Crash of a Britten-Norman BN-2A-20 Islander in Caracas

Date & Time: Jun 15, 1977
Type of aircraft:
Britten-Norman Islander
Operator:
Registration:
YV-O-MAR-6
Flight Phase:
Landing (descent or approach)
Flight Type:
Government
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
City
Schedule:
Puerto Cabello - Caracas
MSN:
203
YOM:
1970
Location:
Caracas
Caracas Federal District
Country:
Venezuela
Region:
South America
Crew on board:
1
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
7
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
The twin engine airplane was performing a flight from Puerto Cabello to Caracas on behalf of the Venezuelan Government. While approaching the Francisco de Miranda AFB, both engines failed simultaneously. The pilot reduced his altitude and attempted an emergency landing on a highway located in La Araña, about nine km west of the airport. Upon landing, the airplane struck few cars and came to rest. Four occupants were injured while four others were unhurt. No one was hurt on the ground.
Probable cause:
Double engine failure on approach caused by a fuel exhaustion.

Crash of a Piper PA-31T Cheyenne in Harrisburg: 9 killed

Date & Time: Feb 24, 1977 at 0924 LT
Type of aircraft:
Piper PA-31 Cheyenne
Operator:
Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
Registration:
N631PT
Flight Phase:
Takeoff (climb)
Flight Type:
Government
Survivors:
No
Site:
City
Schedule:
New Cumberland - Harrisburg - University Park - New Cumberland
MSN:
31-7720001
YOM:
1977
Location:
Harrisburg-Capital City
Pennsylvania
Country:
United States of America
Region:
North America
Crew on board:
2
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
6
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
9
Captain / Total flying hours:
4469
Captain / Total hours on type:
32.00
Aircraft flight hours:
173
Circumstances:
Shortly after takeoff from Harrisburg-Capital City Airport runway 08, the twin engine aircraft went out of control and crashed in flames onto a house located in a populated area in the town of Bressler, 1,55 statute miles from the departure end of runway 08. The aircraft disintegrated on impact and all eight occupants were killed as well as one people in the house.
Those on board were:
Crew:
David M. Wolf, pilot,
Edward Soisson, copilot.
Passengers:
William Sherlock, State Transportation Secretary,
Richard C. Frame, State GOP Chairman,
William R. Smith, Sherlock's Chief of Staff,
Charles Wilson, PennDOT Public Relations Officer,
Larry G. Pennsyl, PennDOT photographer,
John W. Krebs, PennDOT data processing manager.
Probable cause:
The probable cause of the accident was the flightcrew's failure to insure that the aircraft was loaded properly and that it's center of gravity was within certificated limits. As a result, the aircraft's control characteristics were degraded significantly by a center of gravity well aft of the certificated limits. This imbalance led to the pilot's inability to control a longitudinally unstable aircraft during a climbing turn in instrument meteorological conditions. There was no evidence of engine failure or malfunction, the flight crew was properly certified and the pilots had no medical or psychological problems. The accident was not survivable.
Final Report:

Crash of a Learjet 25B near Sarajevo: 8 killed

Date & Time: Jan 18, 1977
Type of aircraft:
Learjet 25
Operator:
Yugoslav Government
Registration:
YU-BJH
Flight Phase:
Landing (descent or approach)
Flight Type:
Government
Survivors:
No
Site:
Mountains
Schedule:
Batajnica - Sarajevo
MSN:
25-186
YOM:
1975
Flight number:
YU001
Location:
Sarajevo
East Herzegovina
Country:
Bosnia and Herzegovina
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
2
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
6
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
8
Circumstances:
The airplane departed Batajnica Airbase under callsign YU001 bound for Sarajevo, carrying the Yugoslav Prime Minister Džemal Bijedić, his wife Razija and several members of his cabinet. While descending to Sarajevo-Butmir Airport, the crew encountered poor weather conditions. Following a wrong approach configuration, the aircraft struck the slope of Mt Inač (1,366 metres high) located near the village of Kreševo, about 30 km northwest of the airport. The aircraft was destroyed upon impact and all eight occupants were killed.
Probable cause:
The accident was the consequence of a controlled flight into terrain caused by several errors on part of the crew, among them the following:
- The last turn was completed 2,7 NM further than prescribed,
- The airplane was approaching at an insufficient altitude to clear terrain,
- Its speed was in excess of 37 knots at impact,
- Lack of visibility caused by poor weather.

Crash of a Douglas C-47A-90-DL in Bhopal

Date & Time: Sep 17, 1976 at 0921 LT
Type of aircraft:
Douglas C-47 Skytrain (DC-3)
Operator:
Registration:
VT-AXC
Flight Phase:
Takeoff (climb)
Flight Type:
Government
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Airport (less than 10 km from airport)
Schedule:
Bhopal - Indore
MSN:
20303
YOM:
1944
Location:
Bhopal-Raja Bhoj
Madhya Pradesh
Country:
India
Region:
Asia
Crew on board:
2
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
8
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
After takeoff from Bhopal Airport, while in initial climb, the captain asked the copilot to raise the landing gear. Shortly later, he realized that the aircraft's speed was below the minimum control speed and that the aircraft was losing height. He asked the copilot to lower the gear but before the gear would fully extend in a down position, the airplane struck the ground and crash landed. All 10 occupants escaped uninjured while the aircraft was damaged beyond repair.

Crash of a De Havilland DHC-3 Otter in Nym Lake

Date & Time: Jul 23, 1976
Type of aircraft:
De Havilland DHC-3 Otter
Operator:
Registration:
C-FODP
Flight Phase:
Takeoff (climb)
Flight Type:
Government
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Lake, Sea, Ocean, River
MSN:
103
YOM:
1956
Location:
Nym Lake
Ontario
Country:
Canada
Region:
North America
Crew on board:
1
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
4
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Aircraft flight hours:
5586
Circumstances:
Shortly after becoming airborne, the left wing dropped and struck the water. It was a warm, summer's day with a temperature of 23° C and a wind of 15 knots. The aircraft turned approximately 150° after the wing struck the water and crashed on the shore of an island. Fire started on impact and consumed most of the aircraft, although there were no injuries to the pilot and four passengers.
Source: Karl E. Hayes
Probable cause:
The subsequent report blamed the accident on “improper compensation for wind”.

Crash of a Lisunov LI-2 in Tashkent

Date & Time: Jul 14, 1976
Type of aircraft:
Lisunov LI-2
Operator:
Registration:
CCCP-13369
Flight Phase:
Takeoff (climb)
Flight Type:
Government
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Airport (less than 10 km from airport)
MSN:
184 404 10
YOM:
1951
Location:
Tashkent-Yuzhny
Tashkent Province (Toshkent viloyati)
Country:
Uzbekistan
Region:
Asia
Crew on board:
0
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Aircraft flight hours:
4946
Circumstances:
Just after liftoff, while in initial climb, the airplane stalled and crashed back onto the runway, veered off runway and came to rest in flames. All occupants escaped uninjured while the aircraft was destroyed.
Probable cause:
The total weight of the aircraft was above MTOW at the time of the accident and the airplane has been refueled with a too low octane fuel, which caused the engines to lose power during takeoff.

Crash of a GAF Nomad N.22B off Kota Kinabalu: 11 killed

Date & Time: Jun 6, 1976 at 1541 LT
Type of aircraft:
GAF Nomad N.22
Operator:
Registration:
9M-ATZ
Flight Phase:
Landing (descent or approach)
Flight Type:
Government
Survivors:
No
Site:
Lake, Sea, Ocean, River
Schedule:
Labuan - Kota Kinabalu
MSN:
14
YOM:
1975
Location:
Kota Kinabalu
Sabah
Country:
Malaysia
Region:
Asia
Crew on board:
1
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
10
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
11
Circumstances:
The airplane was completing a flight from Labuan to Kota Kinabalu, carrying the Prime Minister of Sabah and his delegation. On final approach to runway 20, while at an altitude of 600 feet and a speed of 86 knots, the airplane stalled and crashed into the shallow sea which was about three feet deep, some 3 km short of runway threshold. The aircraft was totally destroyed and all 11 occupants have been killed.
Crew:
Ghandi Nathan.
Passengers:
Tun Fuad Stephens, Prime Minister of Sabah,
Datuk Peter Mojuntin, Sabah Minister of Local Government and Housing,
Datuk Salleh Sulong, Sabah Finance Minister,
Chong Thien Vun, Sabah Works and Communication Minister,
Datuk Darius Binion, Assistant Minister to Deputy Chief Minister,
Datuk Wahid Peter Andu, secretary to Sabah Finance Minister,
Dr. Syed Hussin Wafa, Director of State Economic Planning Unit,
Datuk Ishak Atan, Private Secretary to Malaysian Federal Finance Minister Tengku Razaleigh Hamzah,
Johari Stephens (Tun Fuad's eldest son),
Corporal Said Mohammad, bodyguard to Tun Fuad Stephens.
Probable cause:
The findings of an investigating team did not reveal any technical errors or sabotage as being the causes of the air crash. What they have instead discovered is that the fault was due to human error. It was also revealed that the aircraft's storage space at the back of the aircraft, was loaded with goods above the maximum load. As a consequence this had resulted in the aircraft losing control when it attempted to land at the Kota Kinabalu Airport, thus resulting in the accident.

Crash of a Lisunov LI-2 near Karakulino: 4 killed

Date & Time: Jun 6, 1976
Type of aircraft:
Lisunov LI-2
Operator:
Registration:
CCCP-13345
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Government
Survivors:
No
Site:
Plain, Valley
Schedule:
Moscow - Tyumen
MSN:
2 34 419 01
YOM:
1952
Location:
Karakulino
Republic of Udmurtia
Country:
Russia
Region:
Asia
Crew on board:
4
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
4
Aircraft flight hours:
5444
Circumstances:
The crew encountered turbulences in flight and decided to continue at a relative low altitude of 290 metres. After four hours of flight, fuel reserves were low and the left engine started to misrunning. The captain decided to reduce his altitude and to attempt an emergency landing when, at a height of 45 metres, the aircraft struck five telephone steel cables with a diameter of 4,3 mm. The airplane stalled and crashed on the shore of the Kama River. All four crew members were killed.

Crash of a Pilatus PC-6/C-H2 Turbo Porter in Topia

Date & Time: Feb 20, 1976
Type of aircraft:
Pilatus PC-6 (Porter & Turbo Porter)
Operator:
Registration:
XC-BIB
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Government
Site:
Airport (less than 10 km from airport)
MSN:
2069
YOM:
1968
Location:
Topia
Durango
Country:
Mexico
Region:
Central America
Crew on board:
0
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
Crashed in unknown circumstances. Operated by the Attorney General of the Republic, the aircraft has just been delivered few days prior to the accident.

Crash of a Dassault Falcon 20C in Rambouillet: 5 killed

Date & Time: Jan 22, 1976
Type of aircraft:
Dassault Falcon 20
Operator:
GLAM - Groupe de Liaisons Aériennes Ministérielles
Registration:
154/F-RAFK
Flight Phase:
Takeoff (climb)
Flight Type:
Government
Survivors:
No
Site:
Plain, Valley
Schedule:
Vélizy-Villacoublay - Toulouse-Francazal
MSN:
154
YOM:
1968
Location:
Rambouillet
Yvelines
Country:
France
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
2
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
3
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
5
Circumstances:
Few minutes after takeoff from Vélizy-Villacoublay, en route to Francazal Airbase in Toulouse, the airplane went out of control and crashed in unknown circumstances in Rambouillet, about 30 km southwest of its departure point. The aircraft was destroyed and all five occupants were killed.
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