Scheduled Revenue Flight

Flight Type:

Survivors:

Site:

Douglas C-47 Skytrain (DC-3)

Schedule:

Boston - Baltimore - Cincinnati - Indianapolis - Saint-Louis

MSN:

47211

YOM:

1968

Flight number:

AL853

Location:

Fairland

Indiana

Country:

United States of America

Region:

North America

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Captain / Total flying hours:

23813

Captain / Total hours on type:

900.00

Copilot / Total flying hours:

2980

Copilot / Total hours on type:

651

Aircraft flight hours:

3170

Circumstances:

An Allegheny Airlines DC-9 and a Forth Corporation Piper PA-28-140 Cherokee registered N7374J collided in flight approximately 4 miles northwest of Fairland, Indiana, at approximately 1529 e.d.t., September 9, 1969. All 83 occupants, 78 passengers and four crew members, aboard the DC-9 and the pilot of the PA-28 were fatally injured. Both aircraft were destroyed by the collision and ground impact. Allegheny flight AL853 was wider positive radar control of the Federal Aviation Administration's Indianapolis Approach Control, descending from 6,000 feet to an assigned altitude of 2,530 feet at the time of the collision. N7374J has being flown by a student pilot on a solo cross-country flight in accordance with a Visual Flight Rules (VFR) flight plan. The collision occurred at an altitude of approximately 3,550 feet. The visibility in the area was at least 15 miles, but there was an intervening cloud condition wbich precluded the crew of either aircraft from sighting the other until a few seconds prior to collision.

Probable cause:

The deficiencies in the collision avoidance capability of the Air Traffic Control (ATC) system of the Federal Aviation Administration in a terminal area wherein there was mixed Instrument Flight Rules (IFR) and Visual Flight Rules (VFR) traffic. The deficiencies included the inadequacy of the see-and-avoid concept under the circumstances of this case; the technical limitations of radar in detecting all aircraft; and the absence of Federal Aviation Regulations which would provide a system of adequate separation of mixed VFR and IFR traffic in terminal areas.

Final Report:

Crash of a Douglas C-47D near Caño La Raya: 35 killed

Date & Time: Sep 8, 1969 at 1400 LT

Type of aircraft:

Operator:

Registration:

FAC-685-A

Flight Phase:

Flight Type:

Survivors:

Site:

Mountains

Schedule:

Bogotá – Villavicencio – Orocué – Trinidad – Paz de Ariporo – Tablón de Támara – El Yopal – Aguazul – Tauramena – Monterrey – Apiay

Flight number:

NSE742

Location:

Caño La Raya

Crash of a Beechcraft 65-B80 Queen Air in Santa Fe de Antioquia

Date & Time: Sep 7, 1969

Type of aircraft:

Beechcraft 80 Queen Air

Operator:

Registration:

HK-1095

Flight Phase:

Flight Type:

Survivors:

Site:

Plain, Valley

Schedule:

Chigorodó – Medellín

MSN:

LD-313

YOM:

1967

Location:

Santa Fe de Antioquia

Antioquia

Country:

Colombia

Region:

South America

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

En route from Chigorodó to Medellín, one of the engine failed. The pilot reduced his altitude and attempted an emergency landing when the airplane crash landed in Santa Fe de Antioquia. All 11 occupants were slightly injured and the aircraft was damaged beyond repair.

Probable cause:

Engine failure in flight.

Crash of an Ilyushin II-14M near Egvekinot: 22 killed

Date & Time: Sep 1, 1969 at 1305 LT

Type of aircraft:

Ilyushin II-14

Operator:

Registration:

CCCP-61731

Flight Phase:

Flight Type:

Survivors:

Site:

Mountains

Schedule:

Anadyr – Egvekinot

MSN:

14600 02 05

YOM:

1956

Flight number:

SU055

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Aircraft flight hours:

22964

Aircraft flight cycles:

14302

Circumstances:

The crew left Anadyr Airport at 0919LT bound for Egvekinot but five minutes later, encountered poor weather conditions and decided to return for a safe landing. He left again Anadyr at 1213LT in better conditions. However, while approaching Egvekinot, the pilot encountered poor visibility due to low clouds and was unable to distinguish the mountainous terrain. While descending to a height of 235 meters, the aircraft deviated from the prescribed approach path and hit the slope of Mt Dumka, passed over the top and eventually crashed in flames on the opposite slope. SAR operations were conducted and the wreckage was localised a day later. Five passengers were seriously injured while 22 other occupants were killed.

Probable cause:

The captain took the decision to continue the approach below the minimum safe altitude of 300 meters despite the visibility was low due to poor weather conditions and that he did not have any visual contact with ground. The main approach radio beacon was out of order while the reserve one was running improperly, which was considered as a contributory factor.

Crash of an Ilyushin II-18B in Moscow: 16 killed

Date & Time: Aug 26, 1969 at 2031 LT

Type of aircraft:

Ilyushin II-18

Operator:

Registration:

CCCP-75708

Flight Phase:

Flight Type:

Survivors:

Site:

Schedule:

Sochi - Moscow - Norilsk

MSN:

189 0017 05

YOM:

1959

Flight number:

SU1770

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Aircraft flight hours:

12023

Aircraft flight cycles:

4367

Circumstances:

On final approach to Moscow-Vnukovo, the flying crew was not concentrated and failed to lower the landing gear. The aircraft belly landed and slid for dozen yards before coming to rest in flames. Forty people were uninjured, 46 were wounded and 16 passengers were killed after the aircraft caught fire due to hydraulic leak and an electrical short-circuit in the cargo compartment.

Probable cause:

It was determined that the crew failed to follow the approach checklist and forgot to lower the undercarriage. The following factors were considered as contributing:
- Several propeller blades detached while contacting the runway surface, causing severe damage to the fuselage,
- A fire erupted following an electrical short-circuit in the cargo hold combined with a hydraulic leak,
- Lack of coordination on part of the cabin crew who failed to follow the safety and evacuation procedures,
- Lack of efficiency and assistance on part of the ground firefighters who arrived on the scene 15-20 minutes after the accident.

Crash of an Antonov AN-2 near Khovu-Aksy: 14 killed

Date & Time: Aug 26, 1969 at 0945 LT

Type of aircraft:

Antonov AN-2

Operator:

Registration:

CCCP-41971

Flight Phase:

Flight Type:

Survivors:

Site:

Mountains

Schedule:

Kyzyl – Khovu-Aksy

MSN:

1 33 473 11

YOM:

1953

Flight number:

SU545

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Aircraft flight hours:

14362

Aircraft flight cycles:

16547

Circumstances:

On a flight Kyzyl to Khovu-Aksy, the crew encountered below-minima weather conditions with low clouds over the mountains. The captain took the decision to continue into the clouds when the airplane struck at a speed of 200 km/h and a height of 1,940 metres the wooded slope of a mountain (2,591 metres) located 13 km south of Khovu-Aksy. The wreckage was found a day later and all 14 occupants have been killed.

Probable cause:

The crew took the decision to continue into clouds without any visual contact with the ground or obstacles. Controlled flight into terrain. Weather conditions were considered as worse than predicted.

Crash of a Douglas DC-6 in Tuxtla Gutiérrez

Date & Time: Aug 20, 1969

Type of aircraft:

Douglas DC-6

Operator:

Registration:

XA-MOO

Flight Phase:

Flight Type:

Survivors:

Site:

Pilatus PC-6 (Porter & Turbo Porter)

MSN:

42877/18

YOM:

1947

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

Crashed on landing for unknown reason. There were no casualties.

Crash of a Pilatus PC-6/B-H2 Turbo Porter in Chevak

Date & Time: Aug 12, 1969 at 0945 LT

Type of aircraft:

Operator:

Registration:

N2853T

Flight Phase:

Flight Type:

Survivors:

Site:

Schedule:

Bethel – Chevak

MSN:

574

YOM:

1965

Location:

Chevak

Alaska

Country:

United States of America

Region:

North America

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Captain / Total flying hours:

25953

Captain / Total hours on type:

4047.00

Circumstances:

Upon landing at Chevak, the right main gear collapsed. The airplane veered off runway and came to a halt. All nine occupants escaped uninjured but the aircraft was considered as damaged beyond repair.

Probable cause:

Failure of the right main gear on landing. The following factors were considered as contributing:
- Poorly maintained runway surface,
- Overload failure,
- Unfavorable wind conditions,
- Right gear caught in rut on runway.

Final Report:

Crash of an Antonov AN-24B in Preobrazhenka: 55 killed

Date & Time: Aug 3, 1969 at 1600 LT

Type of aircraft:

Antonov AN-24

Operator:

Registration:

CCCP-46248

Flight Phase:

Flight Type:

Sud-Aviation SE-210 Caravelle

Survivors:

Site:

Plain, Valley

Schedule:

Lougansk-Dniepropetrovsk-Vinnitsa-Lvov

MSN:

77303206

YOM:

1967

Flight number:

SU826N

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Aircraft flight hours:

4557

Aircraft flight cycles:

4789

Circumstances:

The airplane departed Dnepropetrovsk Airport at 1547LT and its crew was cleared to climb to the assigned altitude of 5,100 meters. At 1558LT, the crew reported at 3,600 meters still climbing. Shortly later, while flying at an altitude of 4,000 meters, the propeller blade n°2 separated from the left engine and struck the fuselage, severing elevator and aileron control cables. Control was lost and the airplane entered a dive until it struck the ground in a 45-50° nose down attitude and at a estimated speed of 500-550 km/h. The aircraft was totally destroyed and all 55 occupants were killed.

Probable cause:

Loss of control in flight caused by the detachment of the propeller blade n°2 on left engine that severed control cables. The loss of the propeller blade was the consequence of fatigue fracture (corrosion).

Crash of a Sud-Est Aviation SE-210 Caravelle VI-N in Marseille

Date & Time: Aug 2, 1969 at 1436 LT

Type of aircraft:

Operator:

Registration:

I-DABF

Flight Phase:

Flight Type:

Survivors: