Crash of a PZL- Mielec AN-2P near Sam Neua: 12 killed

Date & Time: Jan 16, 1975
Type of aircraft:
PZL-Mielec AN-2
Operator:
Registration:
CCCP-70417
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Scheduled Revenue Flight
Survivors:
No
Site:
Mountains
Schedule:
Vientiane - Sam Neua
MSN:
1G141-71
YOM:
1973
Location:
Sam Neua
Houaphan Province
Country:
Laos
Region:
Asia
Crew on board:
4
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
8
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
12
Circumstances:
En route from Vientiane to Sam Neua, the crew encountered poor weather conditions when the airplane struck the slope of a mountain located in the region of Sam Neua. The aircraft was destroyed and all 12 occupants have been killed.
Probable cause:
It was determined that the crew was flying under VFR mode into adverse weather conditions and failed to return when conditions worsened.

Crash of an Avia 14-40 in Prague

Date & Time: Jan 15, 1975
Type of aircraft:
Avia 14
Operator:
Registration:
OK-MCM
Flight Type:
Scheduled Revenue Flight
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Airport (less than 10 km from airport)
MSN:
838 061 06
YOM:
1958
Location:
Prague-Ruzyne
Prague (Hlavní mesto Praha)
Country:
Czech Republic
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
0
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
Suffered an accident at Prague-Ruzyne Airport. The mishap occurred somewhere in January 1975 (exact date unknown). There were no injuries but the aircraft was written off.

Crash of a De Havilland DHC-6 Twin Otter 200 in Whittier: 12 killed

Date & Time: Jan 9, 1975 at 1607 LT
Type of aircraft:
De Havilland DHC-6 Twin Otter
Operator:
Registration:
N6383
Flight Phase:
Landing (descent or approach)
Flight Type:
Scheduled Revenue Flight
Survivors:
No
Site:
Plain, Valley
Schedule:
Ontario - Los Angeles
MSN:
83
YOM:
1967
Flight number:
GW261
Location:
Whittier
California
Country:
United States of America
Region:
North America
Crew on board:
2
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
10
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
12
Captain / Total flying hours:
9366
Captain / Total hours on type:
2774.00
Copilot / Total flying hours:
2555
Copilot / Total hours on type:
2065
Aircraft flight hours:
10092
Circumstances:
Golden West Flight 261 departed Ontario, CA at 15:56PST for a VFR flight to Los Angeles. At 16:04 the crew contacted LAX arrival and reported over Rose Hills. The flight was then cleared for the Terminal Control Area (TCA) and no. 2 arrival to runway 24L. At 16:05 the crew were advised that they had traffic 5,5nm in front of them climbing from 1500 to 3000 feet which was a police helicopter on a VFR flight. The arrival controller transmitted another advisory about the helicopter at 16:06, but there was no response. It appeared the Twin Otter had collided in flight at 2200 feet with a Cessna 150 aircraft (N11421). The Twin Otter was flying on a 250deg heading descending 300 feet/min at 146 knots airspeed while the Cessna was flying at 94 kts; the closing speed was 174 kts. The Cessna, operated by CessnAir Aviation had departed from Long Beach on a local training flight at 15:46. Both aircraft crashed. Debris caused some damage to houses and lawns near the crash site.
Probable cause:
The failure of both flight crews to see the other aircraft in sufficient time to initiate evasive action. The Board is unable to determine why each crew failed to see an avoid the other aircraft; however, the Board believes that the ability of both crews to detect the other aircraft in time to avoid a collision was reduced because of the position of the sun, the closure angle of the aircraft, and the necessity for the Twin Otter's fight crew to acquire visual contact with radar-reported traffic directly in front of them.
Final Report:

Crash of a Douglas C-47 in El Doncello: 23 killed

Date & Time: Jan 8, 1975 at 0830 LT
Type of aircraft:
Douglas C-47 Skytrain (DC-3)
Operator:
Registration:
FAC-688
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Scheduled Revenue Flight
Survivors:
No
Site:
Mountains
Schedule:
Neiva – San Vicente del Caguán – Puerto Rico – Florencia
Location:
El Doncello
Caquetá
Country:
Colombia
Region:
South America
Crew on board:
4
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
19
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
23
Circumstances:
The aircraft was completing a flight from Neiva to Florencia with intermediate stops in San Vicente del Caguán and Puerto Rico, Caquetá. Few minutes after takeoff from Puerto Rico, while cruising in marginal weather conditions, the airplane crashed in a mountain terrain located near El Doncello. The aircraft was destroyed and all 23 occupants were killed.

Crash of a Convair CV-440-59 Metropolitan near San Borja: 1 killed

Date & Time: Jan 7, 1975
Type of aircraft:
Convair CV-440 Metropolitan
Operator:
Registration:
CP-961
Flight Phase:
Landing (descent or approach)
Flight Type:
Scheduled Revenue Flight
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Plain, Valley
Schedule:
San Borja - La Paz
MSN:
467
YOM:
1958
Location:
San Borja-Capitán Germán Quiroga Guardia
Beni
Country:
Bolivia
Region:
South America
Crew on board:
4
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
25
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
1
Circumstances:
Few minutes after takeoff from San Borja-Capitán Germán Quiroga Guardia Airport, the crew informed ATC about a hydraulic leak on the right engine and was cleared to return. While descending, the crew was unable to maintain a safe altitude and decided to attempt an emergency landing in an open field. On touchdown, the tail separated and the airplane came to rest in flames. A passenger was killed while 28 other occupants were evacuated, some of them were injured.

Crash of a Fokker F27 Friendship 600 in Boende: 1 killed

Date & Time: Jan 7, 1975
Type of aircraft:
Fokker F27 Friendship
Operator:
Registration:
9Q-CLM
Flight Phase:
Landing (descent or approach)
Flight Type:
Scheduled Revenue Flight
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Airport (less than 10 km from airport)
Schedule:
Kinshasa - Boende
MSN:
10393
YOM:
1969
Location:
Boende
Tshuapa
Country:
Democratic Republic of Congo
Region:
Africa
Crew on board:
4
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
34
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
1
Aircraft flight hours:
9527
Aircraft flight cycles:
6807
Circumstances:
Following an apparent wrong approach configuration, the airplane landed too far down the runway. After touchdown, it was unable to stop within the remaining distance, overran and collided with an embankment located 100 meters past the runway end. All 38 occupants escaped injured and the aircraft was damaged beyond repair. A young boy was killed on the ground.
Probable cause:
It is believed that the accident was the consequence of a wrong approach configuration on part of the flying crew. The following contributing factors were reported:
- The crew failed to follow the approach checklist and published procedures,
- Poor flight preparation,
- Poor crew coordination.

Crash of an Antonov AN-24RV in Sibiu: 33 killed

Date & Time: Dec 29, 1974
Type of aircraft:
Antonov AN-24
Operator:
Registration:
YR-AMD
Flight Phase:
Landing (descent or approach)
Flight Type:
Scheduled Revenue Flight
Survivors:
No
Site:
Mountains
Schedule:
Oradea - Sibiu - Bucharest
MSN:
27307606
YOM:
1972
Location:
Sibiu
Sibiu
Country:
Romania
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
5
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
28
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
33
Circumstances:
The approach to Sibiu Airport was initiated in marginal weather conditions and strong winds. While descending at an altitude of 1,700 meters, the airplane struck the snow covered Mt Lotru located 22 km from the runway threshold. The aircraft was totally destroyed upon impact and all 33 occupants were killed.
Probable cause:
Wrong decisions on part of the flying crew who adopted a wrong approach configuration, causing the aircraft to drift about 20 km to the south of the approach path. The lack of visibility and strong winds were considered as contributing factors.

Crash of a PZL-Mielec AN-2R in Khabarovsk

Date & Time: Dec 27, 1974
Type of aircraft:
PZL-Mielec AN-2
Operator:
Registration:
CCCP-09611
Flight Phase:
Takeoff (climb)
Flight Type:
Scheduled Revenue Flight
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Airport (less than 10 km from airport)
MSN:
1G74-32
YOM:
1966
Location:
Khabarovsk
Khabarovsk Krai
Country:
Russia
Region:
Asia
Crew on board:
2
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
20
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
Shortly after takeoff, the single engine airplane encountered difficulties to gain height. It rolled left and right then stalled and crashed near the runway end. All 22 occupants were injured and the aircraft was damaged beyond repair.
Probable cause:
The total weight of the aircraft at the time of the accident was well above MTOW with 20 passengers on board, eight more than the 12 seats certified.

Crash of a Britten-Norman BN-2A Islander in Seattle: 4 killed

Date & Time: Dec 26, 1974 at 1805 LT
Type of aircraft:
Britten-Norman Islander
Operator:
Registration:
N66HA
Flight Phase:
Takeoff (climb)
Flight Type:
Scheduled Revenue Flight
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
City
Schedule:
Seattle - Oak Harbor
MSN:
31
YOM:
1968
Flight number:
HG308
Location:
Seattle-Tacoma (SeaTac)
Washington
Country:
United States of America
Region:
North America
Crew on board:
1
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
5
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
4
Captain / Total flying hours:
2000
Captain / Total hours on type:
342.00
Circumstances:
Shortly after takeoff from Seattle-Tacoma Airport, while climbing in marginal weather conditions, the twin engine airplane went out of control and crashed in a residential area located in Riverton Heights, near the airport. Two passengers were seriously injured while four other occupants including the pilot were killed.
Probable cause:
Diverted attention from operation during initial climb caused the aircraft to crash. The following contributing factors were reported:
- Instruments-misread or failed to read,
- Low ceiling,
- Snow,
- High obstructions,
- Flight and navigation instruments: airspeed, obstructed,
- Foreign materials affecting normal operations,
- Unknown matter in Pitot static system affected the airspeed indicator.
Final Report:

Crash of a Curtiss C-46A-10-CU Commando near Bannak: 11 killed

Date & Time: Dec 25, 1974
Type of aircraft:
Curtiss C-46 Commando
Operator:
Lane Xang Airlines
Registration:
XW-PKJ
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Scheduled Revenue Flight
Survivors:
No
Site:
Plain, Valley
Schedule:
Battambang - Phnom Penh
MSN:
26493
YOM:
1943
Location:
Bannak
Pursat
Country:
Cambodia
Region:
Asia
Crew on board:
3
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
8
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
11
Circumstances:
En route from Battambang to Phnom Penh, the airplane crashed in unknown circumstances in an isolated area. SAR operations were abandoned after few days as no trace of the aircraft nor the 11 occupants was found. The wreckage was eventually located by walkers few years later in the region of Bannak.
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