World | Bureau of Aircraft Accidents Archives

The four engine airplane departed San José-Juan Santamaría Airport at 1400LT on a cargo flight to Caracas, carrying one passenger, three crew members and a load of 16,330 kilos of frozen meat. While in cruising altitude over the Caribbean Sea, the airplane plunged into the sea in unknown circumstances, about 65 km east of Bocas del Toro, Panama. SAR operations were initiated but eventually suspended few days later as no trace of the airplane nor the four occupants was found.

Crash of a Rockwell Shrike Commander 500S into the Atlantic Ocean: 1 killed

Date & Time: Nov 18, 1976 at 1255 LT

Type of aircraft:

Rockwell Shrike Commander 500

Operator:

United Resources

Registration:

N57278

Flight Phase:

Flight

Flight Type:

Survey / Patrol / Reconnaissance

Survivors:

Yes

Site:

Lake, Sea, Ocean, River

Schedule:

Lomé - Lomé

MSN:

500-3203

YOM:

1974

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Captain / Total flying hours:

18549

Captain / Total hours on type:

1524.00

Circumstances:

The crew departed Lomé Airport in the morning on a patrol flight over the gulf of Guinea. En route, both engines' temperature increased and shortly later, they failed quite simultaneously. The crew reduced his altitude and attempted to ditch the aircraft that crashed into the Atlantic Ocean (international waters) about 320 km west of Annobón Island. A pilot was rescued while the second occupant died. The aircraft sank and was lost.

Probable cause:

Powerplant failure for undetermined reasons. The following findings were reported:
- Excessive temperature,
- Pilot noted zero oil pressure,
- High temperature.

Final Report:

Crash of a Beechcraft H18 into the Pacific Ocean: 1 killed

Date & Time: Feb 11, 1976

Type of aircraft:

Beechcraft H18

Operator:

Flight Service

Registration:

N1900G

Flight Phase:

Flight

Flight Type:

Ferry

Survivors:

Site:

Lake, Sea, Ocean, River

Schedule:

Hilo - Papeete

MSN:

BA-742

YOM:

1966

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Captain / Total flying hours:

7000

Circumstances:

While in normal cruise, the pilot informed ATC about the failure of the left engine. He was able to feather the propeller but unable to maintain a safe altitude as the aircraft was heavy. The twin engine airplane later crashed into the ocean. SAR operations were conducted but eventually abandoned after few days as no trace of the aircraft nor the pilot was found.

Probable cause:

Powerplant failure for undetermined reasons.

Final Report:

Crash of a Volpar Turboliner 18 into the Pacific Ocean: 1 killed

Date & Time: Sep 22, 1975

Type of aircraft:

Volpar Turboliner 18

Operator:

Registration:

N3674G

Flight Phase:

Flight

Flight Type:

Ferry

Survivors:

Site:

Lake, Sea, Ocean, River

Schedule:

Midway Island - Adak

MSN:

AF-689

YOM:

1954

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

Lost without trace while completing a ferry flight from Midway Island to Adak, Aleutians Islands. The pilot did not send any distress call. SAR operations did not find any trace from the aircraft nor the pilot.

Probable cause:

Due to lack of evidences, the cause of the accident could not be determined.

Final Report:

Crash of a Beechcraft D18S into the Atlantic Ocean: 3 killed

Date & Time: Aug 8, 1975 at 1756 LT

Type of aircraft:

Beechcraft D18

Operator:

Bush Aviation

Registration:

N80006

Flight Phase:

Flight

Flight Type:

Executive/Corporate/Business

Survivors:

Site:

Lake, Sea, Ocean, River

Schedule:

Fort Lauderdale - Great Inagua

MSN:

A-65

YOM:

1946

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Captain / Total flying hours:

1350

Captain / Total hours on type:

845.00

Circumstances:

En route from Fort Lauderdale to Great Inagua Island, the pilot reported he was short of fuel. Radar contact was lost after the airplane crashed in to the sea. SAR operations were conducted but eventually suspended after few days as no trace of the airplane nor the three occupants was found.

Probable cause:

Double engine failure due to fuel exhaustion. The following contributing factors were reported:
- Inadequate preflight preparation,
- Became lost/disoriented,
- Fuel exhaustion,
- Improperly loaded aircraft.

Final Report:

Crash of a Rockwell Grand Commander 680 into the Pacific Ocean

Date & Time: Mar 23, 1975

Type of aircraft:

Rockwell Grand Commander 680

Operator:

Registration:

ZK-DHF

Flight Phase:

Flight

Flight Type:

Positioning

Survivors:

Yes

Site:

Lake, Sea, Ocean, River

Schedule:

Pago Pago - Honolulu

MSN:

680-1429-71

YOM:

1964

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

The crew was performing a positioning flight from Pago Pago to Honolulu. While approaching Honolulu from the south, the crew informed ATC about the failure of both engines and reduced his altitude in an attempt to ditch the aircraft about 100 km south of Honolulu. Both pilots were quickly rescued while the airplane sank and was lost.

Probable cause:

Double engine failure caused by a fuel exhaustion. It is believed that the fuel quantity was insufficient to cover the distance or that the crew encountered strong headwinds, increasing the fuel consumption.

Crash of a Lockheed WC-130H Hercules into the South China Sea: 10 killed

Date & Time: Oct 13, 1974

Type of aircraft:

Lockheed C-130 Hercules

Operator:

Registration:

65-0965

Flight Phase:

Flight

Flight Type:

Military

Survivors:

Site:

Lake, Sea, Ocean, River

Schedule:

Taipei - Saigon

MSN:

4106

YOM:

1965

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

En route from Taipei to Saigon, the airplane encountered poor weather conditions and crashed into the South China Sea. SAR operations were conducted but eventually abandoned few days later as no trace of the aircraft nor the 10 occupants was found. At the time of the accident, weather conditions were poor due to typhoon 'Bess'.

Probable cause:

Due to lack of evidences as the aircraft was not found, the exact cause of the accident could not be determined.

Crash of a Grumman G-73 Mallard into the Pacific Ocean: 4 killed

Date & Time: Sep 30, 1974

Type of aircraft:

Grumman G-73 Mallard

Operator:

Registration:

N2965

Flight Phase:

Flight

Flight Type:

Survey / Patrol / Reconnaissance

Survivors:

Site:

Lake, Sea, Ocean, River

Schedule:

Anchorage - Kodiak

MSN:

J-24

YOM:

1947

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Captain / Total flying hours:

15134

Captain / Total hours on type:

5.00

Circumstances:

The aircraft departed Anchorage on a seabird survey flight to Kodiak. While cruising over the north Pacific Ocean, the airplane crashed into the sea and was lost without trace. The pilot was unable to send any distress call. SAR operations were conducted but eventually suspended after few days as no trace of the aircraft nor the four occupants was found.

Probable cause:

As the aircraft was not recovered, the cause of the accident could not be determined.

Final Report:

Crash of a Boeing 707-331B into the Ionian Sea: 88 killed

Date & Time: Sep 8, 1974 at 1140 LT

Type of aircraft:

Boeing 707

Operator:

Registration:

N8734

Flight Phase:

Flight

Flight Type:

Scheduled Revenue Flight

Survivors:

Site:

Lake, Sea, Ocean, River

Schedule:

Tel Aviv - Athens - Rome - New York

MSN:

20063/789

YOM:

1969

Flight number:

TW841

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Captain / Total flying hours:

21960

Captain / Total hours on type:

7280.00

Copilot / Total flying hours:

9139

Copilot / Total hours on type:

5311

Aircraft flight hours:

21733

Circumstances:

The four engine airplane departed Athens-Ellinikon Airport at 1112LT on a flight to Rome, last leg before the transatlantic flight to New York. While cruising at an altitude of 28,000 feet, the airplane went out of control, entered a steep dive and crashed into the Ionian Sea bout 80 km west of Kefalonia Island, Greece. Some debris were found floating on water and no survivor was found among the 88 occupants.

Probable cause:

It was determined that the detonation of an explosive device in the aft cargo compartment buckled and damaged the cabin floor in such a manner that one or more of the elevator and rudder system control cables was stretched and, perhaps, broken. The resultant displacement of control surfaces caused a violent pitch up and yaw and made the aircraft uncontrollable.

Final Report:

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