Crash of a PZL-Mielec AN-2 near Ekimchan: 1 killed

Date & Time: Aug 13, 1978 at 0942 LT
Type of aircraft:
PZL-Mielec AN-2
Operator:
Registration:
CCCP-55719
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Scheduled Revenue Flight
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Plain, Valley
Schedule:
Ekimchan - Baladek
MSN:
1G49-11
YOM:
1964
Location:
Ekimchan
Amur oblast
Country:
Russia
Region:
Asia
Crew on board:
2
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
1
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
1
Aircraft flight hours:
12141
Circumstances:
The single engine airplane was completing a flight from Ekimchan to Baladek, carrying one passenger, two pilots and five drums loaded with diesel for a total weight of one ton. Seven minutes and 10 seconds after takeoff from Ekimchan, while flying at an altitude of 720 meters, the engine lost power. The airplane lost height, entered a nose down attitude of 18° then struck a hill. Both pilots were injured and the passenger was killed. The airplane was destroyed by fire.
Probable cause:
The exact cause of the engine failure could not be determined with certainty. However, investigators believe that the fuel pump and a collector probably failed in flight.

Crash of a Britten-Norman BN-2A-21 Islander near São Paulo: 2 killed

Date & Time: Aug 10, 1978
Type of aircraft:
Britten-Norman Islander
Operator:
Encal Servicio Aéreo
Registration:
PT-KRP
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Scheduled Revenue Flight
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Mountains
MSN:
743
YOM:
1974
Location:
São Paulo
São Paulo
Country:
Brazil
Region:
South America
Crew on board:
1
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
2
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
2
Circumstances:
Crashed in unknown circumstances in the Amoreira Mountain range, south of São Paulo. A passenger survived while both other occupants were killed.

Crash of a Boeing 707-351B in Buenos Aires

Date & Time: Aug 3, 1978 at 2258 LT
Type of aircraft:
Boeing 707
Operator:
Registration:
CC-CCX
Flight Phase:
Landing (descent or approach)
Flight Type:
Scheduled Revenue Flight
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Airport (less than 10 km from airport)
Schedule:
New York – Miami – Panama City – Lima – Santiago – Buenos Aires
MSN:
18584
YOM:
1963
Location:
Buenos Aires-Ezeiza-Ministro Pistarini
Buenos Aires City
Country:
Argentina
Region:
South America
Crew on board:
8
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
55
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Aircraft flight hours:
47740
Circumstances:
On final approach to Buenos Aires by night, the crew encountered poor weather conditions and limited visibility due to fog. The pilot-in-command failed to realize his altitude was too low when the four engine airplane struck trees located 2,5 km short of runway 11 threshold. The airplane lost height and crashed in flames in a wooded area located 300 meters to the right of the extended centerline. The aircraft was destroyed by a post crash fire, 22 occupants were injured and 42 others were unhurt.
Probable cause:
Wrong approach configuration on part of the flying crew who continued the approach below the glide in reduced visibility. The crew failed to follow the approach checklist and to check instruments. Lack of visibility was a factor.

Crash of a Fairchild-Hiller FH-227 in Chub Cay

Date & Time: Jul 31, 1978
Type of aircraft:
Fairchild-Hiller FH-227
Operator:
Registration:
C6-BDQ
Flight Phase:
Takeoff (climb)
Flight Type:
Scheduled Revenue Flight
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Airport (less than 10 km from airport)
MSN:
518
YOM:
1966
Location:
Chub Cay
Berry Islands
Country:
Bahamas
Region:
Central America
Crew on board:
0
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
After takeoff, while in initial climb, the crew raised the landing gear when the captain heard a loud bang and decided to land back. The airplane belly landed and slid for 605 meters, overran and came to rest in a mangrove. There were no injuries but the aircraft was written off.

Crash of a Douglas DC-3 in Flores

Date & Time: Jul 26, 1978
Type of aircraft:
Douglas DC-3
Operator:
Registration:
TG-ATA
Flight Phase:
Takeoff (climb)
Flight Type:
Scheduled Revenue Flight
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Airport (less than 10 km from airport)
Location:
Flores-Mundo Maya (Santa Elena)
Petén
Country:
Guatemala
Region:
Central America
Crew on board:
0
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
While taking off, the airplane suffered a bird strike. The crew was forced to attempt an emergency landing when the airplane crash landed in a swampy area located past the runway end. There were no injuries but the aircraft was written off.
Probable cause:
Bird strike on takeoff.

Crash of a Convair CV-580 in Kalamazoo

Date & Time: Jul 25, 1978 at 0702 LT
Type of aircraft:
Convair CV-580
Operator:
Registration:
N4825C
Flight Phase:
Takeoff (climb)
Flight Type:
Scheduled Revenue Flight
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Airport (less than 10 km from airport)
Schedule:
Kalamazoo - Detroit
MSN:
380
YOM:
1967
Flight number:
NCA801
Location:
Kalamazoo-Battle Creek
Michigan
Country:
United States of America
Region:
North America
Crew on board:
3
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
40
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Captain / Total flying hours:
9479
Captain / Total hours on type:
5022.00
Copilot / Total flying hours:
2490
Copilot / Total hours on type:
239
Aircraft flight hours:
53343
Aircraft flight cycles:
24284
Circumstances:
Just after takeoff from runway 17, while in initial climb, the left engine suffered a bird strike (sparrowhawk). The autofeather system activated and the airplane flew for 79 seconds when it banked left and crashed in a corn field. Three passengers were seriously injured while 40 other occupants were unhurt. the aircraft was damaged beyond repair.
Probable cause:
The failure of the captain to follow the prescribed engine-out procedures during instrument meteorological conditions, which allowed the aircraft to decelerate into a flight regime from which he could not recover. Contributing to the accident were inadequate cockpit coordination and discipline.
Final Report:

Crash of a De Havilland DHC-2 Beaver in Saint-Gabriel-de-Brandon

Date & Time: Jul 17, 1978
Type of aircraft:
De Havilland DHC-2 Beaver
Operator:
La Sarre Air Services
Registration:
C-FTEB
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Scheduled Revenue Flight
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Mountains
MSN:
1402
YOM:
1959
Location:
Saint-Gabriel-de-Brandon
Quebec
Country:
Canada
Region:
North America
Crew on board:
1
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
While flying at an altitude of 300 feet, the engine stopped due to lack of fuel. The pilot changed to the fuel selector to another tank that should contained 16 gallons of fuel and tried to restart the engine. However he had neither sufficient time or altitude to complete the operation. The single engine airplane lost height and crashed onto the slope of a wooded hill. The pilot was slightly injured and the aircraft was written off.
Probable cause:
It was determined that although the fuel gauge showed 8 gallons in the tank it was almost empty.

Crash of a Piper PA-31-350 Navajo Chieftain in Puerto Francisco de Orellana: 7 killed

Date & Time: Jul 14, 1978
Type of aircraft:
Piper PA-31-350 Navajo Chieftain
Operator:
Ecuavia
Registration:
HC-BEP
Flight Phase:
Takeoff (climb)
Flight Type:
Scheduled Revenue Flight
Survivors:
No
Site:
Airport (less than 10 km from airport)
Schedule:
Puerto Francisco de Orellana - Quito
Location:
Puerto Francisco de Orellana
Orellana
Country:
Ecuador
Region:
South America
Crew on board:
1
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
6
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
7
Circumstances:
Crashed in unknown circumstances after takeoff from Puerto Francisco de Orellana Airport, killing all seven occupants.

Crash of an Antonov AN-2T in Golotl

Date & Time: Jul 11, 1978
Type of aircraft:
Antonov AN-2
Operator:
Registration:
CCCP-79968
Flight Phase:
Takeoff (climb)
Flight Type:
Scheduled Revenue Flight
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Plain, Valley
Schedule:
Golotl - Makhachkala
MSN:
1 172 473 16
YOM:
1962
Location:
Golotl
Republic of Dagestan
Country:
Russia
Region:
Asia
Crew on board:
0
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
Few minutes after takeoff from Golotl, en route to Makhachkala, the engine failed, forcing the pilot to attempt an emergency landing. There were no injuries while the aircraft was written off.
Probable cause:
Engine failure for undetermined reasons.

Crash of a BAc 111-203AE in Rochester

Date & Time: Jul 9, 1978 at 1730 LT
Type of aircraft:
BAc 111
Operator:
Registration:
N1550
Flight Phase:
Landing (descent or approach)
Flight Type:
Scheduled Revenue Flight
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Airport (less than 10 km from airport)
Schedule:
Boston - Rochester - Montreal
MSN:
44
YOM:
1965
Flight number:
AL453
Location:
Rochester
New York
Country:
United States of America
Region:
North America
Crew on board:
4
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
73
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Captain / Total flying hours:
13461
Captain / Total hours on type:
7008.00
Copilot / Total flying hours:
8746
Copilot / Total hours on type:
4687
Aircraft flight hours:
33693
Aircraft flight cycles:
48215
Circumstances:
The pilot-in-command adopted a wrong approach configuration and passed over the runway 28 threshold at an excessive speed of 184 knots (61 knots above the Vref) in a nose down attitude. The nose gear landed first at a speed of 163 knots (40-45 knots above normal touchdown speed) 2,540 feet past the runway threshold (runway 28 is 5,500 feet long). Unable to stop within the remaining distance, the airplane overran, struck a drainage ditch, lost its undercarriage and came to rest 728 past the runway end. All 77 occupants were evacuated safely, one of them was slightly injured.
Probable cause:
The captain's lack of awareness of airspeed, vertical speed, and aircraft performance throughout an ILS approach and landing in visual meteorological conditions which resulted in his landing the aircraft at an excessively high speed and with insufficient runway remaining for stopping the aircraft, but with sufficient aircraft performance capability to reject the landing well after touchdown. Contributing to the accident was the first officer's failure to provide required callouts which might have alerted the captain to the airspeed and sink rate deviations. The Safety Board was unable to determine the reasons for the captain's lack of awareness or the first officer's failure to provide required callouts.
Final Report:
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