Military | Bureau of Aircraft Accidents Archives

En route from Lowry AFB (Denver) to Alameda NAS (Oakland), the airplane suffered a loss of power on both engines and the crew instructed all six passengers to bail out. After they abandoned the airplane, the crew lost control of the aircraft which dove into the ground and crashed in a marshy field located about 2 miles north of Collinsville. Both pilots were killed while all six passengers were uninjured.

Probable cause:

Loss of power on both engines.

Crash of a Beechcraft AT-11 Kansan in Guadalajara AFB: 4 killed

Date & Time: Aug 29, 1949

Type of aircraft:

Beechcraft AT-11 Kansan

Operator:

Registration:

BHB-1504

Flight Phase:

Takeoff (climb)

Flight Type:

Military

Survivors:

Site:

Airport (less than 10 km from airport)

MSN:

3955

YOM:

1943

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

Crashed shortly after takeoff from Guadalajara AFB, killing all four occupants.

Crash of a Canadian Vickers PBV-1A Canso A in Bigstone Lake: 21 killed

Date & Time: Aug 21, 1949 at 2330 LT

Type of aircraft:

Canadian Vickers PBV-1 Canso (OA-10 Canso)

Operator:

Registration:

11057

Flight Phase:

Flight

Flight Type:

Military

Survivors:

Site:

Plain, Valley

Schedule:

Churchill – Winnipeg

MSN:

CV-363

YOM:

1944

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

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Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

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Circumstances:

While flying in poor weather conditions, the seaplane encountered severe turbulences, nosed down and crashed near Bigstone Lake, about 435 km northeast of Winnipeg. All 21 occupants were killed, among them 14 civilians.
Crew:
F/O George Walker Lineker,
LAC Garnett Frederick Bull,
F/O Albert George Eden,
Cpl George Robert Mitchell,
F/Lt William Wishart Robson,
F/Lt Francis John Rush,
F/O Daniel Orlande Shumay.

Crash of a Douglas C-47A-25-DK in Ankara: 7 killed

Date & Time: Aug 14, 1949

Type of aircraft:

Douglas C-47 Skytrain (DC-3)

Operator:

Registration:

6063

Flight Phase:

Takeoff (climb)

Flight Type:

Military

Survivors:

Site:

Airport (less than 10 km from airport)

Schedule:

Ankara – Izmir

MSN:

13737

YOM:

1944

Location:

Ankara-Etimesgut

Central Anatolia Region (İç Anadolu Bölgesi)

Country:

Turkey

Region:

Asia

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

Shortly after takeoff, while in initial climb, the aircraft banked left, lost height and crashed near the runway. All seven occupants were killed, among them three Turkish crew and four RAF personnel.

Probable cause:

Loss of control shortly after rotation due to the failure of the left engine.

Crash of a Douglas C-47B-25-DK Dakota C.4 in Salahleh: 12 killed

Date & Time: Aug 9, 1949

Type of aircraft:

Douglas C-47 Skytrain (DC-3)

Operator:

Registration:

KN336

Flight Phase:

Landing (descent or approach)

Flight Type:

Military

Survivors:

Site:

Airport (less than 10 km from airport)

Schedule:

Aden – Salahleh

MSN:

15901/32649

YOM:

1945

Location:

Salahleh

Woqooyi Galbeed (وقويي جالبيد‎)

Country:

Somalia

Region:

Africa

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

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Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

The descent to Salahleh Airport was started in marginal weather conditions. On approach, the aircraft hit a hill and crashed few km from the airport. Eleven occupants were killed while a crew member was seriously injured. He died from his injuries a day later.
Crew:
S/Ldr D. Forward,
F/Lt R. Diggory,
Cpl D. Howden,
Cpl R. A. Prior,
F/Lt N. T. Evans,
F/O D. P. Hinton,
Cpl J. J. Gibson,
Sgt T. J. A. Pearce,
Nav L. A. Bain.

Probable cause:

The minimum safe altitude was fixed at 5,000 feet to descent to Salahleh Airport. Probably due to bad visibility caused by low clouds, the crew continued the descent down to 3,000 feet, causing the aircraft to collide with ground.

Crash of an Avro 685 York C.1 in Wünsdorf

Date & Time: Jul 30, 1949

Type of aircraft:

Avro 685 York

Operator:

Registration:

MW145

Flight Phase:

Takeoff (climb)

Flight Type:

Military

Survivors:

Yes

Site:

Airport (less than 10 km from airport)

Schedule:

Wünsdorf – Northolt

MSN:

MW145

YOM:

1945

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

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Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

Just after liftoff, while in initial climb, engines number one and two lost power. The aircraft banked left and the captain decided to abandon the takeoff procedure so he landed immediately. After touchdown, he realized that the distance available was insufficient so he raised the landing gear. The aircraft sank on its belly and slid for several yards before coming to rest. There were no casualties but the aircraft was considered as damaged beyond repair.

Probable cause:

Simultaneous loss of power on both left engines just after liftoff for undetermined reason.

Crash of a Lockheed PV-2 Harpoon in Hershey: 3 killed

Date & Time: Jul 24, 1949

Type of aircraft:

Lockheed P-2 Harpoon

Operator:

Registration:

37208

Flight Phase:

Flight Type:

Survivors:

Site:

MSN:

15-1174

YOM:

1944

Location:

Hershey

Pennsylvania

Country:

United States of America

Region:

North America

Crew on board:

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Circumstances:

An engine caught fire in flight, forcing the crew to attempt an emergency landing. The aircraft registered 37208 (VP-ML-6) crashed in flames in a field located in Hershey. Four crew members were injured while three others were killed.

Probable cause:

Engine fire.

Crash of a Beechcraft AT-11 Kansan in Eskisehir: 4 killed

Date & Time: Jul 23, 1949

Type of aircraft:

Beechcraft AT-11 Kansan

Operator:

Registration:

6856

Flight Type:

Military

Survivors:

Site:

Airport (less than 10 km from airport)

MSN:

3994

YOM:

1943

Location:

Eskişehir

Central Anatolia Region (İç Anadolu Bölgesi)

Country:

Turkey

Region:

Asia

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

Crashed in unknown circumstances in Eskisehir AFB while flying by night. All four occupants were killed.

Crash of a Boeing B-29A-65-BN Superfortress in Wisbech

Date & Time: Jul 21, 1949

Type of aircraft:

Boeing B-29 Superfortress

Operator:

Registration:

44-62191

Flight Phase:

Flight Type:

Survivors:

Site:

MSN:

11668

YOM:

1944

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

En route, the pilot encountered an unexpected situation. All 12 crew members decided to abandon the aircraft and bailed out. The aircraft crashed in a field located two miles west of Wisbech and was destroyed. All 12 crew members were unhurt.

Crash of a Douglas C-47B-10-DK in Marsa Matruh: 9 killed

Date & Time: Jul 16, 1949

Type of aircraft:

Douglas C-47 Skytrain (DC-3)

Operator:

Registration:

349050

Flight Phase:

Flight

Flight Type:

Military

Survivors:

Site:

Desert

Schedule:

El Adem – Nicosia – Saigon

MSN:

14866/26311

YOM:

1944

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

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Pax on board:

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Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

While flying along the Egyptian coast, en route to Saigon via Nicosia, the aircraft suffered an engine failure. The pilot decided to reduce his altitude in an attempt to make an emergency landing but the aircraft crashed near Marsa Matruh, killing all nine crew members registered to the Touraine Group.

Probable cause:

Engine failure.