Crash of a Curtiss C-46D-15-CU Commando off Tomakomai: 35 killed

Date & Time: Feb 1, 1954 at 1350 LT
Type of aircraft:
Curtiss C-46 Commando
Operator:
Registration:
44-78027
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Military
Survivors:
No
Site:
Lake, Sea, Ocean, River
Schedule:
Tachikawa – Misawa – Sapporo
MSN:
33423
YOM:
1945
Flight number:
USAF27A
Location:
Tomakomai
Hokkaidō
Country:
Japan
Region:
Asia
Crew on board:
5
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
30
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
35
Circumstances:
About thirty minutes after it left Misawa AFB, the crew informed ATC that a fire broke out in the main cabin. Shortly later, the airplane went out of control and crashed into the sea about 30 km south of Tomakomai. All 35 occupants were killed.
Probable cause:
Unknown in-flight fire.

Crash of a Vickers 607 Valetta C.1 in Mukeiras

Date & Time: Feb 1, 1954
Type of aircraft:
Vickers Valetta
Operator:
Registration:
VW206
Flight Phase:
Landing (descent or approach)
Flight Type:
Military
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Airport (less than 10 km from airport)
MSN:
362
YOM:
1
Location:
Mukeiras
Al Bayda' (البيضاء)
Country:
Yemen
Region:
Asia
Crew on board:
3
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
15
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
The landing at Mukeiras Airport was hard and the aircraft bounced several times. As the landing was missed, the captain decided to raise the undercarriage to stop the aircraft that sank on its belly, slid for dozen yards and came to a halt. All 18 occupants evacuated safely while the aircraft was damaged beyond repair. It was reported that three passengers were injured in the mishap.

Crash of a Douglas C-47 at Apiay AFB: 5 killed

Date & Time: Jan 31, 1954 at 1800 LT
Type of aircraft:
Douglas C-47 Skytrain (DC-3)
Operator:
Registration:
FAC-674
Flight Phase:
Landing (descent or approach)
Flight Type:
Military
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Airport (less than 10 km from airport)
Schedule:
Orocué – Apiay
Location:
Apiay AFB (Villavicencio)
Meta
Country:
Colombia
Region:
South America
Crew on board:
3
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
13
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
5
Circumstances:
On final approach to Apiay AFB, while completing a last turn, the airplane stalled and crashed in a field. Both pilots and three passengers were killed while eleven other occupants were injured.
Those killed were:
2nd Lt Jorge Roa Gómez, copilot,
T/Sgt Agustin Valdés Rengifo,
Mrs. Valdés Rengifo,
Ismael Germán y Hugo Falla Bernal,
Jaime Falla Diaz.

Crash of a Boeing B-29A-65-BN Washington B.1off Barrow-in-Furness: 7 killed

Date & Time: Jan 26, 1954 at 0027 LT
Type of aircraft:
Boeing B-29 Washington
Operator:
Registration:
WF495
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Military
Survivors:
No
Site:
Lake, Sea, Ocean, River
Schedule:
Prestwick – Lajes
MSN:
11604
YOM:
1944
Location:
Barrow-in-Furness
Cumbria
Country:
United Kingdom
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
7
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
7
Circumstances:
While cruising at an altitude of 12,000 feet off the Isle of Man, the crew informed ground about vibrations and icing conditions. The pilot obtained the permission to reduce his altitude to 8,000 feet when few minutes later, he sent a brief message saying he was losing control of the aircraft that crashed into the Irish Sea about 6 miles south of Barrow-in-Furness. SAR operations were conducted but eventually suspended after few days as no trace of the aircraft nor the seven crew members was found. At the time of the accident, weather conditions were poor with wind and snow falls. The sea was rough and SAR operations were difficult to conduct.
Crew:
F/Lt R. N. Williams, pilot,
A. K. Passmore, copilot,
Mr. Kirkland, navigator,
Mr. Kennell, navigator,
Mr. Clamp, signaller,
Mr. Noble, flight engineer,
Mr. Johnston, gunner.
Probable cause:
The exact cause of the accident could not be determined with certainty. However, the assumption that the loss of control was caused by an excessive accumulation of ice on all critical surfaces and engines was not ruled out.

Crash of a Lockheed P2V-5 Neptune near Barbers Point NAS: 8 killed

Date & Time: Jan 21, 1954 at 2130 LT
Type of aircraft:
Lockheed P-2 Neptune
Operator:
Registration:
124874
Flight Phase:
Landing (descent or approach)
Flight Type:
Military
Survivors:
No
Site:
Mountains
Schedule:
Iwakuni - Barbers Point
Location:
Barbers Point NAS
Hawaii
Country:
United States of America
Region:
North America
Crew on board:
8
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
8
Circumstances:
During a night approach to Barbers Point NAS, the pilot-in-command decided to make a go around for unknown reason. He completed a turn to the left when the airplane hit the slope of Mt Pu'u Kaua (3,127 feet high) located northwest of the Naval Air Station. The airplane was destroyed upon impact and all eight crew members were killed.
Crew:
Lt Walter J. Hanzo Jr., pilot,
Ens Gerald Martin Hazlett, copilot,
Ens Wilbur D. Cooper,
Adc John Robert Staples,
Ad2 Joseph Daniel Beczek,
Am2 Paul Martin Kohler,
At2 Joseph Michael Maksymon,
At3 Richard Knuton Brown.
Probable cause:
Failure of the pilot to follow the published procedure while turning to the left during an attempt to go around instead of turning to the right over the ocean to avoid any obstacle. A reduced visibility caused by night remains a contributory factor.

Crash of a Vickers 607 Valetta C.1 at RAF Lyneham: 1 killed

Date & Time: Jan 20, 1954
Type of aircraft:
Vickers Valetta
Operator:
Registration:
VL282
Flight Phase:
Takeoff (climb)
Flight Type:
Military
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Airport (less than 10 km from airport)
Schedule:
Lyneham – Istres
MSN:
309
YOM:
1948
Location:
Lyneham AFB
Wiltshire
Country:
United Kingdom
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
5
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
8
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
1
Circumstances:
Shortly after takeoff from RAF Lyneham, while in initial climb, the airplane pitched up steeply, stalled and crashed in a field located two miles from the airstrip. The copilot was killed while eleven other occupants were injured.
Probable cause:
Loss of control during initial climb caused by the failure of an elevator.

Crash of a Douglas A-26C-45-DT Invader in Donelson: 3 killed

Date & Time: Jan 16, 1954
Type of aircraft:
Douglas A-26 Invader
Operator:
Registration:
44-35757
Flight Phase:
Landing (descent or approach)
Flight Type:
Military
Survivors:
No
Site:
Plain, Valley
Schedule:
Shaw - Sewart
MSN:
29036
YOM:
1944
Location:
Donelson
Tennessee
Country:
United States of America
Region:
North America
Crew on board:
3
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
3
Circumstances:
The crew was returning to Sewart AFB in Smyrna following a mission at Shaw AFB, South Carolina. While approaching from the north in marginal weather conditions, the airplane went out of control, dove into the ground and crashed onto a house located in Donelson, about a mile north of the Nashville International Airport. The airplane and the house were destroyed by fire and all three crew members were killed. A person in the house was injured. At the time of the accident, the cloud base was at 1,100 feet with icing conditions.

Crash of a Casa 2.111C near Albacete: 3 killed

Date & Time: Jan 11, 1954
Type of aircraft:
Casa 2.111
Operator:
Registration:
B.13-11
Flight Phase:
Landing (descent or approach)
Flight Type:
Military
Survivors:
No
Site:
Airport (less than 10 km from airport)
Schedule:
Seville – Albacete
Location:
Albacete
Castile-La Mancha
Country:
Spain
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
3
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
3
Circumstances:
On approach to Albacete-Los Llanos Airbase, the twin engine aircraft went out of control and crashed onto a farm located eight km from the airfield. The aircraft was destroyed and all three crew members were killed.

Crash of a North American TB-25J Mitchell in Cowpens: 3 killed

Date & Time: Jan 10, 1954 at 1655 LT
Type of aircraft:
North American B-25 Mitchell
Operator:
Registration:
44-30496
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Military
Survivors:
No
Site:
Plain, Valley
Schedule:
Griffiss - Donaldson
MSN:
108-33771
YOM:
1944
Location:
Cowpens
South Carolina
Country:
United States of America
Region:
North America
Crew on board:
3
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
3
Circumstances:
The crew left Griffiss AFB in Rome, New York, at 1330LT on a routine flight to Donaldson AFB, Greenville, South Carolina. While descending to Greenville, the pilot encountered foggy conditions when the airplane hit trees and lost its tail before crashing in a wooded area located in Cowpens, about 35 miles northeast of Donaldson AFB. The airplane was totally destroyed by impact forces and a post crash fire and the tail was found about a mile away from the main wreckage. It was reported that the crew encountered difficulties shortly before the accident.
Crew:
Col Paul C. Schauer, pilot,
Maj Russell Kraus, copilot,
A1c Frederick W. Walker, flight engineer.

Crash of a Consolidated PB4Y-2 Privateer in Colón: 7 killed

Date & Time: Jan 6, 1954 at 2017 LT
Type of aircraft:
Consolidated PB4Y-2 Privateer
Operator:
Flight Phase:
Landing (descent or approach)
Flight Type:
Military
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Airport (less than 10 km from airport)
Location:
Colón
Colón
Country:
Panama
Region:
Central America
Crew on board:
14
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
7
Circumstances:
On final approach by night to France Field Airport in Colón, the airplane hit tree tops and crashed in a dense wooded area located 1,200 meters short of runway 36. Seven crew members were killed while seven others were injured.
Crew:
Lt Stephen E. Griffin, †
Michael R. Paveslch, †
A1c Clarence Fry, †
A3c John R. Parmenter Jr., †
A3c Robert C. Kratt, †
A3c Harold T. Lane, †
Arthur L. Manor, †
Lt John E. Tochey,
Lt Robert J. Bixler,
A1c Robert D. Ross Jr.,
A1c Robert V. Delke,
A2c Kenneth D. Klewer,
A2c Andrew R. Hinkle,
A3c Clarence H. Schneider.
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