Crash of a Beechcraft D18S in Freeport

Date & Time: Jan 10, 1970 at 1011 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
N44CA
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
West Palm Beach – Freeport – Great Harbor Key
MSN:
A-143
YOM:
1946
Country:
Crew on board:
1
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Captain / Total flying hours:
2100
Captain / Total hours on type:
450.00
Circumstances:
Upon landing at Freeport Airport, the airplane went out of control, veered off runway and came to rest. The pilot, sole on board, was uninjured. The aircraft was damaged beyond repair.
Probable cause:
Suspected mechanical discrepancy.
Final Report:

Crash of a Beechcraft 80 Queen Air in Republic: 1 killed

Date & Time: Dec 21, 1969 at 1825 LT
Type of aircraft:
Registration:
N1539S
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Boca Raton - Republic - Springfield
MSN:
LD-20
YOM:
1962
Crew on board:
1
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
1
Captain / Total flying hours:
6577
Captain / Total hours on type:
105.00
Circumstances:
Following an uneventful flight from Boca Raton, the pilot was approaching Republic when he was informed by ATC about icing conditions in the area. While descending in poor weather conditions, the pilot lost control of the airplane that crashed few miles from the airfield. The aircraft was destroyed and the pilot, sole on board, was killed.
Probable cause:
Uncontrolled descent and collision with ground during initial approach caused by icing conditions. The following factors were reported:
- Low ceiling,
- Fog,
- Icing conditions including sleet and freezing rain,
- Airframe ice,
- Ice propeller,
- Weather slightly worse than forecast,
- Approach control advised icing conditions in clouds,
- Pilot reported heavy icing,
- Full deicing equipment activated.
Final Report:

Crash of a Lockheed 18-56-23 LodeStar in Golden Gate

Date & Time: Oct 16, 1969 at 0835 LT
Type of aircraft:
Registration:
N170L
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Miami-Opa Locka – St Petersburg
MSN:
2534
YOM:
1943
Crew on board:
2
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Captain / Total flying hours:
31000
Captain / Total hours on type:
2000.00
Circumstances:
The crew was completing a ferry flight from Miami-Opa Locka Airport to a maintenance facility based in St Petersburg. This was the first flight for maintenance. En route, smoke spread in the cockpit and the crew was forced to reduce his altitude and to attempt an emergency landing. The aircraft crash landed in flames in a prairie located in Golden Gate, northeast of Naples.
Probable cause:
In-flight fire and smoke forced the crew to attempt an emergency landing. Fuel leak from undetermined source. Fumes in cabin. The aircraft exploded on ground.
Final Report:

Crash of a Britten-Norman BN-2A Islander into the Sargasso Sea: 2 killed

Date & Time: Oct 11, 1969
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
N852JA
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Fort Lauderdale – Great Inagua – San Juan
MSN:
72
YOM:
1969
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
1
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
1
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
2
Captain / Total flying hours:
2475
Captain / Total hours on type:
15.00
Circumstances:
En route from Fort Lauderdale to San Juan via Great Inagua, the airplane crashed into the Sargasso Sea in unknown circumstances. There was no distress call sent by the pilot en route. SAR operations were conducted but eventually suspended few days later as no trace of the aircraft nor both occupants was found.
Probable cause:
Due to lack of evidences, the exact cause of the accident could not be determined.
Final Report:

Crash of a Learjet 23 in Rio de Janeiro: 5 killed

Date & Time: Aug 31, 1969 at 2316 LT
Type of aircraft:
Registration:
PP-FMX
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Miami - Rio de Janeiro
MSN:
23-090
YOM:
1966
Country:
Crew on board:
2
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
4
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
5
Circumstances:
The crew was completing a ferry flight from Miami, Florida, to Rio de Janeiro. During the final approach completed by night, the airplane went out of control and crashed into the Guanabara Bay, some 8 km northwest of Santos Dumont Airport. The wreckage was found few hundred meters off the Fundão Island. The copilot's wife was found alive while five other occupants were killed.
Crew:
Joaquim Pereira, pilot,
Joaci Rupf, copilot.

Crash of a De Havilland DH.114 Heron 1B in Ruddervoorde

Date & Time: Jul 11, 1969 at 1642 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
TN-ABA
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Charleroi – London-Gatwick
MSN:
14034
YOM:
1953
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
1
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Captain / Total flying hours:
8530
Captain / Total hours on type:
0.00
Aircraft flight hours:
16723
Circumstances:
The airplane arrived in Charleroi on January 24 and was parked there since. In June, a ferry permit was issued and on July 11, it was decided to ferry the airplane from Charleroi to London-Gatwick Airport. The pilot departed Charleroi-Gosselies Airport at 1551LT. At 1634LT, while at cruising altitude, the engine n°4 suffered vibrations and the pilot decided to shut it down. Three minutes later, the engine n°3 emitted smoke then caught fire. The pilot was able to shut it down but for unknown reason could not feather its propeller. He reduced his altitude and attempted to make an emergency landing when the airplane struck trees and crash landed in a potatoes field. The pilot was unhurt while the aircraft was considered as damaged beyond repair. The pilot's total flying hours was 8,530 with zero experience on this type of aircraft.
Probable cause:
Failure of two engines in flight due to the non-observation of the procedure published by the manufacturer regarding the engine start-up following a long standstill period.

Crash of a Rockwell Aero Commander 520 in Olberg: 1 killed

Date & Time: May 28, 1969 at 1530 LT
Registration:
N4127B
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Wilcox - Phoenix
MSN:
520-31
YOM:
1952
Location:
Crew on board:
1
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
1
Captain / Total flying hours:
4100
Captain / Total hours on type:
10.00
Circumstances:
While in cruising altitude in excellent weather conditions, the pilot encountered engine problems. He elected to maintain heading when control was lost. The airplane entered a dive and crashed in a huge explosion in a desert area located near Olberg. The aircraft was totally destroyed and the pilot was killed.
Probable cause:
The accident was the consequence of the combination of the following factors:
- The pilot attempted operation with known deficiencies in equipment,
- Powerplant failure due to spark plug issue,
- Carbon deposit,
- Excessive temperature,
- The pilot failed to maintain flying speed,
- High OAT,
- Complete engine failure,
- The pilot was aware that the engine were unairworthy,
- The right propeller was found in feathered position,
- The left engine had two fouled plugs.
Final Report:

Crash of a Learjet 25 in Corban: 2 killed

Date & Time: Apr 17, 1969 at 0952 LT
Type of aircraft:
Registration:
N515VW
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Site:
Schedule:
Geneva - Basel
MSN:
25-013
YOM:
1968
Location:
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
2
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
2
Captain / Total flying hours:
8500
Copilot / Total flying hours:
1350
Aircraft flight hours:
260
Circumstances:
While descending to Basel Airport in marginal weather conditions at an altitude of 2,000 feet, the crew informed ATC about navigation problems and requested the permission to climb to 3,500 feet over the Homburg beacon. Due to traffic, the crew was cleared to climb to 2,500 feet only when few dozen seconds later, the aircraft disappeared from radar screens. SAR operations were quickly conducted but the wreckage was found three days later, on April 20, by a farmer in an open field located in Corban, some 25 km south of Basel Airport. The aircraft was totally destroyed upon impact and both crew members were killed.
Probable cause:
The Commission has unanimously come to the conclusion that the accident was due to a collision with terrain that occurred during following a missed ILS approach procedure, interrupted due to difficulties of navigation.
Final Report:

Crash of a De Havilland DH.104 Tiley Dove into the Pacific Ocean

Date & Time: Feb 23, 1969 at 0315 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
N880JG
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
MSN:
04491
YOM:
1957
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
1
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Captain / Total flying hours:
26000
Captain / Total hours on type:
175.00
Circumstances:
While on a ferry flight from Hawaii to California, the pilot informed ATC about an engine failure. He reduced his altitude and attempted to ditch the aircraft near a boat approximately 140 miles west of Long Beach. The pilot was quickly rescued while the airplane sank and was lost.
Probable cause:
Powerplant failure for undetermined reason. At the time of the accident, weather conditions includes sleet and freezing rain.
Final Report:

Crash of a Dornier DO.28D Skyservant in Sønderborg: 1 killed

Date & Time: Dec 6, 1968 at 1944 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
N7154
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Stornoway – Sønderborg
MSN:
4001
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
1
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
1
Captain / Total flying hours:
7600
Captain / Total hours on type:
214.00
Circumstances:
The pilot was performing a ferry flight from Stornoway to Sønderborg. On final approach, the twin engine airplane went out of control and crashed in a huge explosion. The pilot was killed.
Final Report: