight began a left turn and about 15 seconds later the controller told the flight to climb immediately to 8,000 feet. Eleven seconds later, the flight reported that it was climbing from 6,000 feet to 8,000 feet. The flight crashed into a 7,665-foot mountain near the 7,200-foot level. The aircraft was destroyed and all three crew members were killed.
Probable cause:
The approach controller's issuance and the flight crew's acceptance of an incomplete and ambiguous holding clearance in combination with the flight crew's failure to adhere to prescribed impairment-of-communications procedures and prescribed holding procedures. The controller's and flight crew's actions are attributed to probable habits of imprecise communication and of imprecise adherence to procedures developed through years of exposure to operations in a radar environment. Contributing to the accident was the failure of the aircraft's No.1 electrical system for unknown reasons.
Final Report:

Crash of a Beechcraft C-45G Expeditor off Honolulu

Date & Time: Dec 17, 1977 at 1558 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
N2874G
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Honolulu - Kahului
MSN:
AF-168
YOM:
1952
Location:
Crew on board:
1
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Captain / Total flying hours:
1984
Captain / Total hours on type:
251.00
Circumstances:
Shortly after takeoff from Honolulu Airport, while in initial climb, the airplane lost height and crashed into the sea few hundred yards offshore. The pilot was rescued while the aircraft was lost.
Probable cause:
Engine malfunction during climb due to material failure. The following contributing factors were reported:
- Powerplant - propeller and accessories: governors,
- engine structure: other,
- Unfavorable wind conditions,
- Aircraft came to rest in water,
- Left propeller governor drive gears failed,
- Right engine operated at full power failed over water short of airport, landed on reef.
Final Report:

Crash of a Cessna 401 off West Palm Beach

Date & Time: Dec 16, 1977 at 1523 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
N80BW
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Washington DC - Pompano Beach
MSN:
401-0111
YOM:
1968
Crew on board:
1
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Captain / Total flying hours:
3454
Captain / Total hours on type:
16.00
Circumstances:
While in cruising altitude along the east coast of Florida, one of the engine failed. The pilot reduced his altitude and ditched the airplane off West Palm Beach. He was seriously injured while the aircraft was lost.
Probable cause:
Engine failure in normal cruise due to inadequate preflight preparation. The following contributing factors were reported:
- Lack of familiarity with aircraft,
- Mismanagement of fuel,
- Fuel exhaustion,
- Aircraft came to rest in water,
- Forced landing off airport on water.
Final Report: