Scheduled Revenue Flight

Flight Type:

Survivors:

Site:

MSN:

379

YOM:

1958

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Aircraft flight hours:

26135

Aircraft flight cycles:

22100

Circumstances:

A fire erupted under the cabin floor on final approach and the pilots experienced a complete loss of control. However, the airplane continued the approach and landed hard, nose first, on runway 24 at a speed of 130 knots. On impact, the nose gear was torn off and the airplane slid for 900 meters before coming to rest in flames. 25 occupants were injured while five children remained in the cabin and died.

Probable cause:

Intense fire of unknown nature and origin (beneath the floor at row 6) which probably resulted in loss of flight controls.

Crash of a Bristol 170 Freighter 31M off Lutselk'e

Date & Time: May 3, 1970

Type of aircraft:

Bristol 170 Freighter

Operator:

Registration:

CF-WAG

Flight Phase:

Flight Type:

Survivors:

Site:

Lake, Sea, Ocean, River

MSN:

13249

YOM:

1955

Location:

Lutsel K'e

Northwest Territories

Country:

Canada

Region:

North America

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

On final approach to Lutselk'e Airport, the airplane crashed into an icy lake. There were no casualties.

Crash of a Douglas DC-9-33CF off Charlotte Amalie: 23 killed

Date & Time: May 2, 1970 at 1549 LT

Type of aircraft:

Douglas DC-9

Operator:

Registration:

N935F

Flight Phase:

Flight Type:

Survivors:

Charlotte Amalie-Cyril E. King (ex Harry S. Truman)

Site:

Lake, Sea, Ocean, River

Schedule:

New York - Saint Marteen

MSN:

47407/457

YOM:

1969

Flight number:

LM980

Location:

All US Virgin Islands

Country:

US Virgin Islands

Region:

Central America

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Captain / Total flying hours:

12000

Captain / Total hours on type:

1700.00

Copilot / Total flying hours:

3500

Copilot / Total hours on type:

600

Aircraft flight hours:

2505

Circumstances:

ALM flight 980, from New York-JFK International Airport to Juliana Airport, St.Maarten, was being operated under terms of a lease agreement, utilizing an ONA aircraft and flight crew, and an ALM cabin crew. ALM 980 established radio contact with Juliana Tower and received clearance for an Automatic Direction Finding (ADF) approach to runway 09. The weather was reported as scattered clouds at 800 feet, estimated ceiling 1,000 feet broken, 5,000 feet overcast, and visibility 2 to 3 miles. The crew sighted the runway too late to land successfully on this approach, and attempted two left turn, visual circling approaches. The first circling approach was abandoned because of poor alignment with the runway again and on the second one the captain was unable to maintain the proper descent profile without reducing power and increasing the sink rate beyond acceptable limits. The captain executed a missed approach, made a low altitude return to the St. Maarten Radio Beacon, and was given clearance to St. Thomas at an assigned altitude of 4,000 feet. The fuel gauges were reported to have been acting erratically during the climb, but momentarily stabilized at 850 pounds of fuel remaining. A higher altitude was requested and a course adjustment was made for St. Croix, which was closer. Although the captain doubted the accuracy of the fuel gauge reading, he decided to descend in order to establish visual contact with the water. He also advised the purser that they were low on fuel, and to prepare the cabin for ditching. The purser made this announcement, and no other warning was given to the passengers prior to impact. The ditching site was confirmed on radar with the assistance of a PanAm flight that diverted for that purpose. Other fixed-wing aircraft orbited the area until the US Coast Guard, Navy, and Marine Corps helicopters began picking up survivors. Weather in the area during the rescue operation was estimated to be 400 to 500 feet overcast and visibility as low as three-eighths of a mile in rain. The aircraft sank in water more than 5,000 feet deep, and was not recovered.

Probable cause:

The Board determines that the probable cause of this accident was fuel exhaustion which resulted from continued, unsuccessful attempts to land at St. Maarten until insufficient fuel remained to reach an alternate airport. A contributing factor was the reduced visibility in the approach zone because of rain showers, a condition not reported to the flight. The Board also finds that the probability of survival would have been increased substantially in this accident if there had been better crew coordination prior to and during the ditching.

Final Report:

Crash of a De Havilland DHC-6 Twin Otter 100 in Kainantu: 8 killed

Date & Time: Apr 28, 1970 at 0912 LT

Type of aircraft:

De Havilland DHC-6 Twin Otter

Operator:

Registration:

VH-TGR

Flight Phase:

Flight Type:

Survivors:

Site:

Douglas C-47 Skytrain (DC-3)

Schedule:

Mount Hagen – Goroka – Kainantu

MSN:

YOM:

1966

Flight number:

TN1369

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Aircraft flight hours:

3905

Aircraft flight cycles:

6795

Circumstances:

The airplane departed Goroka at 0852LT and continued to Kainantu at an altitude of 7,500 feet. While approaching the destination, weather conditions deteriorated and the visibility was limited due to low clouds. The captain decided to continue and started the approach when the airplane struck a tree and crashed 5 km from the airfield. Both pilots and six passengers were killed while three others were injured.

Probable cause:

The probable cause of the accident was that the pilot persisted with such determination or confidence in his attempts to reach his destination in the face of deteriorating weather conditions, that he did not ensure he could safely discontinue the approach at any time and still maintain visual reference to the significant terrain.

Crash of a Douglas C-47A-20-DK in Tuy Hòa

Date & Time: Apr 25, 1970

Type of aircraft:

Operator:

Winner Airways

Registration:

B-308

Flight Phase:

Flight Type:

Survivors:

Site:

MSN:

12790

YOM:

1944

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

After landing on runway 03 at Tuy Hòa Airport, the airplane was unable to stop within the remaining distance, overran and came to rest into the sea. There were no casualties.

Crash of a PZL-Mielec AN-2R near Rostov

Date & Time: Apr 24, 1970

Type of aircraft:

PZL-Mielec AN-2

Operator:

Registration:

CCCP-41398

Flight Phase:

Takeoff (climb)

Flight Type:

Survivors:

Site:

MSN:

1G67-16

YOM:

1966

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

Crashed on takeoff from an airfield located in the region of Rostov and was damaged beyond repair. There were no casualties.

Probable cause:

The crew forgot to extend the flaps in an appropriate position for the takeoff procedure, causing the aircraft to stall at liftoff.

Crash of an Avro 748-2-209 in Cabanatuan: 36 killed

Date & Time: Apr 21, 1970 at 1130 LT

Type of aircraft:

Avro 748

Operator:

Registration:

PI-C1022

Flight Phase:

Flight

Flight Type:

Survivors:

Site:

Plain, Valley

Schedule:

Cauayan - Manila

MSN:

1643

YOM:

1968

Flight number:

PR215

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

While cruising at an altitude of 10,500 feet, the airplane suffered an explosion. It went out of control, entered a dive and crashed in a field located near Cabanatuan. All 36 occupants have been killed.

Probable cause:

It was determined that an explosion occurred in the rear lavatory during flight. The exact cause of the explosion could not be established.

Crash of a Douglas DC-8-62 in Rome

Date & Time: Apr 19, 1970 at 0545 LT

Type of aircraft:

Douglas DC-8

Operator:

Registration:

SE-DBE

Flight Phase:

Takeoff (climb)

Flight Type:

Survivors:

Site:

Rome-Fiumicino-Leonardo da Vinci

Schedule:

Tokyo - Tehran - Rome - Zurich - Copenhagen - Stockholm

MSN:

45823/279

YOM:

1966

Flight number:

SK986

Location:

Lazio

Country:

Italy

Region:

Europe

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

During the takeoff roll, the engine n°1 exploded. Some debris fall on the ground, bounced and struck the wing, causing the rupture of the n°2 fuel tank. The crew started an emergency braking procedure and the airplane came to a stop in flames. All 65 occupants were quickly disembarked, 23 of them were injured. The aircraft was destroyed by fire.

Probable cause:

It was determined that the explosion of the engine n°1 was caused by the disintegration of the 1st stage of the compressor. Debris bounced on the runway and on the wing, causing the rupture of the n°2 fuel tank. A fire ensuing, causing serious damages.

Crash of a Douglas C-47B-20-DK in Ahwaz

Date & Time: Apr 13, 1970

Type of aircraft:

Douglas C-47 Skytrain (DC-3)

Operator:

Air Taxi Company (Iran)

Registration:

EP-AGZ

Flight Phase:

Takeoff (climb)

Flight Type:

Survivors:

Site: