Crash of a Douglas C-47M in the Andes Mountains: 16 killed

Date & Time: Aug 5, 1969
Operator:
Registration:
17254
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Site:
Schedule:
Viña del Mar – Santiago – Buenos Aires
MSN:
14184/25629
YOM:
1944
Location:
Country:
Crew on board:
4
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
12
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
16
Circumstances:
The aircraft departed El Belloto Airbase in Viña del Mar, Chile, on a flight to Buenos Aires. The crew made a stop at Santiago-Los Cerrillos Airport to obtain the international clearance before continuing to Argentina. While cruising over the Andes Mountain Range, the aircraft disappeared in unknown circumstances. The last radio contact was established at 1716LT. As the airplane failed to arrive in Buenos Aires, SAR operations were conducted but no trace of the aircraft nor the 16 occupants was ever found.

Crash of a De Havilland C-7B Caribou in Phước Tuy: 1 killed

Date & Time: Jul 26, 1969
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
62-4186
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
MSN:
128
YOM:
1963
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
5
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
1
Circumstances:
The airplane suffered an engine failure in flight. Control was lost and it crashed in an open field located in Phước Tuy. 1st Lt James Fielding Wohrer was killed while four others were injured.
Probable cause:
Engine failure in flight.

Crash of a Douglas R4D-6 in Þórshöfn

Date & Time: Jul 25, 1969
Operator:
Registration:
150187
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
MSN:
14209/25654
YOM:
1944
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
0
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
Swerved on runway during takeoff, veered off runway and came to rest. There were no casualties but the aircraft was damaged beyond repair and abandoned on site.

Crash of a Beechcraft C18S in Chillán: 5 killed

Date & Time: Jul 23, 1969
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
San Ramón – Chillán
Country:
Crew on board:
2
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
3
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
5
Circumstances:
While descending to Chillán-General Bernardo O’Higgins Airport, the airplane suffered an engine failure. Control was lost and the aircraft crashed few km from the airfield, killing all five occupants.

Crash of a Douglas R4D-1 in San Salvador

Date & Time: Jul 15, 1969
Operator:
Registration:
FAS101
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Country:
Crew on board:
0
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
While flying over the region of El Poy, the airplane was attacked by the pilot of a F4U-4 Corsair of the Honduran Air Force. The crew was able to return to San Salvador-Ilopango Airport but on touchdown, the airplane went out of control and came to rest by the runway. There were no casualties but the airplane was written off.
Probable cause:
Shot down by enemy fire.

Crash of a Max Holste M.H.1521M Broussard in Pau: 7 killed

Date & Time: Jul 4, 1969
Operator:
Registration:
319/F-RACE
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
MSN:
378
YOM:
1961
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
2
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
5
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
7
Circumstances:
Crashed in unknown circumstances while descending to Pau-Uzein Airport. All seven occupants were killed.

Crash of a Fairchild C-119 Flying Boxcar in Agra: 20 killed

Date & Time: Jun 29, 1969
Operator:
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Agra - Nagpur
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
4
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
16
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
20
Circumstances:
After takeoff from Agra Airport, while climbing in poor weather conditions, the airplane went out of control and crashed in a field located in Burhere, some 27 km from Agra. All 20 occupants were killed.

Crash of an Antonov AN-12BP near Yukhnov: 96 killed

Date & Time: Jun 23, 1969 at 1452 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
CCCP-08525
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Kėdainiai - Ryazan
MSN:
4 025 03
YOM:
1964
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
5
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
91
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
96
Aircraft flight hours:
1218
Aircraft flight cycles:
1013
Circumstances:
The crew was performing a flight from Kėdainiai to Ryazan with 91 soldiers and a crew of 5 returning to their base. The aircraft was in the third position of a three-aircraft formation. In the same region was cruising an Aeroflot Ilyushin II-14M registered CCCP-52018. En route from Moscow-Bykovo to Simferopol, Ukraine, via Chernigov and Kirovograd, this second aircraft was carrying 19 passengers and a crew of 5. En route, the crew of the II-14 encountered turbulences while cruising in poor weather conditions. He requested to ATC the permission to modify his altitude but this was denied due to heavy traffic. Despite he was uncleared, the captain started to climb in marginal weather conditions. Shortly later, at a height of 2,950 meters, the II-14M collided with the Soviet Air Force AN-12BP. The collision occurred when the top of the tail of the AN-12 struck the base of the fuselage of the II-14. Both aircraft went out of control, dove into the ground and crashed in a field, 800 meters from each other. All 120 occupants on both aircraft were killed.
Probable cause:
It was determined that the captain of the civil aircraft (II-14) neglected elemental navigation rules in starting a descent while this was denied and refused by ATC due to heavy traffic.

Crash of a Douglas EC-47P in Ubon Ratchathani

Date & Time: Jun 7, 1969
Operator:
Registration:
43-49547
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
MSN:
15363/26808
YOM:
1944
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
8
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
Shortly after takeoff from Ubon Ratchathani Airport, while climbing, both engines lost power. The captain elected to ditch the aircraft into the Mun River located about two km south of the airfield. All eight crew members were rescued while the aircraft was destroyed.
Probable cause:
Loss of engine power during initial climb for unknown reason.