Military | Bureau of Aircraft Accidents Archives

En route, an engine failed and the crew was forced to shoot it down and to feather the propeller. Shortly later, the second engine failed as well. The pilot decided to attempt an emergency landing. The airplane crash landed in a desert area located 4,8 km east of Shihr and was damaged beyond repair. There were no casualties.

Probable cause:

Double engine failure in flight.

Crash of a Douglas C-47 in San Luis la Herradura: 2 killed

Date & Time: May 5, 1957

Type of aircraft:

Douglas C-47 Skytrain (DC-3)

Operator:

Registration:

300

Flight Phase:

Flight Type:

Survivors:

Site:

Schedule:

Tegucigalpa – San Salvador

MSN:

12786

YOM:

1944

Location:

San Luis la Herradura

La Paz

Country:

Salvador

Region:

Central America

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

Crashed in unknown circumstances at San Luis la Herradura while performing a flight between both capital cities of Salvador and Honduras. Both pilots were killed and few passengers were injured.

Crash of a Fairchild C-119 Flying Boxcar near Ashiya AFB: 4 killed

Date & Time: Apr 22, 1957 at 1500 LT

Type of aircraft:

Fairchild C-119 Flying Boxcar

Operator:

Flight Phase:

Landing (descent or approach)

Flight Type:

Military

Survivors:

Site:

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

On final approach to Ashiya AFB in poor weather conditions (rain and fog), the airplane hit the slope of Mt Hobashirayama located about 11 km short of runway 30. All four crew members were killed.

Crash of a Lockheed WV-2 Super Constellation at Argentia NAS

Date & Time: Apr 17, 1957 at 0933 LT

Type of aircraft:

Lockheed L-1049 Super Constellation

Operator:

Registration:

141314

Flight Phase:

Landing (descent or approach)

Flight Type:

Military

Survivors:

Yes

Site:

Airport (less than 10 km from airport)

Schedule:

Argentia - Argentia

MSN:

4438

YOM:

1956

Location:

Argentia NAS

Newfoundland & Labrador

Country:

Canada

Region:

North America

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Aircraft flight hours:

558

Circumstances:

After takeoff from Argentia NAS, while on a barrier flight, the crew informed ATC that the aircraft caught fire, that he lost an engine and must return for an emergency landing. Following a return circuit, the pilot-in-command completed a wheels-up landing. The airplane slid for dozen yards before coming to rest in flames. All 24 occupants were evacuated safely while the aircraft was destroyed.

Probable cause:

Overheating of the brakes on the left main gear caused a tire to explode when the gear was raised. High temperatures caused fire in the gear bay and fire spread to the engine number two which caught fire and detached shortly later.

Crash of a Vickers 607 Valetta C.1 near Aqaba: 27 killed

Date & Time: Apr 17, 1957 at 0830 LT

Type of aircraft:

Vickers Valetta

Operator:

Registration:

VW832

Flight Phase:

Takeoff (climb)

Flight Type:

Military

Survivors:

Site:

Plain, Valley

Schedule:

Aqaba – Habbaniya

MSN:

393

YOM:

Location:

Aqaba

Country:

Jordan

Region:

Asia

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

The crew was performing a flight from Aqaba to Habbaniya, taking part to an evacuation mission of the British troops from Jordan. Seven minutes after its takeoff from Aqaba Airport, the airplane banked left, went into a dive and crashed in a huge explosion in a desert area located about 40 km northeast of Aqaba Airport. The airplane disintegrated on impact and all 27 occupants were killed.

Probable cause:

The accident was the consequence of the failure of the port main spar of the outer wing which had resulted in the disintegration of the wing round the fracture and damage to the rear fuselage and tail. The board also said it found that spar failure was due to over-stressing and they suggested this was due to the extreme air turbulence which was known to have existed in the area at the time. The board said they had found no sign of a fatigue failure.

Crash of a Douglas C-124 Globemaster II in Cambridge Bay

Date & Time: Apr 2, 1957

Type of aircraft:

Douglas C-124 Globemaster II

Operator:

Registration:

51-5176

Flight Phase:

Landing (descent or approach)

Flight Type:

Military

Survivors:

Yes

Site:

Airport (less than 10 km from airport)

MSN:

43586

YOM:

1951

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

On final approach, the airplane was too low and hit a gravel bank and crashed. There were no casualties.

Crash of a Miles M.60 Marathon T.1 at RAF Topcliffe

Date & Time: Mar 27, 1957

Type of aircraft:

Miles M.60 Marathon

Operator:

Registration:

XA255

Flight Phase:

Landing (descent or approach)

Flight Type:

Military

Survivors:

Yes

Site:

Airport (less than 10 km from airport)

MSN:

107

YOM:

1950

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

Damaged beyond repair after a hard landing at RAF Topcliffe. There were no injuries.

Crash of a Boeing C-97C-35-BO Stratofreighter into the Pacific Ocean: 67 killed

Date & Time: Mar 22, 1957 at 0037 LT

Type of aircraft:

Boeing C-97 Stratofreighter

Operator:

Registration:

50-0702

Flight Phase:

Flight

Flight Type:

Military

Survivors:

Site:

Lake, Sea, Ocean, River

Schedule:

Travis – Honolulu – Wake Island – Yokota

MSN:

16246

YOM:

1950

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

En route from Wake Island to Yokota AFB, Tokyo, while cruising at an altitude of 8,000 feet, the crew informed ground about his position 320 km off the Japanese coast and that all was ok on board. Shortly later, the airplane disappeared and the crew was unable to send any distress call. SAR operations were conducted for eight days but no trace of the airplane nor the 67 occupants was ever found.

Probable cause:

Due to lack of evidences, investigations were unable to determine the exact cause of the accident. Nevertheless, it was reported that weather conditions were not so good with clouds between 1,500 and 3,000 meters with turbulences and icing conditions.

Crash of a Consolidated PBY-5A Catalina near Natagaima: 12 killed

Date & Time: Mar 13, 1957

Type of aircraft:

Consolidated PBY Catalina

Operator:

Registration:

FAC-620

Flight Phase:

Flight

Flight Type:

Military

Survivors:

Site:

Mountains

Schedule:

Bogotá – Tres Esquinas

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

Struck a mountain near Natagaima, Tolima, while on a flight from Bogotá to Tres Esquinas. As the airplane failed to arrive at destination, SAR operations were conducted. The wreckage was found eleven days later, on March 24. All 12 occupants were killed.