Crash of a Cessna 402 near Peach Springs: 10 killed

Date & Time:
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
N3250Q
Flight Phase:
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Las Vegas - Grand Canyon
MSN:
402-0050
YOM:
1967
Crew on board:
1
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
9
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
10
Captain / Total flying hours:
2441
Captain / Total hours on type:
415.00
Circumstances:
The twin engine airplane departed Las Vegas Airport on a charter flight to Grand Canyon, carrying nine passengers, tourists from the US, France and Germany. En route, the pilot encountered poor weather conditions and elected to turning around when he lost control of the airplane that dove into the ground and crashed about 39 miles north of Peach Springs. The wreckage was found a day later in the Shivwits Plateau near Parashant Canyon. The aircraft disintegrated on impact and all 10 occupants have been killed.
Crew:
Wayne Leeth.
Passengers:
James Allen Jr,
Florence Allen,
Mr. R. Lynch,
Mrs. R. Lynch,
Mr. P. Dosmond, France,
Mrs. P. Dosmond, France,
Paul Haack, West Germany,
Renate Haack, West Germany,
Walter Pilgram, West Germany.
Probable cause:
The pilot continued VFR flight into adverse weather conditions. The following factors were reported:
- Low ceiling, rain and snow.
Final Report:

Crash of a Canadair C-4GM North Star in Sarasota

Date & Time:
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
CF-UXB
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Sarasota - Miami - Cockburn Harbor
MSN:
117
YOM:
1948
Crew on board:
2
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Captain / Total flying hours:
14500
Captain / Total hours on type:
8500.00
Circumstances:
On approach to Miami Airport, the crew did not get three greens and decided to return to Sarasota. On approach, engine number one and four were shut down and both other engines at an altitude of 500 feet. The airplane belly landed and slid for 1,800 feet before coming to rest. Both crew members were uninjured while the aircraft was damaged beyond repair.
Probable cause:
Failure of the landing gear to extend properly. The following factors were reported:
- Material failure,
- Improperly installed,
- Inadequate maintenance and inspection,
- Intentional wheels-up landing,
- Suspected mechanical discrepancy,
- Left gear uplatch upper link assembly failed,
- Lower gear by emergency system due to improper blot installed.
Final Report:

Crash of a Beechcraft B70 Queen Air near Fowler: 3 killed

Date & Time:
Type of aircraft:
Registration:
N1384A
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Site:
Schedule:
Pueblo - Huntsville
MSN:
LB-18
YOM:
1969
Location:
Crew on board:
2
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
1
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
3
Captain / Total flying hours:
6000
Circumstances:
While in cruising altitude, the crew encountered poor weather conditions when control was lost. The airplane crashed near Fowler and was destroyed, killing all three occupants. The wreckage was found a day later.
Probable cause:
Loss of control caused by icing conditions. The following factors were reported:
- Inadequate weather briefing,
- Airframe ice,
- Aircraft equipped with deicing system but usage undetermined.
Final Report:

Crash of a Douglas C-9A Nightingale at Scott AFB: 3 killed

Date & Time:
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
67-22586
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Scott - Scott
MSN:
47296/362
YOM:
1968
Crew on board:
3
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
3
Circumstances:
The crew was involved in a local training flight at Scott AFB, Belleville, Illinois. On final approach, the instructor decided to make a go-around and power was added on both engines when the right engine failed. The aircraft stalled, lost height and crashed in flames onto a farm located about 2,600 feet short of runway. The aircraft was destroyed and all three crew members were killed.
Probable cause:
It was determined that a first-stage fan blade on the right engine failed during a go-around manoeuvre.

Crash of a Rockwell Aero Commander 560A in Jackson: 5 killed

Date & Time:
Operator:
Registration:
N2779B
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Temple – Jackson – Columbus
MSN:
560-279
YOM:
1955
Crew on board:
1
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
5
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
5
Captain / Total flying hours:
2700
Circumstances:
While on a night approach to Jackson-Allen C. Thompson Airport in good weather conditions, both engines lost power and failed. The pilot lost control of the airplane that crashed few miles from the airfield. The pilot and four passengers were killed while a fifth passenger was seriously injured.
Probable cause:
Double engine failure on final approach caused by the following factors:
- Mismanagement of fuel,
- Miscalculated fuel consumption,
- Fuel exhaustion.
Final Report:

Crash of an Howard Eldorado 700 in Philadelphia

Date & Time:
Registration:
N25YC
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Reading – Philadelphia
MSN:
5598
YOM:
1943
Crew on board:
2
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
4
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Captain / Total flying hours:
19000
Captain / Total hours on type:
400.00
Circumstances:
On approach to Philadelphia International Airport, the crew encountered poor weather conditions with thunderstorm activity, heavy rain falls and turbulences. On short final, the captain decided to make a go-around when the airplane struck the ground and crashed few miles short of runway. All six occupants escaped uninjured while the aircraft was damaged beyond repair.
Probable cause:
Improper IFR operation on part of the crew who descended below MDA while encountering severe turbulences and heavy rain from a thunderstorm cell. The weather was slightly worse than forecast.
Final Report:

Crash of a Boeing 727-193 near Juneau: 111 killed

Date & Time:
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
N2969G
Survivors:
No
Site:
Schedule:
Anchorage – Cordova – Yakutat – Juneau – Sitka – Seattle
MSN:
19304/287
YOM:
1966
Flight number:
AS1866
Location:
Crew on board:
7
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
104
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
111
Captain / Total flying hours:
13870
Captain / Total hours on type:
2688.00
Copilot / Total flying hours:
5000
Copilot / Total hours on type:
2100
Aircraft flight hours:
11344
Circumstances:
Alaska Airlines, Flight 1866 (AS66) was a scheduled passenger flight from Anchorage (ANC), to Seattle (SEA), with intermediate stops at Cordova (CDV), Yakutat (YAK), Juneau (JNU), and Sitka (SIT). The IFR flight departed Anchorage at 09:13 and landed at Cordova at 09:42. AS66 departed Cordova at 10:34 after a delay, part of which was attributable to difficulty in securing a cargo compartment door. The flight landed at Yakutat at 11:07. While on the ground, AS66 received an air traffic control clearance to the Juneau Airport via Jet Route 507 to the Pleasant Intersection, direct to Juneau, to maintain 9,000 feet or below until 15 miles southeast of Yakutat on course, then to climb to and maintain FL230. The flight departed Yakutat at 11:35, with 104 passengers and seven crew members on board. At 11:46, AS66 contacted the Anchorage ARTCC and reported level at FL230, 65 miles east of Yakutat. The flight was then cleared to descend at the pilot's discretion to maintain 10,000 ft so as to cross the Pleasant Intersection at 10,000 feet and was issued a clearance limit to the Howard Intersection. The clearance was acknowledged correctly by the captain and the controller provided the Juneau altimeter setting of 29.46 inches and requested AS66 to report leaving 11,000 ft. At 11:51, AS66 reported leaving FL230. Following this report, the flight's clearance limit was changed to the Pleasant Intersection. At 11:54, the controller instructed AS66 to maintain 12,000 feet. Approximately 1 minute later, the flight reported level at 12,000 feet. The changes to the flight's original clearance to the Howard Intersection were explained to AS66 by the controller as follows: "I've got an airplane that's not following his clearance, I've got to find out where he is." The controller was referring to N799Y, a Piper Apache which had departed Juneau at 11:44 on an IFR clearance, destination Whitehorse, Canada. On two separate occasions, AS66 acted as communications relay between the controller and N799Y. At 11:58, AS66 reported that they were at the Pleasant Intersection, entering the holding pattern, whereupon the controller recleared the flight to Howard Intersection via the Juneau localizer. In response to the controller's query as to whether the flight was "on top" at 12,000 feet, the captain stated that the flight was "on instruments." At 12:00, the controller repeated the flight's clearance to hold at Howard Intersection and issued an expected approach time of 12:10. At 12:01, AS66 reported that they were at Howard, holding 12,000 feet. Six minutes later, AS66 was queried with respect to the flight's direction of holding and its position in the holding pattern. When the controller was advised that the flight had just completed its inbound turn and was on the localizer, inbound to Howard, he cleared AS66 for a straight-in LDA approach, to cross Howard at or below 9,000 feet inbound. The captain acknowledged the clearance and reported leaving 12,000 feet. At 12:08 the captain reported "leaving five thousand five ... four thousand five hundred," whereupon the controller instructed AS66 to contact Juneau Tower. Contact with the tower was established shortly thereafter when the captain reported, "Alaska sixty-six Barlow inbound." (Barlow Intersection is located about 10 nautical miles west of the Juneau Airport). The Juneau Tower Controller responded, "Alaska 66, understand, ah, I didn't, ah, copy the intersection, landing runway 08, the wind 080° at 22 occasional gusts to 28, the altimeter now 29.47, time is 09 1/2, call us by Barlow". No further communication was heard from the flight. The Boeing 727 impacted the easterly slope of a canyon in the Chilkat Range of the Tongass National Forest at the 2475-foot level. The aircraft disintegrated on impact. The accident was no survivable.
Probable cause:
A display of misleading navigational information concerning the flight's progress along the localizer course which resulted in a premature descent below obstacle clearance altitude. The origin or nature of the misleading navigational information could not be determined. The Board further concludes that the crew did not use all available navigational aids to check the flight's progress along the localizer nor were these aids required to be used. The crew also did not perform the required audio identification of the pertinent navigational facilities.
Final Report:

Crash of a Beechcraft C-45g eXPEDITOR in Prescott: 4 killed

Date & Time:
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
N74Q
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Las Vegas – Houston
MSN:
AF-290
YOM:
1953
Crew on board:
1
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
5
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
4
Captain / Total flying hours:
2472
Captain / Total hours on type:
189.00
Circumstances:
En route from Las Vegas to Houston, the left engine failed. The pilot was able to feather the propeller but unable to maintain a safe altitude. He informed ATC about his situation and was cleared to divert to the nearest airport for an emergency landing. While trying to land at a ranch airstrip, the airplane hit a wood pile and crashed in flamers. The pilot and a passenger were seriously injured while four other occupants were killed.
Probable cause:
Failure of the left engine in flight due to cylinder assembly failure. The following factors were reported:
- Material failure,
- Improper in-flight decisions or planning,
- Improper emergency procedures,
- Intentional wheels-up landing,
- Left engine lost power due to cracked n°9 cylinder.
Final Report:

Crash of a Volpar Turboliner 18 in Cleveland: 1 killed

Date & Time:
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
N351V
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Cleveland - Detroit
MSN:
AF-295
YOM:
1953
Crew on board:
2
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
1
Captain / Total flying hours:
6473
Captain / Total hours on type:
174.00
Circumstances:
Shortly after a night takeoff from Cleveland-Hopkins Airport, the left engine lost power. The airplane lost speed and height, struck trees and the roof of a house and crashed. A pilot was killed while the second occupants was seriously injured.
Probable cause:
Powerplant failure for undetermined reason. The following factors were reported:
- The pilot-in-command failed to maintain flying speed,
- Inadequate preflight preparation,
- Improperly loaded aircraft, weight and CofG.,
- Left engine lost power for unknown reason,
- Exceeded forward CofG limit by 6,36 inches.
Final Report:

Crash of a Convair CV-580 in Pittsburgh

Date & Time:
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
N5844
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Pittsburgh – Parkersburg – Cincinnati
MSN:
43
YOM:
1952
Crew on board:
3
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
50
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Captain / Total flying hours:
8300
Captain / Total hours on type:
4100.00
Circumstances:
The aircraft was performing a flight from Pittsburgh to Cincinnati with an intermediate stop in Parkersburg. Upon landing at Parkersburg Airport, West Virginia, the crew encountered technical problems with the right main gear. The captain increased engine power and decided to return to Pittsburgh-Greater Pittsburgh Airport for a safe landing. Upon touchdown on runway 28R, as the wheels were missing on the right main gear, the airplane deviated from the centerline to the right when the left main gear collapsed as well. The airplane came to rest and was damaged beyond repair while all 53 occupants escaped uninjured.
Probable cause:
The right main gear lower assembly separated at Parkersburg Airport after a worn lock pin in the upper bearing sheared. The crew diverted to Pittsburgh. Failure of the landing gear, main gear-shock absorbing, assy, struts, attachments, etc.
Final Report: