Crash of a Grumman G-21A Goose off Saint Thomas: 4 killed

Date & Time: Sep 2, 1978 at 1021 LT
Type of aircraft:
Grumman G-21A Goose
Operator:
Registration:
N7777V
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Scheduled Revenue Flight
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Lake, Sea, Ocean, River
Schedule:
Christiansted – Charlotte Amalie
MSN:
B111
YOM:
1945
Location:
Saint Thomas
All US Virgin Islands
Country:
US Virgin Islands
Region:
Central America
Crew on board:
1
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
10
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
4
Captain / Total flying hours:
42005
Captain / Total hours on type:
5233.00
Circumstances:
En route from Christiansted to Charlotte Amalie, while in cruising altitude, one of the engine failed. The pilot attempted to ditch the aircraft off St Thomas Island when the seaplane crashed into the sea. Three passengers and the pilot, Cpt Charles Blair (69), owner of the company, were killed. Seven other occupants were injured. The aircraft was lost.
Probable cause:
Engine failure in flight due to improper maintenance. The following contributing factors were reported:
- Powerplant failure due to engine structure: cylinder assembly,
- Fatigue fracture,
- Improper in-flight decisions or planning,
- Improper emergency procedures,
- Inadequate supervision of flight crew,
- Deficiency, company maintained equipment, services, regulation,
- Rules, regulations, standards personnel,
- Aircraft came to rest in water,
- Forced landing off airport on water,
- STC approved flight at 8,750 lbs mass gross weight,
- Test indicate mass gross weight 8,150 lbs.
Final Report:

Crash of a PZL-Mielec AN-2 near Kharat: 13 killed

Date & Time: Sep 1, 1978 at 1307 LT
Type of aircraft:
PZL-Mielec AN-2
Operator:
Registration:
CCCP-32323
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Scheduled Revenue Flight
Survivors:
No
Site:
Mountains
Schedule:
Irkutsk - Kharantsy - Onguren
MSN:
1G97-35
YOM:
1968
Flight number:
SU137B
Location:
Kharat
Irkutsk oblast
Country:
Russia
Region:
Asia
Crew on board:
2
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
11
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
13
Aircraft flight hours:
8161
Circumstances:
The single engine airplane departed Irkutsk-Magan Airport at 1236LT on a flight to Onguren with an intermediate stop in Kharantsy. At 1303LT, the crew informed ground about his position, flying at an altitude of 1,500 meters. Four minutes later, while cruising in marginal weather conditions, the airplane pitched down and crashed in a nose down attitude of 75° in a wooded area located 15 km east of the village of Kharat. As the radio contact was lost and the airplane failed to arrive at destination, SAR operations were initiated but the wreckage was found a week later only, on September 8, in a hilly and wooded area, at an altitude of 785 meters. The aircraft was totally destroyed and all 13 occupants were killed.
Probable cause:
The exact cause of the accident could not be determined. There were no technical anomalies with the airplane that most probably lost height after being caught by downdrafts coming from a cumulonimbus.

Crash of a De Havilland DHC-6 Twin Otter 300 in Papun: 14 killed

Date & Time: Aug 26, 1978
Type of aircraft:
De Havilland DHC-6 Twin Otter
Operator:
Registration:
XY-AEI
Flight Phase:
Takeoff (climb)
Flight Type:
Scheduled Revenue Flight
Survivors:
No
Site:
Airport (less than 10 km from airport)
Schedule:
Papun - Yangon
MSN:
541
YOM:
1977
Location:
Papun
Kayin State
Country:
Myanmar
Region:
Asia
Crew on board:
2
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
12
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
14
Circumstances:
Shortly after takeoff from Papun Airport runway 18, while climbing to a height of 400 feet, the airplane suffered an explosion and crashed. All 14 occupants were killed.

Crash of a Grumman G-21A Goose in Laboucher Bay: 12 killed

Date & Time: Aug 25, 1978
Type of aircraft:
Grumman G-21A Goose
Operator:
Registration:
N1045
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Scheduled Revenue Flight
Survivors:
No
Site:
Lake, Sea, Ocean, River
Schedule:
Laboucher Bay - Ketchikan
MSN:
1195
YOM:
1942
Location:
Laboucher Bay
Alaska
Country:
United States of America
Region:
North America
Crew on board:
1
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
11
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
12
Captain / Total flying hours:
5727
Captain / Total hours on type:
684.00
Circumstances:
Crashed in unknown circumstances in the Laboucher Bay (Summer Strait) while on a flight from Laboucher Bay to Ketchikan. Four dead bodies only were found. The wreckage was not found.
Probable cause:
Due to lack of evidences, the cause of the accident could not be established.
Final Report:

Crash of a De Havilland DHC-6 Twin Otter 300 in Frobisher Bay: 1 killed

Date & Time: Aug 23, 1978
Type of aircraft:
De Havilland DHC-6 Twin Otter
Operator:
Registration:
CF-QDG
Flight Phase:
Landing (descent or approach)
Flight Type:
Scheduled Revenue Flight
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Airport (less than 10 km from airport)
MSN:
246
YOM:
1969
Location:
Frobisher Bay
Nunavut
Country:
Canada
Region:
North America
Crew on board:
2
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
4
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
1
Circumstances:
On final approach to Frobisher Bay Airport, while passing 40 feet over the runway threshold, the twin engine airplane rolled to the left and descended out of control, causing the left wing to struck the ILS antenna. The left engine was torn off and the airplane crashed nose first and came to rest upside down on the left side of the runway. Five occupants were injured while one the pilot was killed.

Crash of a PZL-Mielec AN-2TP in Nukus

Date & Time: Aug 16, 1978
Type of aircraft:
PZL-Mielec AN-2
Operator:
Registration:
CCCP-40545
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Scheduled Revenue Flight
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Plain, Valley
MSN:
1G83-48
YOM:
1967
Location:
Nukus
Karakalpakstan (Qaraqalpaqstan Respublikasi)
Country:
Uzbekistan
Region:
Asia
Crew on board:
0
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
The aircraft crashed in a field located in Nukus and was damaged beyond repair. There were no casualties.
Probable cause:
It appears that the loss of control was caused by the fact that the pilot in command was distracted.

Crash of a Cessna 402B in Opuwo

Date & Time: Aug 16, 1978
Type of aircraft:
Cessna 402
Operator:
Registration:
ZS-JDD
Flight Phase:
Takeoff (climb)
Flight Type:
Scheduled Revenue Flight
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Airport (less than 10 km from airport)
MSN:
402B-0862
YOM:
1975
Location:
Opuwo
Kunene Region
Country:
Namibia
Region:
Africa
Crew on board:
1
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
2
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
While taking off from runway 03/21 at Opuwo Airstrip, the twin engine airplane stalled and crashed. All three occupants were injured and the airplane was written off.

Crash of a Curtiss C-46F-1-CU Commando on Mt Páramo de Laura: 18 killed

Date & Time: Aug 14, 1978 at 1515 LT
Type of aircraft:
Curtiss C-46 Commando
Operator:
Registration:
HK-1350
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Scheduled Revenue Flight
Survivors:
No
Site:
Mountains
Schedule:
Bucaramanga - Leticia - La Paz
MSN:
22557
YOM:
1945
Location:
Mt Páramo de Laura
Boyacá
Country:
Colombia
Region:
South America
Crew on board:
3
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
15
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
18
Circumstances:
While cruising in VFR mode in adverse weather conditions, the airplane struck the slope of Mt Páramo de Laura (3,543 meters high) located south of Sogamoso, Boyacá. The wreckage was found few hours later and all 18 occupants were killed.
Probable cause:
The accident was the consequence of a controlled flight into terrain caused by the combination of the following (contributing) factors:
- Strong winds caused the airplane to be off course,
- The crew was flying under VFR mode in IMC conditions,
- Limited visibility,
- The airplane was not airworthy as two VOR receivers were missing and one ADF was unserviceable,
- There were 15 passengers on board while the aircraft was configured for six passengers only.

Crash of a Grumman G-21A Goose off Powell River

Date & Time: Aug 14, 1978
Type of aircraft:
Grumman G-21A Goose
Operator:
West Coast Air Services
Registration:
CF-GEC
Flight Phase:
Landing (descent or approach)
Flight Type:
Scheduled Revenue Flight
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Lake, Sea, Ocean, River
MSN:
B098
YOM:
1944
Location:
Powell River
British Columbia
Country:
Canada
Region:
North America
Crew on board:
1
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
After landing off Powell River, the seaplane struck a dyke and sank. The pilot, sole on board, was unhurt.

Crash of a Swearingen SA226TC Metro II in Austin

Date & Time: Aug 13, 1978 at 1643 LT
Type of aircraft:
Swearingen SA226 Metro II
Operator:
Registration:
N300TL
Flight Phase:
Landing (descent or approach)
Flight Type:
Scheduled Revenue Flight
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Airport (less than 10 km from airport)
Schedule:
San Antonio - Austin
MSN:
TC-238E
YOM:
1977
Location:
Austin-Robert Mueller
Texas
Country:
United States of America
Region:
North America
Crew on board:
2
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
16
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Captain / Total flying hours:
4985
Captain / Total hours on type:
815.00
Circumstances:
On final approach to Austin-Robert Mueller Airport, the left engine failed. The crew continued the approach but forgot to lower the landing gear. The airplane belly landed and slid for dozen yards before coming to rest. Two occupants, among them the copilot, were seriously injured while 16 other people escaped with minor injuries. The aircraft was written off.
Probable cause:
Failure of the left engine on final approach due to inadequate preflight preparation on part of the flying crew. The following contributing factors were reported:
- Mismanagement of fuel,
- Fuel starvation,
- Failed to assure the gear was down and locked,
- Improper emergency procedures,
- Failed to follow approved procedures,
- Aircraft refueled in right wing with 125 gallons before 18 minutes flight,
- Crossflow valve found off.
Final Report:
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