Crash of a Britten-Norman BN-2A-6 Islander in Dondon: 10 killed

Date & Time: Aug 15, 1973 at 1450 LT
Type of aircraft:
Registration:
N38JA
Survivors:
No
Site:
Schedule:
Port-au-Prince - Cap Haïtien
MSN:
211
YOM:
1970
Location:
Country:
Crew on board:
1
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
9
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
10
Captain / Total hours on type:
2268.00
Circumstances:
While approaching Cap Haïtien Airport, the pilot encountered poor weather conditions with limited visibility and low clouds. While too low, the twin engine airplane struck a mountain shrouded in clouds and located in Dondon, about 21 km south of the airport. The aircraft was destroyed and all 10 occupants were killed.
Final Report:

Crash of a De Havilland DHC-6 Twin Otter 100 near Eureka

Date & Time: Aug 14, 1973
Operator:
Registration:
CF-WWP
Flight Phase:
Survivors:
Yes
MSN:
12
YOM:
1966
Location:
Country:
Crew on board:
2
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
Crashed in unknown circumstances 70 km east of Eureka, NWT. Both occupants were injured and the aircraft was damaged beyond repair.

Crash of a Sud-Aviation SE-210 Caravelle 10R in La Coruna: 85 killed

Date & Time: Aug 13, 1973 at 1140 LT
Operator:
Registration:
EC-BIC
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Madrid - La Coruna
MSN:
225
YOM:
1968
Flight number:
AO116
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
6
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
79
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
85
Captain / Total flying hours:
8610
Captain / Total hours on type:
304.00
Copilot / Total flying hours:
6283
Copilot / Total hours on type:
997
Aircraft flight hours:
13118
Aircraft flight cycles:
9380
Circumstances:
The Caravelle aircraft took off from Madrid-Barajas Airport at 08:30 GMT and proceeded normally to La Coruña Airport. At 09:14 radio contact was made with La Coruña tower and the flight crew reported 3 minutes away. The tower controller informed the flight that weather at the airport was below minima and that improvement would be slow. The flight crew then decided to hold over Lima Romeo Alpha and said they would report when holding. Shortly thereafter they informed the tower that they would make an approach down to minima to get a more precise idea of the weather and would hold thereafter. The controller switched on the VASIS and at 09:21 informed the flight that visibility was around 350 m, although he could not see the VASIS at the threshold of runway 22. The flight then reported at 3000 feet beginning the approach. At 09:23 the controller reported a visibility of 600 m. At 09:24 the pilot said he would attempt to land, that he was 2200 feet on approach and had not yet entered clouds. At 09:28 ATC reported 800 m visibility, but that a light breeze was coming up and fog was again closing in from the sea. The crew reported to the tower that they had descended to minima. Since the ground could not be seen, they would therefore begin to hold. At 09:32 the flight crew reported holding at 6000 feet and requested to be informed of any change that might take place. At 09:34 the controller reported a visibility of 400 m, that the VASIS was still visible. The flight crew then tried to make another attempt to land. At 09:36 the flight crew reported passing the LRA VOR on approach. The controller answered that the lights of the VASIS were no longer visible and that some fog had collected over the runway threshold. The pilot then decided to resume holding. Weather gradually improved and at 10:20 ATC reported a horizontal visibility of 1500 m and a vertical visibility of 150 m which improved to 250-300 m within three minutes. The pilot acknowledged and said he was leaving 5000 feet for approach. At 10:31 the flight reported passing LRA. At 10:32 the flight reported discontinuing the approach and 6 minutes later the pilot said he was initiating another approach and would report over LRA. At 10:39 the pilot reported over LRA again. Shortly afterward the Caravelle contacted eucalyptus trees, struck the ground and crashed onto several houses. The aircraft was totally destroyed and none of the 85 occupants survived. There were no casualties on the ground.
Probable cause:
Pilot violation of the regulations and instructions governing flight over national territory, and the international standards in force in Spain.
Final Report:

Crash of a Yakovlev Yak-40 in Arkhangelsk: 1 killed

Date & Time: Aug 8, 1973 at 1557 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
CCCP-87790
Flight Phase:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Arkhangelsk - Kotlas
MSN:
9 04 05 15
YOM:
1970
Flight number:
A-547
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
3
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
29
Aircraft flight hours:
2171
Aircraft flight cycles:
2455
Circumstances:
During the takeoff roll at Arkhangelsk-Talagi Airport, at a speed of 160 km/h, the captain started the rotation but the airplane failed to rotate. The pilot failed to abort and asked the copilot to detect the reason of the problem when, after a course of 2,250 meters, the airplane overran the runway. It rolled in bushes on a distance of 314 meters then struck the localizer antenna and a small building located 116 meters further. Out of control, the airplane continued on a distance of 55 meters and collided with a concrete pillar before coming to rest in flames. The copilot was killed, the captain and the flight engineer as well as 11 passengers were injured, the others 17 occupants were unhurt. The aircraft was destroyed by impact forces and a post crash fire.
Probable cause:
It was determined that an electrical problem from an unknown source occurred on the elevators locking system, causing the elevators to be jammed during the takeoff procedure. The reaction of the captain was inadequate as he failed to abandon the takeoff manoeuvre when the problem was detected.

Crash of PZL-Mielec AN-2R near Chumikan

Date & Time: Aug 2, 1973
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
CCCP-33242
Flight Phase:
Survivors:
Yes
MSN:
1G57-45
YOM:
1965
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
0
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
En route, the engine failed, forcing the pilot to attempt an emergency landing. The aircraft was damaged beyond repair but there were no casualties.
Probable cause:
Engine failure.

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

Date & Time: Aug 2, 1973
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
CCCP-70807
Survivors:
Yes
MSN:
1G133-10
YOM:
1971
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
0
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
For unknown reason, the single engine landed hard and suffered heavy structural damages. There were no casualties but the aircraft was written off.

Crash of a Douglas DC-9-31 in Boston: 88 killed

Date & Time: Jul 31, 1973 at 1108 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
N975NE
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Burlington - Manchester - Boston
MSN:
47075/166
YOM:
1967
Flight number:
DL723
Crew on board:
6
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
83
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
88
Captain / Total flying hours:
14840
Captain / Total hours on type:
1457.00
Copilot / Total flying hours:
6994
Copilot / Total hours on type:
217
Aircraft flight hours:
14639
Circumstances:
As Delta Flight 723 was descending, the approach clearance was given by the controller after a delay, because the controller was preoccupied with a potential conflict between two other aircraft. This caused the flight to be poorly positioned for approach. The aircraft passed the Outer Marker at a speed of 385 km/h (80 km/h too fast) and was 60 m above the glide slope. The flight director was inadvertently used in the 'go-around-mode', which led to abnormal instrument indications. This caused some confusion. The first officer, who was flying the approach became preoccupied with the problem. The DC-9 continued to descend and struck a seawall 3000 feet short of and 150 feet to the right of runway 04R, crashed and caught fire. RVR at the time was 500 m with 60 m overcast. Two passengers survived, one died a day later while the second passed away on December 11, 1973.
Probable cause:
The failure of the flight crew to monitor altitude and to recognize passage of the aircraft through the approach decision height during an unstabilized precision approach conducted in rapidly changing meteorological conditions. The unstabilized nature of the approach was due initially to the aircraft's passing the outer marker above the glide slope at an excessive airspeed and thereafter compounded by the flight crew's preoccupation with the questionable information presented by the flight director system. The poor positioning of the flight for the approach was in part the result of nonstandard air traffic control services.
Final Report:

Crash of an Antonov AN-2 near Stavropol

Date & Time: Jul 31, 1973
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
CCCP-98233
Flight Phase:
Survivors:
Yes
MSN:
1 98 473 11
YOM:
1958
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
0
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
While taking off from a dusty terrain, the visibility was very limited due to dust when the airplane struck a car and crashed. There were no casualties.

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

Date & Time: Jul 26, 1973
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
CCCP-35559
Flight Phase:
Survivors:
Yes
MSN:
1G115-10
YOM:
1970
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
0
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
While flying in high temperatures, the single engine aircraft stalled and crashed. There were no casualties. It is reported that the aircraft stalled due to a pilot error.
Probable cause:
Pilot error.

Crash of a Beechcraft C45 off Honolulu: 5 killed

Date & Time: Jul 24, 1973 at 0708 LT
Type of aircraft:
Registration:
N234JC
Flight Phase:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Honolulu - Lihue - Honolulu
MSN:
AF-317
YOM:
1953
Location:
Crew on board:
1
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
8
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
5
Captain / Total flying hours:
2049
Captain / Total hours on type:
574.00
Circumstances:
After takeoff from Honolulu Airport, while climbing, both engines failed. The airplane lost height and crashed into the sea few dozen yards offshore. Four passengers were rescued while five other occupants, among them the pilot, were killed. The aircraft sank and was lost.
Probable cause:
Double engine failure during initial climb following a mismanagement of fuel on part of the pilot. The following factors were reported:
- Fuel starvation,
- Failed to maintain flying speed,
- Inadequate preflight preparation,
- Failed to use the pre-departure checklist,
- Improperly loaded aircraft,
- Seats improperly installed,
- Takeoff with rear auxiliary tanks that were not serviced,
- Fuel selector valve configuration different than other aircraft flown,
- All cabin seats separated.
Final Report: