Crash of a De Havilland DH.104 Dove 2 in Léopoldville

Date & Time: Mar 8, 1957
Type of aircraft:
De Havilland DH.104 Dove
Operator:
Aviation de la Force Publique
Registration:
D-10
Flight Type:
Military
Site:
Airport (less than 10 km from airport)
MSN:
04252
YOM:
1949
Location:
Kinshasa-Ndolo
Kinshasa City Province
Country:
Democratic Republic of Congo
Region:
Africa
Crew on board:
0
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
Crashed in unknown circumstances. Crew fate remains unknown.

Crash of a Blackburn B-101 Beverley C.1 near RAF Abingdon: 20 killed

Date & Time: Mar 5, 1957 at 1100 LT
Type of aircraft:
Blackburn B-101 Beverley
Operator:
Registration:
XH117
Flight Phase:
Landing (descent or approach)
Flight Type:
Military
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
City
Schedule:
Abingdon – Akrotiri
MSN:
1023
YOM:
7
Location:
Abingdon AFB
Oxfordshire
Country:
United Kingdom
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
5
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
17
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
20
Circumstances:
The aircraft departed RAF Abingdon at 1042LT bound for RAF Akrotiri in Cyprus. It was carrying cargo, a relief crew, eight RAF police dog handlers and eight police dogs. There was low cloud at 500 feet (150 m), visibility was less than 1,000 feet (300 m), and an easterly wind of 10 knots (19 km/h). As the aircraft climbed, the engine number one developed a fuel leak. The flight crew responded by shutting down the engine and feathering its propeller. The flight crew declared an emergency and requested a blind approach to RAF Abingdon. The controller alerted emergency services on the ground. A short time later, cockpit instruments alerted the flight crew to a large loss of fuel from No. 2 fuel tank, the second of four such tanks in the port wing. In an effort to stop the leak, the crew de-activated the fuel cocks and boosters for the No. 2 tank, but left them on for the No. 1 tank. As the Beverley turned on to final approach for RAF Abingdon the crew attempted to increase power from the remaining three Bristol Centaurus engines but No. 2 engine – also on the port wing – failed to respond and the aircraft began to lose speed and height. Knowing he could not reach the airfield, the captain tried to land in a field. However, the aircraft became uncontrollable and struck a number of high tension cables and a group of elm trees that tore the port wing from the fuselage. On impact with the ground, the aircraft destroyed a caravan and a prefabricated house before somersaulting and crashing upside down. Eighteen occupants were killed, among them three crew members, and two people on the ground.
Probable cause:
A Board of Inquiry investigated the crash and found it was caused by loss of power from Nos. 1 and 2 engines, both mounted on the port wing. George Ward told the House of Commons that "the four fuel tanks on the port side of the Beverley feed into a collector box from which the two port engines are fed. From the available evidence, including inspections of part of the aircraft's fuel system, it is clear that a non-return valve between No. 1 (port) tank and the collector box had been fitted in reverse and that the fuel supply from Nos. 3 and 4 (port) tanks were switched off throughout the flight." Ward continued, saying that the loss of power from No. 1 was caused by it being shut down as a precautionary measure, and the fuel starvation to No. 2 engine was caused by an incorrectly fitted non-return valve in the supply line from No. 1 fuel tank. No. 2 fuel tank had been isolated and two smaller fuel tanks in the port wing had not been selected during the flight. The tradesman who had fitted the valve, and his supervisor, were prosecuted and charged, and the technician was court-martialled for negligence and punished with a reprimand. The Board also noted that some fuel was available from two smaller tanks but they were not used during the flight, and that the captain "must bear some responsibility" for not using those tanks. Ward said, however, that "owing to the nature of the flight the amount of fuel in the two smaller tanks was not large, and it can only be assumed that the captain had no reason to believe that both port engines would not operate satisfactorily off the two main port tanks individually." The captain was killed in the accident and no allegations were brought against him or any of his crew.

Crash of a Curtiss C-46D-15-CU Commando off Yonago: 17 killed

Date & Time: Mar 4, 1957
Type of aircraft:
Curtiss C-46 Commando
Operator:
Registration:
51-1110
Flight Phase:
Takeoff (climb)
Flight Type:
Military
Survivors:
No
Site:
Lake, Sea, Ocean, River
MSN:
33737
YOM:
1945
Location:
Yonago-Miho
Chūgoku
Country:
Japan
Region:
Asia
Crew on board:
2
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
15
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
17
Circumstances:
Shortly after takeoff from Yonago-Miho Airport, the airplane crashed into the Japan Sea, few km off shore. All 17 occupants have been killed.

Crash of a Douglas C-47D in Fukuoka: 3 killed

Date & Time: Feb 26, 1957 at 1045 LT
Type of aircraft:
Douglas C-47 Skytrain (DC-3)
Operator:
Registration:
43-49792
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Military
Survivors:
No
Site:
City
MSN:
15608/27053
YOM:
1945
Location:
Fukuoka
Kyūshū
Country:
Japan
Region:
Asia
Crew on board:
3
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
3
Circumstances:
In unclear circumstances, the C-47 collided with a USAF North American F-100 Super Sabre over the city of Fukuoka. While the pilot of the fighter was able to land at Fukuoka-Itazuke Airport, the C-47 crashed onto two vacant houses. All three crew members were killed and there was no injuries on the ground.

Crash of a Douglas C-124A-DL Globemaster II in Seoul: 22 killed

Date & Time: Feb 22, 1957 at 1956 LT
Type of aircraft:
Douglas C-124 Globemaster II
Operator:
Registration:
51-0141
Flight Phase:
Takeoff (climb)
Flight Type:
Military
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Airport (less than 10 km from airport)
Schedule:
Seoul – Tachikawa
MSN:
43475
YOM:
1951
Flight number:
MATS503
Location:
Seoul-Gimpo
Seoul (서울)
Country:
South Korea
Region:
Asia
Crew on board:
10
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
149
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
22
Captain / Total flying hours:
7352
Captain / Total hours on type:
6680.00
Copilot / Total flying hours:
2384
Copilot / Total hours on type:
67
Circumstances:
Shortly after takeoff from runway 32 at Seoul-Gimpo Airport, while in initial climb, a propeller blade on the engine number three detached, struck the fuselage and penetrated the cabin, killing four passengers instantly. Doing so, the ailerons and rudder cables were cut. Before the crew would be able to shot down the engine number three and to feather its propeller, both other blades detached and struck the engine number four. The crew contacted ATC and received the permission for an emergency landing on runway 14. Shortly later, the airplane went out of control and crashed in flames in a canal located near the Han River, about 15 km north of the airport. 24 people were injured while 113 other were unhurt. Unfortunately, 22 occupants were killed, among them three crew member of which both pilots.
Those killed were:
Sp2 Francisco Aguilar,
Sp3 Eugene T. Arold,
2nd Lt Bruce E. Barstow,
Maj Ansel L. Boiter, pilot,
1st Lt Frederick L. Boudreau,
Pfc Stephen A. Bowcock,
Pfc Caldwell Brown Jr.,
Pfc Merle J. Brown,
Pfc J. L. Collaro-Gonzalez,
2nd Lt Edwin Harold Glass,
Pfc George A. Hills,
Gerald Junkroski,
Sp3 Avery L. Meeker,
Sgt Ralph Edward Myers,
Cpt Robert L. North, copilot,
Cpt Andrew L. Opiela,
Sfc Lewis P. Partin,
1st Lt Jack G. Stone,
Pfc Jan Martin Wallis,
1st Lt Paul B. Warner,
M/Sgt Joe Neal White,
Sfc Harry E. Witherell.
Probable cause:
Loss of a propeller blade on engine number three during initial climb.

Crash of a De Havilland DHC-2 Beaver in Guachiral: 7 killed

Date & Time: Jan 28, 1957
Type of aircraft:
De Havilland DHC-2 Beaver
Operator:
Registration:
FAC-112
Flight Phase:
Landing (descent or approach)
Flight Type:
Military
Survivors:
No
Site:
Plain, Valley
MSN:
523
YOM:
1953
Location:
Guachiral
Meta
Country:
Colombia
Region:
South America
Crew on board:
1
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
6
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
7
Circumstances:
Crashed on approach to Guachiral in unknown circumstances. The airplane was destroyed by a post crash fire and all seven occupants have been killed, among them Colonel Gustavo Sierra Ochoa, governor of Antioquia.
Crew:
Lt Jairo Ruiz.
Passengers:
Col Gustavo Sierra Ochoa 5.

Crash of a Douglas C-124C Globemaster II off Elmendorf AFB

Date & Time: Jan 27, 1957 at 2015 LT
Type of aircraft:
Douglas C-124 Globemaster II
Operator:
Registration:
50-0088
Flight Phase:
Takeoff (climb)
Flight Type:
Military
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Airport (less than 10 km from airport)
Schedule:
Elmendorf – McChord
MSN:
43226
YOM:
1950
Location:
Elmendorf-Richardson AFB (JBER)
Alaska
Country:
United States of America
Region:
North America
Crew on board:
11
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
1
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
Just after liftoff from Elmendorf AFB, while in initial climb, the crew informed ground about an engine failure and elected to return. The captain realized it could not make it so he ditched the aircraft in the icy Cook Inlet. The airplane came to rest and was damaged beyond repair while all 12 occupants were rescued.
Probable cause:
Engine failure after takeoff.

Crash of a Percival P.66 Pembroke C.1 in Ad Dali'

Date & Time: Jan 23, 1957
Type of aircraft:
Percival P.66 Pembroke
Operator:
Registration:
WV738
Flight Phase:
Landing (descent or approach)
Flight Type:
Military
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Airport (less than 10 km from airport)
Schedule:
Aden – Ad Dali’
MSN:
0038
YOM:
1956
Location:
Ad Dali' (Dhala)
Ad Dali' (الضالع)
Country:
Yemen
Region:
Asia
Crew on board:
0
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
On touchdown at Ad Dali', the nose gear collapsed. The airplane came to rest and was damaged beyond repair. There were no injuries. It is believed the accident was the consequence of a hard landing.
Probable cause:
Nose gear collapsed on landing following a hard landing.

Crash of a Douglas R5D-3 in Detroit: 1 killed

Date & Time: Jan 22, 1957 at 2133 LT
Type of aircraft:
Douglas DC-4
Operator:
Registration:
50869
Flight Phase:
Landing (descent or approach)
Flight Type:
Military
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Airport (less than 10 km from airport)
Schedule:
Miramar – Albuquerque – Detroit
MSN:
10546
YOM:
1945
Location:
Detroit-Willow Run (Ypsilanti)
Michigan
Country:
United States of America
Region:
North America
Crew on board:
7
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
1
Circumstances:
The aircraft was on its way from Miramar to Detroit, carrying a crew of seven. They made a stop at Albuquerque to carry the body of a USN pilot who was killed in an accident two days earlier. While descending to Willow Run Airport, the pilot briefed his crew about the minimums and confirmed that if runway was not in sight at 800 feet, they will divert to Grosse Isle NAS. The approach was completed in a low visibility due to snow falls and a ceiling at 550 feet when the airplane hit the ground near a pond, lost an engine and crashed in flames in an open field located about two miles short of runway 05. LCDR William E. Sale was killed while six others were injured. The aircraft was destroyed.
Probable cause:
The cause of the accident was attributed to a faulty altimeter reading caused by a frozen moisture drain on the Pitot Static System. As a result, it caused altimeter readings to lag as the plane descended.
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