United States of America

Flight Type:

Scheduled Revenue Flight

Survivors:

Site:

Schedule:

Rawlins – Denver

MSN:

LD-286

YOM:

1966

Location:

Denver-Stapleton

Colorado

Country:

Region:

Douglas C-47 Skytrain (DC-3)

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Captain / Total flying hours:

2062

Captain / Total hours on type:

148.00

Circumstances:

The approach to Denver-Stapleton was completed in poor weather conditions, below MDA for an ASR approach. At the decision height, the pilot-in-command was unable to locate the runway so he decided to initiate a go-around when the left engine failed. The airplane stalled and crashed short of runway threshold. Two passengers were seriously injured while five other occupants were killed.

Probable cause:

Engine failure or malfunction during a missed approach procedure. The accident was the consequence of the combination of the following factors:
- Improper operation of powerplant and powerplant controls,
- Ice induction,
- Icing conditions including sleet and freezing rain,
- The pilot failed to maintain flying speed,
- Airframe ice,
- Complete failure of the left engine,
- Incorrect use of alt air left engine,
- Weather above DH.AST approach offered and accepted by the pilot,
- Weather below MDA for ASR approach.

Final Report:

Crash of a Douglas C-47 in McChord AFB: 4 killed

Date & Time:

Type of aircraft:

Operator:

Flight Phase:

Takeoff (climb)

Flight Type:

Military

Survivors:

Site:

Location:

McChord AFB

Washington

Country:

Region:

Piper PA-61 Aerostar (Ted Smith 601)

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

The aircraft was on a routine flight from McChord AFB to California. At liftoff, the airplane crashed in unknown circumstances. Eight occupants were injured and the aircraft was destroyed. Both pilots and two passengers were killed.
Crew:
Lt Col Robert E. Walker, pilot, †
Cpt Peter Michael Cunningham, copilot, †
T/Sgt Donald G. Love, flight engineer. †
Passengers:
1st Lt Joseph R. Baxter, †
M/Sgt William B. Johnston,
Lt Col Jack S. McKinley,
Sgt William D. Wallace,
T/Sgt Billy D. Byrd,
Sgt Charles L. Andrews,
PO2C Charles B. Nichols,
PO3C Darrell E. Calentine,
M/Sgt Granville Hicks.

Crash of a Ted Smith 601 in Santa Fe: 2 killed

Date & Time:

Type of aircraft:

Operator:

Registration:

N7442S

Flight Phase:

Takeoff (climb)

Flight Type:

Private

Survivors:

Site:

Schedule:

Santa Fe – Dallas

MSN:

61-0025-054

YOM:

1969

Location:

Santa Fe

New Mexico

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

During the takeoff roll at Santa Fe Airport, the airplane failed to gain sufficient speed but the pilot did not abandoned the procedure and continued. After liftoff, the airplane encountered difficulties to gain height then stalled and crashed in flames. The aircraft was destroyed and both occupants were killed.

Probable cause:

Improper operation of powerplant & powerplant controls and inadequate preflight preparation on part of the pilot. The following factors were reported:
- The pilot failed to abort takeoff,
- High density altitude,
- Lack of familiarity with aircraft,
- Takeoff made with mixture controls too lean,
- Density altitude about 8,200 feet,
- Insufficient runway for takeoff.

Final Report:

Crash of a De Havilland DH.104 Dove 2 off San Francisco: 1 killed

Date & Time:

Type of aircraft:

De Havilland DH.104 Dove

Operator:

Registration:

N13114

Flight Phase:

Flight Type:

Cargo

Survivors:

Site:

Lake, Sea, Ocean, River

Schedule:

Eureka - San Francisco

MSN:

04092

YOM:

1947

Location:

San Francisco

California

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Captain / Total flying hours:

2187

Captain / Total hours on type:

650.00

Circumstances:

On final approach to San Francisco Airport, while on a night cargo flight, the crew reported pitch problems when control was lost. The airplane crashed into the sea few miles off shore. The copilot was rescued while the body of the captain was found a week later. The airplane sank and was not recovered.

Probable cause:

Uncontrolled descent and collision with water for undetermined reason. The pilot reported loss of pitch control on base leg. The wreckage was not recovered.

Final Report:

Crash of a Douglas DC-9-31 in Fairland: 82 killed

Date & Time:

Type of aircraft:

Douglas DC-9

Operator:

Registration:

N988VJ

Flight Phase:

Flight Type:

Scheduled Revenue Flight

Survivors:

Site:

Schedule:

Boston - Baltimore - Cincinnati - Indianapolis - Saint-Louis

MSN:

47211

YOM:

1968

Flight number:

AL853

Location:

Fairland

Indiana

Country:

Region:

De Havilland DHC-6 Twin Otter

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Captain / Total flying hours:

23813

Captain / Total hours on type:

900.00

Copilot / Total flying hours:

2980

Copilot / Total hours on type:

651

Aircraft flight hours:

3170

Circumstances:

An Allegheny Airlines DC-9 and a Forth Corporation Piper PA-28-140 Cherokee registered N7374J collided in flight approximately 4 miles northwest of Fairland, Indiana, at approximately 1529 e.d.t., September 9, 1969. All 83 occupants, 78 passengers and four crew members, aboard the DC-9 and the pilot of the PA-28 were fatally injured. Both aircraft were destroyed by the collision and ground impact. Allegheny flight AL853 was wider positive radar control of the Federal Aviation Administration's Indianapolis Approach Control, descending from 6,000 feet to an assigned altitude of 2,530 feet at the time of the collision. N7374J has being flown by a student pilot on a solo cross-country flight in accordance with a Visual Flight Rules (VFR) flight plan. The collision occurred at an altitude of approximately 3,550 feet. The visibility in the area was at least 15 miles, but there was an intervening cloud condition wbich precluded the crew of either aircraft from sighting the other until a few seconds prior to collision.

Probable cause:

The deficiencies in the collision avoidance capability of the Air Traffic Control (ATC) system of the Federal Aviation Administration in a terminal area wherein there was mixed Instrument Flight Rules (IFR) and Visual Flight Rules (VFR) traffic. The deficiencies included the inadequacy of the see-and-avoid concept under the circumstances of this case; the technical limitations of radar in detecting all aircraft; and the absence of Federal Aviation Regulations which would provide a system of adequate separation of mixed VFR and IFR traffic in terminal areas.

Final Report:

Crash of a De Havilland DHC-6 Twin Otter 100 in Sagwon: 2 killed

Date & Time:

Type of aircraft:

Operator:

Registration:

N2711N

Flight Phase:

Flight Type:

Cargo

Survivors:

Site:

Schedule:

Fairbanks - Sagwon

MSN:

YOM:

1967

Location:

Sagwon

Alaska

Country:

Region:

Boeing B-52 Stratofortress

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Captain / Total flying hours:

2136

Captain / Total hours on type:

236.00

Circumstances:

On final approach to Sagwon on a cargo flight from Fairbanks, the crew encountered poor weather conditions with low clouds. While descending to a height of 175 feet, the aircraft struck the ground in an approximately 30° bank near level pitch attitude and crashed. Both crew members were killed.

Probable cause:

Improper IFR operation on behalf of the crew which resulted in an uncontrolled collision with ground. The following factors were considered as contributing:
- Low ceiling,
- Weather considerably worse than forecast.

Final Report:

Crash of a Boeing B-52G-105-BW Stratofortress at Loring AFB: 7 killed

Date & Time:

Type of aircraft:

Operator:

Registration:

58-0215

Flight Phase:

Takeoff (climb)

Flight Type:

Military

Survivors:

Site:

MSN:

464283

YOM:

1958

Location:

Loring AFB

Maine

Country:

Region:

Consolidated PB4Y-2 Privateer

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

After takeoff from Loring AFB, while in initial climb, the crew encountered serious technical problems. Two members of the crew ejected and abandoned the aircraft that crashed in a huge explosion some 2-3 miles north of the airbase. All seven crew members were killed. Unfortunately, the parachutes of those members who ejected opened too late.
Crew:
Maj Nils O. A. Oxehufwud, pilot,
Cpt William N. Payne, copilot,
Cpt Theodore A. Burbank, navigator,
Maj Robert M. Murray, EWO,
Lt Col Robert C. Smith, radio navigator,
M/Sgt Earl J. Barnes, air gunner,
Col Homer C. Bell Jr., observer.

Probable cause:

The exact cause of the accident could not be determined with certainty. However, the assumption that the loss of control was the consequence of a total failure of all electrical power or an issue with the water injection system was not ruled out.

Crash of a Consolidated PB4Y-2 Privateer in Greybull: 2 killed

Date & Time:

Type of aircraft:

Operator:

Registration:

N1911H

Flight Phase:

Flight

Flight Type:

Fire fighting

Survivors:

Site:

Plain, Valley

Schedule:

Greybull - Greybull

MSN:

59792

YOM:

1943

Location:

Greybull

Wyoming

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Captain / Total flying hours:

6000

Captain / Total hours on type:

100.00

Circumstances:

The crew departed Greybull on a firefighting mission. While flying at low height, the aircraft went through the smoke when it struck tree tops and crashed in flames in a wooded area. Both pilots were killed.

Probable cause:

Improper in-flight decisions or planning on part of the flying crew. The following factors were considered as contributing:
- Obstructions to vision,
- Hidden obstruction,
- High obstructions,
- Right wing down hit highest trees in flight path.

Final Report:

Crash of a Convair CV-240-1 in Encampment

Date & Time:

Type of aircraft:

Convair CV-240

Operator:

Registration:

N8410H

Flight Phase:

Executive/Corporate/Business

Flight Type:

Survivors:

Site:

Schedule:

Culver City - Encampment

MSN:

YOM:

1948

Location:

Encampment

Wyoming

Country:

Region: