Crash of a Douglas DC-6B in Al Hudaydah

Date & Time: Jan 24, 1967
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
SU-ANL
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Cairo – Al Hudaydah
MSN:
44104/397
YOM:
1953
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
0
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
After touchdown at Al Hudaydah Airport, the crew started the braking procedure when control was lost. The airplane veered off runway, lost its undercarriage and came to rest. There were no casualties but the airplane was written off.
Probable cause:
It was determined that the landing configuration was not compliant with the published procedures as the crew used improper reversing techniques.

Crash of a Convair CV-640 in San Juan

Date & Time: Jan 23, 1967 at 0901 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
N3408
Survivors:
Yes
MSN:
21
YOM:
1952
Flight number:
CRB101
Country:
Crew on board:
3
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
25
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Captain / Total flying hours:
7084
Captain / Total hours on type:
670.00
Circumstances:
On final approach to San Juan-Luis Muñoz Marin Airport (Island Grande), the airplane struck the ground 250 feet short of runway threshold. Upon impact, the right wing was torn off and the airplane came to rest. All 28 occupants were evacuated safely while the aircraft was damaged beyond repair.
Probable cause:
The pilot-in-command misjudged distance, speed and altitude on final approach. Last 15 seconds of flight, the crew adopted a rate of descent of 1,600 feet per minute.
Final Report:

Crash of a De Havilland DH.104 Dove 1 in Tiko

Date & Time: Jan 21, 1967
Type of aircraft:
Registration:
TJ-ACC
Survivors:
Yes
MSN:
04121
YOM:
1948
Location:
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
2
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
Made a wheels up landing for undetermined reason. While both pilots were uninjured, the aircraft was later declared as damaged beyond repair.

Crash of a Vickers 745D Viscount in Norfolk

Date & Time: Jan 19, 1967 at 1359 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
N7431
Survivors:
Yes
MSN:
129
YOM:
1956
Crew on board:
4
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
46
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Captain / Total flying hours:
14048
Captain / Total hours on type:
352.00
Circumstances:
Following a normal touchdown at Norfolk Municipal Airport, the crew started the braking procedure when the airplane collided with a snow plow. A wing was torn off and the snowplow was dragged over several meters. There were no injuries but the aircraft was damaged beyond repair.
Probable cause:
It was determined that the snowplows driver went onto runway without clearance after he misinterpreted ATC instructions.
Final Report:

Crash of a Beechcraft D18S in Red Bank: 9 killed

Date & Time: Jan 5, 1967 at 0655 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
N2045D
Flight Phase:
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Red Bank – New York
MSN:
A-933
YOM:
1952
Crew on board:
1
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
8
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
9
Captain / Total flying hours:
7960
Captain / Total hours on type:
371.00
Circumstances:
Shortly after takeoff from Red Bank-Schrewsbury Airport, while climbing in foggy conditions, the left engine failed. The pilot lost control of the airplane that stalled and crashed in a field. All nine occupants were killed. They were on their way to New York-John Fitzgerald Kennedy Airport in this early morning flight.
Probable cause:
Failure of the left engine during initial climb for undetermined reason. However, weather conditions were conducive to carburetor icing. The pilot failed to maintain flying speed and to follow emergency procedures. At the time of the accident, the aircraft was near max gross weight and after CofG limit.
Final Report:

Crash of a Douglas C-47A-80-DL on Tajumbina Peak: 29 killed

Date & Time: Dec 24, 1966 at 0956 LT
Operator:
Registration:
HK-161
Flight Phase:
Survivors:
No
Site:
Schedule:
Bogotá – Pasto
MSN:
19630
YOM:
1944
Flight number:
AV729
Country:
Crew on board:
3
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
26
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
29
Captain / Total flying hours:
6653
Captain / Total hours on type:
2069.00
Copilot / Total flying hours:
1701
Copilot / Total hours on type:
1097
Aircraft flight hours:
28422
Circumstances:
Flight 739 was a scheduled domestic flight from Bogotá-El Dorado Airport to Pasta-Cano Airport. It was scheduled to depart Bogotá at 0615 hours local time; however, when the crew reported to the Avianca operations office at 0550 hours they were advised that Eldorado Airport was closed owing to thick fog. The airport was reopened to operations at 0750 hours. At about 0830 hours Flight 729 was observed to have commenced taxiing and entered the runway system without having received a clearance to do so. The flight was then given instructions for Runway 30 but further transmissions on 121.9 mc/s were not acknowledged. The flight was subsequently contacted on 118.1 mc/s and the pilot stated he had confused instructions with those given to another aircraft. Take-off was made on runway 10 and when over the threshold of Runway 12 the aircraft commenced a very steep turn to the left in a nose-high attitude. Recovery was effected and the aircraft departed at 0838 hours on a VFR flight plan. After the take-off and climb the flight left the Bogota tower frequency and subsequently contacted Bogota Control and Route Control on 5589 Kc/s. The following position reports were received: 12 500 ft over Guataqui at 0842 hrs, over El Paso at 0902 hrs, over Tuluá at 0924 hrs; at 8 500 ft over Cali, at 0942 hrs, and at 8 500 it over Santander at 0948 hrs estimating Dos Rios at 1014 hrs. No position report for Dos Rios was received. The Tuluá position report was transmitted to Cali as follows: "Tuluá 0922 descending to 8 500, estimating Cali 0942". As the message was very weak the flight was requested to confirm its departure and position; it reported on route frequency 5476.5 KC/S its departure as 0825/38. The flight was then requested to change to VHF frequency 119.1 for radio contact when approaching Cali. It did so but as its signals were not heard it returned to the route frequency stating that it would remain on that frequency since it had not been able to establish contact on the VHF frequency. At 1030 hrs Cali requested information on the flight from Pasto, which reported that the flight had not arrived and there was no information about it. From 1030 hrs onwards the aircraft was called on all available frequencies but no reply was received. An alert phase was declared at 1100 hrs and followed by a distress phase at 1125 hrs. The wreckage of the aircraft was found on 3 January 1967 after 11 days of searching. It had crashed and caught fire at an elevation of approximately 11 600 ft on the southern slopes of Tajumbina Peak (elevation 13 572 ft) in the El Descanse Police Inspectorate. Coordinates of the site of accident were 1° 20' 30" N 76° 47' 30" W. The accident occurred at approximately 0956 hrs on 24 December 1966. The aircraft was destroyed by impact forces and a post crash fire and all 29 occupants have been killed.
Probable cause:
The accident was attributed to pilot error consisting of inflight indiscipline and rash imprudence on the part of the pilot-in-command of the aircraft for:
- Not having made use of the regulation rest period and having consumed alcoholic drinks a few hours before flying,
- Not having followed the route recommended in the Manual of Colombian Air Routes, which he reported he was taking; having reported positions that did not correspond to reality,
- Continuing a visual flight in unfavourable IFR conditions thereby failing to comply with the standards laid down in Part V of the Manual of Aeronautical Rules,
- Having flown at an altitude below the minimum safety altitude laid down for visual flying in Part V of the Manual of Aeronautical Rules (he flew along the Canon del Rfo Cascabel and subsequently crashed at an altitude of about 11 600 ft),
A possible contributory cause of this accident was inadequate supervision by the Airline consisting of a lack of control over the flight crews.
Final Report:

Crash of a Douglas DC-8-51 in Mexico City

Date & Time: Dec 24, 1966 at 0430 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
XA-NUS
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
New York - Mexico City
MSN:
45633
YOM:
1962
Country:
Crew on board:
8
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
101
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
The approach to Mexico City-Benito Juárez Airport was completed by night. In poor visibility, the pilot-in-command failed to realize his altitude was too low and led the aircraft pass below the glide until it struck the ground. At impact, the undercarriage were torn off and the airplane broke in two before coming to rest in the Texcoco dry lake. All 109 occupants were rescued, 28 of them were injured. The aircraft was destroyed.
Probable cause:
Wrong approach configuration.

Crash of a Noorduyn Norseman IV off Novika

Date & Time: Dec 12, 1966
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
LN-BFP
Survivors:
Yes
MSN:
67
YOM:
1941
Location:
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
1
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
Upon landing onto the bay off Novika, the single engine overturned and came to rest near the shore. The pilot and all passengers evacuated safely while the aircraft was written off.

Crash of a Pilatus PC-6/340-H2 Porter in Ubrub

Date & Time: Dec 9, 1966
Operator:
Registration:
PK-NPX
Survivors:
Yes
MSN:
542
YOM:
1963
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
0
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
Crashed in unknown circumstances in a wooded area. No casualties.