United States of America

Flight Type:

Cargo

Survivors:

Site:

Anchorage-Ted Stevens Intl

Schedule:

West Kuparuk - Anchorage

MSN:

YOM:

1962

Flight number:

109

Location:

Alaska

Country:

Region:

De Havilland DHC-2 Beaver

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Captain / Total flying hours:

4000

Captain / Total hours on type:

350.00

Circumstances:

Upon landing on runway 06L at Anchorage-Intl Airport, the right main gear collapsed. The airplane went out of control, veered off runway to the right and came to rest in flames. All four occupants were injured, two of them seriously, and the aircraft was totally destroyed by a post crash fire.

Probable cause:

It was determined that the copilot was the PIC at the time of the accident and he failed to level off properly. An excessive load upon touchdown caused the right main gear to collapse.
The following factors were considered as contributing:
- inadequate supervision of flight on part of the captain,
- pilot fatigue,
- seat belt not fastened,
- overload failure.

Final Report:

Crash of a De Havilland DHC-2 Beaver off Craig: 9 killed

Date & Time:

Type of aircraft:

Operator:

Simpson Air Services

Registration:

N167W

Flight Phase:

Charter/Taxi (Non Scheduled Revenue Flight)

Flight Type:

Survivors:

Site:

Lake, Sea, Ocean, River

MSN:

YOM:

1949

Location:

Craig

Alaska

Country:

Region:

Rockwell Aero Commander 560

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Captain / Total flying hours:

1862

Captain / Total hours on type:

175.00

Circumstances:

Shortly after takeoff from the bay of Craig, while in initial climb, the pilot completed a first turn when control was lost. The single engine airplane stalled and crashed into the sea few dozen yards offshore. The aircraft sank and all nine occupants were killed.

Probable cause:

The accident was probably caused by the fact that the pilot failed to obtain/maintain flying speed during initial climb. It was observed to make a steep and nose high turn.

Final Report:

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

Date & Time:

Type of aircraft:

Operator:

Beaudoin Steul

Registration:

N2761B

Flight Phase:

Flight

Flight Type:

Private

Survivors:

Site:

Plain, Valley

Schedule:

Benton Harbor - Atlanta

MSN:

560-442

YOM:

1956

Location:

Crossville

Tennessee

Country:

Region:

Boeing KC-135 Stratotanker

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Captain / Total flying hours:

889

Captain / Total hours on type:

236.00

Circumstances:

While in cruising altitude in poor weather conditions, the pilot lost control of the airplane that entered a dive and crashed few dozen seconds later in a huge explosion. All five occupants were killed.

Probable cause:

The accident was probably caused by the combination of the following factors:
- The pilot attempted operation with known deficiencies in equipment,
- The pilot failed to obtain/maintain flying speed,
- Icing conditions including sleet, freezing rain,
- Turbulences associated with clouds and thunderstorms,
- Airframe ice,
- Ice carburetor,
- The pilot entered known icing conditions with no prop or airframe de-icing systems on aircraft.

Final Report:

Crash of a Boeing KC-135A-BN Stratotanker at Loring AFB

Date & Time:

Type of aircraft:

Operator:

Registration:

56-3602

Flight Phase:

Flight Type:

Refuelling

Survivors:

Site:

Schedule:

Loring - Loring

MSN:

17351

YOM:

1958

Location:

Loring AFB

Maine

Country:

Region:

Rockwell Aero Commander 500

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

During the takeoff roll at Loring AFB, the crew encountered technical issues with the water injection system and the captain decided to abort. Unable to stop within the remaining distance, the airplane overran, went down an embankment and came to rest in flames, broken in two. All seven occupants were rescued while the aircraft was destroyed.

Probable cause:

Failure of the water injection system due to frozen water.

Crash of a Rockwell Aero Commander 500A in Ione: 1 killed

Date & Time:

Type of aircraft:

Operator:

Meeco Marinas Inc.

Registration:

N6145X

Flight Phase:

Executive/Corporate/Business

Flight Type:

Survivors:

Site:

Schedule:

Stockton - Ione - Las Vegas

MSN:

500-921-24

YOM:

1960

Location:

Ione

California

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Captain / Total flying hours:

1234

Captain / Total hours on type:

39.00

Circumstances:

While taking off from Ione Airfield, the twin engine aircraft encountered difficulties. The pilot failed to abort the takeoff and the rotation was completed too late. The airplane struck a dirt bank then crashed at the end of the runway. The pilot was killed while three passengers were injured. The aircraft was destroyed.

Probable cause:

Poor flight preparation on part of the pilot who failed to follow the pre-departure checklist and failed to realize that the gust locks were engaged.

Final Report:

Crash of a Douglas DC-3-216 in New Orleans: 16 killed

Date & Time:

Type of aircraft:

Douglas DC-3

Operator:

Avion Airways

Registration:

N142D

Flight Phase:

Charter/Taxi (Non Scheduled Revenue Flight)

Flight Type:

Survivors:

Site:

New Orleans-Louis Armstrong (Moisant)

Schedule:

Memphis - New Orleans - Belize City

MSN:

1946

YOM:

1937

Location:

Louisiana

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:

15300

Captain / Total hours on type:

1600.00

Copilot / Total flying hours:

900

Aircraft flight hours:

7584

Circumstances:

William Jackson of Travel Associates leased DC-3 N142D from Avion Airways for the purpose of transporting sportsmen from Memphis to Belize. The aircraft departed Memphis at 04:36 on an IFR flight to New Orleans. At 06:35 the crew contacted New Orleans approach control: "... out of three point four for three thousand." The approach controller told the crew to maintain 3000 feet and proceed direct to the ILS outer compass locator. He gave the weather as "sky partially obscured visibility 1/16 fog and smoke, altimeter 30.00, runway 10 runway visual range less than 600 feet". The pilot elected to carry out the approach despite the fact that minimum visibility for an approach was 2400 feet and that the centerline lights were inoperative. After being given vectors for the runway 10 approach he decided to carry out a low pass and continue if runway lights became visible. Apparently the pilot continued the descent. The aircraft contacted the runway very hard 1198 feet past the threshold, bounced and after power was applied, the DC-3 struck the ground again 3100 feet further on. The airplane cartwheeled and caught fire.

Probable cause:

The controlled descent of the aircraft into known below minima weather conditions and the failure of the crew to discontinue the landing attempt upon reaching the decision height. Contributing to the cause are existing regulations which permit an approach to be initiated in conditions well below minima, lack of clarity in the regulations in describing missed approach procedures while following visual cues to the runway, misinterpretation by the crew of information received from the approach controller (in this case, the legality of landing in low visibility conditions), improper crew action at the time of initial runway contact , and poor crew judgement partially induced by fatigue, and the lack of management required for such an operation.

Final Report:

Crash of a De Havilland DHC-6 Twin Otter in Lake Minchumina: 1 killed

Date & Time:

Type of aircraft:

Operator:

Registration:

N4901

Flight Phase:

Flight Type:

Scheduled Revenue Flight

Survivors:

Site:

Schedule:

Fairbanks – Lake Minchumina – Bethel

MSN:

YOM:

1966

Location:

Lake Minchumina

Alaska

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Captain / Total flying hours:

10104

Captain / Total hours on type:

796.00

Circumstances:

On final approach to Lake Minchumina Airport, the pilot encountered whiteout conditions and lost control of the airplane that crashed few dozen yards short of runway. A passenger that was killed while four other occupants were injured.

Probable cause:

Loss of control after the pilot suffered spatial disorientation on final approach in whiteout conditions.

Final Report:

Crash of a Lockheed P-3B-75-LO Orion at Lemoore-Reeves Field AFB: 6 killed

Date & Time:

Type of aircraft:

Lockheed P-3 Orion

Operator:

Registration:

152765

Flight Phase:

Flight Type:

Training

Survivors:

Site:

Schedule:

Lemoore - Lemoore

MSN:

185-5210

YOM:

1966

Location:

Lemoore-Reeves Field AFB

California

Country:

Region:

Howard Super Ventura (Howard 500)

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

The P-3 Orion aircraft was on a practice GCA approach to Lemoore-NAS/Reeves Field, CA (NLC). The aircraft nosed down at the approach end of the runway then flared nose high with an excessive sink rate. It touched down on the port main landing gear, then the starboard main landing gear, followed by the fuselage section just forward of the mad boom striking the runway. The port wing broke inboard of the #2 engine on or shortly after touchdown and separated from the fuselage. The fuselage slid down the runway and came to rest off the left side of the runway approximately 1100 feet from the approach end. The port wing continued approximately 300 feet beyond the fuselage. Both parts were engulfed in flame. All six occupants were killed.
Source: ASN

Probable cause:

The power levers were at the flight idle position at impact. Investigation concluded that an attempt was made to decrease the sink rate by establishing a nose high attitude prior to impact and the aircraft was in a stalled or near stalled condition with minimum power set.

Crash of a Howard 500 in Gaylord

Date & Time:

Type of aircraft:

Operator:

Registration:

N3403

Flight Phase:

Executive/Corporate/Business

Flight Type:

Survivors:

Site:

MSN:

5249

YOM:

1943

Location:

Gaylord

Michigan

Country:

Region: