Crash of a Douglas C-47A-35-DL in Wakeman: 2 killed

Date & Time: Sep 11, 1975 at 1300 LT
Registration:
N144A
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Wakeman - Miami
MSN:
9723
YOM:
1943
Location:
Crew on board:
2
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
2
Captain / Total flying hours:
18000
Captain / Total hours on type:
8000.00
Circumstances:
Shortly after takeoff from Wakeman Airport, while in initial climb, the airplane nosed down, collided with trees and crashed in flames near the airport. The aircraft was totally destroyed and both pilots were killed.
Probable cause:
Loss of control during initial climb for undetermined reasons. The following findings were reported:
- High obstructions,
- Aircraft observed in shallow descent to ground impact,
- High power noted during descent,
- Pilots oxygen masks used,
- No oxygen in the system.
Final Report:

Crash of a Rockwell Shrike Commander 500S near Cobán: 1 killed

Date & Time: Sep 5, 1975
Operator:
Registration:
TG-JOT
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Country:
Crew on board:
1
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
1
Circumstances:
The pilot was returning to his base at Guatemala City after he drop off passengers somewhere in Yucatán, Mexico. The twin engine was flying with a second aircraft from the same operator, a Piper PA-23 Aztec registered TG-HIZ. In unknown circumstances, both aircraft collided in flight and crashed in the region of Cobán, Alta Verapaz. Both aircraft were destroyed and both pilots were killed.

Crash of a PZL-Mieloec AN-2R in Malyye Khutora: 4 killed

Date & Time: Aug 30, 1975 at 1900 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
CCCP-70506
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Krasnopolye - Mogilev
MSN:
1G144-17
YOM:
1973
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
2
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
2
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
4
Aircraft flight hours:
1781
Circumstances:
The aircraft was supposed to transfer a patient on an ambulance flight but the failure of the starter necessitated the intervention of two mechanics. The patient was transferred on another aircraft and once it was repaired, the aircraft was ferried to Mogilev with both pilots and both mechanics. About six minutes after takeoff, while cruising at a relative low altitude about 10 km from its departure point, the airplane entered a steep left turn, went out of control and crashed in flames at Malyye Khutora (Krasnopolye district of the Mogilev region). All four occupants were killed.
Probable cause:
It was determined that both pilots were severely intoxicated after taking part to a wedding in the afternoon. The alcohol content of the captain's blood was 2 ‰ and 4.2 ‰ for the copilot. Both mechanics had not consumed any alcohol.

Crash of a Consolidated PB4Y-2 Privateer off Port Hardy

Date & Time: Aug 9, 1975 at 0015 LT
Operator:
Registration:
N6813D
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Anchorage - Ketchikan - Greybull
MSN:
59876
YOM:
1943
Flight number:
Tanker 125
Country:
Crew on board:
2
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Aircraft flight hours:
1482
Circumstances:
During 1975, '13D was under contract to the US Department of the Interior and based at Anchorage, Alaska. Total flight time was approximately 1475 hours. On Friday, 8 August 197 5, the aircraft was being flown back to the lower 48 States from Anchorage with an eventual destination of Greybull, Wyoming. One engine had been shut down due to its running rough, and we understand that a planned fuel stop at Ketchikan, Alaska, was missed because of bad weather. Shortly after midnight on Saturday, 9 August, after seven hours of flight, BuNo 59876 ran out of fuel, and the engines that were still in operation began to quit! Luckily, they were over the northern tip of Vancouver Island, British Columbia, Canada, and below was the 5000 foot paved runway at Port Hardy. Unbelievably , during final approach with only one engine still running, the pilot considered he was too high to land and attempted to go-around! The aircraft struck the ground during the turn, crashed through the airport perimeter fence, crossed the rock and driftwood strewn beach, and came to rest in the ocean, approximately 100 yards offshore! When the radio operator in the control tower lost contact with the plane, he immediately sounded the alarm in the airport fire station. Since no aircraft, nor fire, could be seen, it was felt the plane must have gone down short of the airport, and a search was started in that area. When the aircraft finally came to a stop, the two-man crew was unsure of where they were and what had happened. Almost immediately, the cockpit started to fill with water, and the men struggled to climb out a roof escape hatch. After standing on top of the aircraft for a short while, they spotted a seat cushion floating by, grabbed it, and swam the hundred or so yards to shore. When they arrived on land, their legs were so cold they could not stand. After a short rest, the crew scrambled in the dark over logs and through bushes, and made it to the airport boundary fence. During this same time period, the fire and rescue crews decided the plane must have gone off the runway and into the ocean, so they returned to the airport to resume their search. As the pilot and copilot approached the fence, they saw an emergency vehicle speed toward them down the runway and then continue on by until it stopped at the hole in the fence where the plane had crashed through on its way to the ocean. A short time later, another truck arrived. They were able to get the attention of the driver by shouting and waving. The flight crew was taken to the fire hall where they were given blankets and hot drinks until an ambulance took them to the hospital for examination. Both the pilot and copilot received only minor injuries during their ordeal. The pilot was fired by H&P, but the copilot remained with the company, only to be killed in the crash of a C119 during 1980. N6813D received substantial damage to its nose gear and underbelly, and the left wing tip and flap were destroyed.
Source: http://pb4y-2.org/pdf/all.pdf
Probable cause:
Fuel exhaustion.

Crash of a Cessna 411 near Show Low: 1 killed

Date & Time: Jul 2, 1975 at 0935 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
N4956T
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Flagstaff - Silver City
MSN:
411-156
YOM:
1966
Crew on board:
1
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
1
Captain / Total flying hours:
10000
Captain / Total hours on type:
58.00
Circumstances:
While in cruising altitude on a ferry flight from Flagstaff to Silver City, the pilot lost control of the airplane that entered a dive and crashed in flames near Show Low. The aircraft was totally destroyed and the pilot, sole occupant, was killed.
Probable cause:
Loss of control in flight and uncontrolled descent after the pilot suffered physical impairment. The following contributing factors were reported:
- Alcoholic impairment of efficiency and judgment,
- Misjudged altitude,
- Peak gusts 15 knots,
- The pilot suffered a heart attack at an undetermined time,
- Alcohol content 2,6‰.
Final Report:

Crash of a PZL-Mielec AN-2 near Vanavara: 2 killed

Date & Time: Feb 1, 1975 at 1152 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
CCCP-41299
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Strelka-Chunya – Vanavara
MSN:
1G64-14
YOM:
1965
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
2
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
2
Aircraft flight hours:
7883
Aircraft flight cycles:
13808
Circumstances:
After some materials have been delivered in Strelka-Chunya, the crew departed Strelka-Chunya at 1126LT on a ferry flight to Vanavara. Weather was quite fine with a visibility of 6-10 km with light snow and an OAT of -25°. En route, the single engine airplane struck trees and crashed in a wooded area. As the airplane failed to arrive at destination, SAR operations were initiated and the wreckage was found two hours later about 78 km north of Vanavara. The aircraft was destroyed and both pilots were killed.
Probable cause:
The exact cause of the accident could not be determined with certainty. The engine was developing normal power at impact and no technical issues were found on the airplane or its components. Moreover, there were no failure or any errors on part of the crew. It is the opinion of the board that the accident was probably the consequence of an in-flight collision with a foreign object as traces of blood were found on the windshield and the floor of the airplane and that the crew did not send any distress call.

Crash of an Ilyushin II-18V in Budapest: 9 killed

Date & Time: Jan 15, 1975 at 1721 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
HA-MOH
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Berlin - Budapest
MSN:
184 0071 04
YOM:
1964
Flight number:
MA801A
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
9
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
9
Circumstances:
The approach to Budapest-Ferihegy Airport runway 31L was initiated in poor weather conditions with limited visibility due to fog. On short final, the pilot-in-command elected to make a go-around when the airplane struck the ground and crashed 1,360 meters short of runway 31L threshold and 120 meters to the left of its centerline. The airplane crashed and burned and all nine crew members who were completing a ferry flight from Berlin-Schönefeld Airport were killed. At the time of the accident, the horizontal visibility was reported to be 300 meters with a 1,500 meters RVR for runway 31L. The vertical visibility was 30 meters.
Probable cause:
It is believed that the crew mistook the runway lights with the apron lights. The crew initiated a go-around procedure after he changed his decisions four times during the 27 seconds preceding impact.

Crash of an Ilyushin II-18D off Jeddah: 9 killed

Date & Time: Dec 9, 1974 at 1915 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
YR-IMK
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Jeddah - Cairo
MSN:
186 0091 04
YOM:
1966
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
9
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
9
Circumstances:
The aircraft completed several rotations from Cairo to Jeddah and back on a pilgrim charter program on behalf of Egyptair. The four engine airplane departed Jeddah-King Abdulaziz Airport at 1905LT on a ferry flight to Cairo, carrying nine crew members, six technical crew from TAROM and three stewardesses from Egyptair. 10 minutes after takeoff, while climbing by night and good weather conditions, the airplane went out of control and crashed into the Red Sea about 20 km northwest of Djeddah. The aircraft was lost and all nine occupants were killed.
Crew:
Ion Mihai Vasilescu, pilot,
Răzvan Ionescu, copilot,
Constantin Duschel, navigator,
Coman Stoia, flight engineer,
Justina Constantinescu, radio operator,
Ion Popescu, flight officer + 3 stewardesses.

Crash of a Rockwell Grand Commander 690A in Kingston: 1 killed

Date & Time: Nov 12, 1974 at 1804 LT
Operator:
Registration:
N40MP
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Phoenix - Butte
MSN:
690-11116
YOM:
1973
Location:
Crew on board:
1
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
1
Captain / Total flying hours:
2754
Captain / Total hours on type:
200.00
Circumstances:
While cruising by night at an altitude of 17,500 feet on a ferry flight from Phoenix to Butte, the twin engine airplane collided with a USAF General Dynamics F-111A Aardvark registered 67-0055. Following the collision, both aircraft entered a dive and crashed in flames near Kingston. The pilot of the Commander was killed while both military pilots were seriously injured.
Probable cause:
The collision occurred by night when the aircraft was not under radar contact with no control. It is understood that the F-111 crew had a rendezvous with the crew of a USAF Boeing KC-135 refueling plane for a night exercise but he mistook the Commander that was struck from the rear with a 0-10° angle.
Final Report:

Crash of a Beechcraft E18S off Maui Island

Date & Time: Jun 12, 1974 at 1240 LT
Type of aircraft:
Registration:
N39A
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Honolulu - Van Nuys
MSN:
BA-115
YOM:
1955
Location:
Crew on board:
1
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Captain / Total flying hours:
16640
Captain / Total hours on type:
2000.00
Circumstances:
The pilot, sole on board, was performing a ferry flight from Honolulu to Van Nuys, California. While cruising along the coast of the Maui Island, both engines failed simultaneously. Unable to maintain a safe altitude, he ditched the aircraft 22 miles offshore. The pilot was rescued while the aircraft sank and was lost.
Probable cause:
Double engine failure in flight following a fuel exhaustion. The following factors were reported:
- Inadequate preflight preparation,
- Improper in-flight decisions,
- Mismanagement of fuel,
- Miscalculated fuel consumption,
- Fuel exhaustion,
- Pilot became lost/disoriented,
- HF communication inoperative.
Final Report: