Crash of a Douglas C-47B-15-DK in Chachapoyas

Date & Time: Nov 30, 1966
Operator:
Registration:
OB-R-568
Flight Phase:
Survivors:
Yes
MSN:
15238/26683
YOM:
1944
Country:
Crew on board:
0
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
Crashed on takeoff for unknown reason. There were no casualties.

Crash of a Convair CV-440 Metropolitan in Harrisburg

Date & Time: Nov 29, 1966 at 1728 LT
Operator:
Registration:
N3414
Flight Phase:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Harrisburg – Pittsburgh
MSN:
45
YOM:
1953
Flight number:
AL305
Crew on board:
4
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
12
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Captain / Total flying hours:
17718
Captain / Total hours on type:
2500.00
Circumstances:
During the takeoff roll on runway 26, the electrical system failed. The crew aborted the takeoff maneuver, started an emergency braking procedure and triggered the reverse thrust system. The reverse thrust system failed to work so the aircraft was unable to stop within the remaining distance and overran. Past the runway end, the nose gear collapsed and the airplane came to rest against a metallic tower supporting the approach light system. All 16 occupants were evacuated safely while the aircraft was damaged beyond repair.
Probable cause:
Failure of the electrical system due to an improperly installed heater on part of the ground technicians. Improper emergency procedures on part of the pilot-in-command.
Final Report:

Crash of an Ilyushin II-18 in Bratislava: 82 killed

Date & Time: Nov 24, 1966 at 1630 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
LZ-BEN
Flight Phase:
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Sofia - Budapest - Prague - Berlin
MSN:
184 0071 01
YOM:
1964
Flight number:
LZ101
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
8
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
74
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
82
Captain / Total flying hours:
11959
Captain / Total hours on type:
2002.00
Copilot / Total flying hours:
5979
Copilot / Total hours on type:
768
Circumstances:
Flight LZ101 was a scheduled international air service from Sofia to Berlin with intermediate stops in Budapest and Prague. The four engine airplane departed Budapest-Ferihegy Airport at 1146LT bound for Prague, but en route, the crew was informed the airport of Prague-Ruzyne was closed to all traffic due to poor weather conditions. So the crew decided to divert to Bratislava-Ivanka Airport where he landed at 1258LT. About 1550 hours the pilot-in-command of the aircraft decided to resume his flight to Prague. He took off from Bratislava Airport at 1628:30. After take-off he made a turn to starboard according to the flight clearance with the instruction to perform a right turn on to the OKR Beacon, to climb only to 300 m and then to climb on to the NI beacon up to the flight level of 5 100 m. At 1630:20 hours the flight was requested to change to the ATC approach service frequency, 120.9 Mc/s. The crew confirmed reception of this message, but they did not carry out the retuning. Shortly afterwards the aircraft crashed into wooded ground in the mountains. The accident occurred 8 km away from the 31 runway threshold of Bratislava Airport at an altitude of 420 m above MSL, i.e. 288 m above the airport level. The aircraft was totally destroyed and none of the 82 occupants survived the crash.
Probable cause:
The Commission could not definitely establish the cause of accident. The Commission assumed that the most probable cause of the accident was insufficient evaluation of terrain relief and weather conditions in the Bratislava Airport control zone by the aircraft crew and lack of adaptation of the flight to these conditions. There are serious reasons to doubt whether the crew thoroughly evaluated the geographical and meteorological situation and drew from this evaluation the necessary conclusions in choosing the take-off runway, in accepting the flight clearance and in performing the takeoff and the departure by making a turn to the starboard on to the OKR beacon. The possibility must be admitted that the non-maintenance of the 15° bank and the 400 km/h speed (or the lowest possible limit of 360 km/h), which non-maintenance had a causal connexion with the accident, could be partly due also to errors in controlling and navigating the aircraft.
Final Report:

Crash of a Douglas DC-3 near Wādī Rabţah: 30 killed

Date & Time: Nov 22, 1966 at 1220 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
VR-AAN
Flight Phase:
Survivors:
No
Site:
Schedule:
Aden - Maifa'a
MSN:
4284
YOM:
1942
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
3
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
27
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
30
Circumstances:
About 20 minutes after its departure from Aden Airport, while cruising at an altitude of 6,000 feet, the aircraft exploded in the air, disintegrated and crashed in a desert area located in the region of Wādī Rabţah. The debris were found few hours later. None of the 30 occupants survived the crash. The crash site was located about 140 km east of the route Aden - Maifa'a, northeast of Ahwar.
Probable cause:
It was determined that the explosion was caused by the detonation of an explosive device located in a passenger bag stored in the left bag compartment, just above the left wing. The reason of this act of sabotage and the author remains unknown.

Crash of an Ilyushin II-18B in Almaty: 3 killed

Date & Time: Nov 22, 1966 at 1036 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
CCCP-75665
Flight Phase:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Almaty – Semipalatinsk – Moscow
MSN:
188 0007 04
YOM:
1958
Flight number:
SU019X
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
8
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
60
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
3
Aircraft flight hours:
8407
Aircraft flight cycles:
4440
Circumstances:
During take-off roll in poor weather conditions, the engine number 3 failed (probably due to the ingestion of wet snow). The aircraft veered off the snow covered runway to the right after a roll of 550 meters, got briefly airborne with a high angle of attack until the tail struck a 70 cm high mound. Out of control, the aircraft crashed in flames onto a hillside located 1,400 meters further on, by a river. Two passengers and a crew member were killed while all 65 other occupants were injured. The aircraft was destroyed.
Probable cause:
Failure of the engine number three during the takeoff roll due to a massive ingestion of wet snow that was thrown out from the right main gear.

Crash of a NAMC YS-11-111 off Matsuyama: 50 killed

Date & Time: Nov 13, 1966 at 2028 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
JA8658
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Osaka - Matsuyama
MSN:
2023
YOM:
1966
Flight number:
NH533
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
5
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
45
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
50
Captain / Total flying hours:
8118
Captain / Total hours on type:
484.00
Copilot / Total flying hours:
880
Copilot / Total hours on type:
739
Aircraft flight hours:
1070
Circumstances:
Flight 533 was a scheduled domestic.flight from Osaka International Airport to Matsuyama Airport. It departed Osaka International Airport at 1913 hours, one hour and twenty-five minutes behind schedule with an ATC clearance via G-4, Kure Point, direct Matsuyama NDB at an altitude of 8 000 ft. At 1940 hours it flew over Takamatsu NDB at an altitude of 8 000 ft and reported to Takamatsu Tower an estimated time over Kure Point of 2001 hours. At approximately 2000 hours the crew established communications with Iwakuni Approach Control and reported estimating over Kure Point at 2005 hours and over Matsuyama NDB at 2015 hours. They were twice given the meteorological information for Matsuyama Airport and were cleared to descend to 5 000 ft. At approximately 2003 hours during the descent they requested Matsuyama Tower to check operational conditions of Matsuyama NDB as they had doubts regarding its reliability. Matsuyama NDB, which had been closed af 2000 hours as scheduled, resumed operation at approximately 2010 hours. Almost at that time they requested from Iwakuni Approach Control an ATC clearance to go direct to Matsuyama from Iwakuni since they had already passed Kure Point, and reported in addition that Matsuyama NDB had returned to normal. Iwakuni Approach Control then cleared the flight to Iwakuni-NDB at an altitude of 5 000 ft, requested its estimated time over Iwakuni NDB and further instructed the flight to proceed on a magnetic bearing of 1340 after passing Iwakuni NDB. The flight passed over Iwakuni NDB at approximately 2015 hours and whilst on a magnetic bearing of 135°, it was cleared to descend to and maintain 3 000 ft to Matsuyama NDB. During its descent to 3 000 ft the flight reported to Iwakuni Approach Control its estimated time over Matsuyama NDB as 2023 hours. Shortly thereafter the flight reported that the runway was in sight and was instructed to establish contact with Matsuyama Tower, which it did at 2024:03 hours. It was then instructed to report downwind for Runway 31 and informed that the wind was 020°/10 kt, and the altimeter setting 29.80 in. Hg. This was acknowledged. At approximately 2025:44 hours, while turning on base leg, the flight reported gear down and checked and was cleared to land the wind being 010°/10 kt. This was also acknowledged. Based on the testimony of eyewitnesses and the recording of ATC communications, the final phase of the flight was reconstructed as follows: The altitude of the aircraft on final approach was slightly higher than usual and touchdown occurred approximately 460 m from the threshold of Runway 31. Immediately before touchdown on the runway the engine power had been increased. After a ground run of approximately 170 m the aircraft became airborne and the flight path was slightly to the left of the centre line as the aircraft passed the Runway 13 threshold. A few seconds later, at 2027: 30 hours the aircraft reported it was making a go-around. At approximately 2027:41 hours the flight was instructed to report turning base leg for Runway 31, and six seconds later it replied "Roger, will report turning base Runway 31". This was the last communication from the flight. The climb out angle was observed to be shallower than usual and on reaching a height of 230 - 330 ft a left turn was commenced. Shortly thereafter the aircraft descended and crashed into water, the flight path angle at impact being about 5°. The site of the accident was approximately 450 m NE of the point where the empennage was recovered (7 580 m on a true bearing of 1570 from Tsurushima Light Beacon).
Probable cause:
The reason why the aircraft lost altitude after the go-around and was led to crash into water was not determined. The aircraft, on final approach to Runway 31, touched down about 460 m beyond the runway threshold and made a go-around. It then climbed at a flight path angle somewhat shallower than normal, lost altitude after initiating a turn to the left at an altitude somewhat lower than normal, then made a shallow descent and crashed into water. At the time of impact the aircraft was in a somewhat nose-down and a left bank attitude with undercarriage and flaps fully retracted.
Final Report:

Crash of a De Havilland DH.114 Heron 1B in Nausori

Date & Time: Nov 9, 1966
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
VQ-FAX
Survivors:
Yes
MSN:
14012
YOM:
1953
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
0
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
Suffered a landing accident at Nausori Airport. There were no casualties but the aircraft was damaged beyond repair.

Crash of a Lockheed 12-26 Electra Junior in Bukit Besi

Date & Time: Oct 26, 1966
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
9M-ANK
Survivors:
Yes
MSN:
1302
YOM:
1942
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
0
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
Crashed on landing at Bukit Besi. There were no casualties but the aircraft was written off.

Crash of a De Havilland DHA-3 Drover 2 on Mt Tokugmera: 8 killed

Date & Time: Oct 21, 1966
Operator:
Registration:
VP-PAD
Flight Phase:
Survivors:
No
Site:
Schedule:
Lenakel – Ipao
MSN:
5002
YOM:
1947
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
1
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
7
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
8
Aircraft flight hours:
1853
Circumstances:
The three engine aircraft departed Lenakel Airstrip (Tanna Island) on a flight to Ipao, Futuna Island, Vanuatu. En route, the pilot encountered poor weather conditions and as the airplane failed to arrive at destination, SAR operations were conducted. Three days later, the burned wreckage was found in a gorge located on Mt Tokugmera (1,084 meters high) located in the center of Tanna Island. All eight occupants were killed, including the airline's Chief Pilot and Operations Manager, Paul H. Burton.

Crash of a Douglas DC-9-14 near Wemme: 18 killed

Date & Time: Oct 1, 1966 at 2010 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
N9101
Survivors:
No
Site:
Schedule:
San Francisco – Eugene – Portland – Seattle
MSN:
45794/52
YOM:
1966
Flight number:
WC956
Location:
Crew on board:
5
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
13
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
18
Captain / Total flying hours:
18998
Captain / Total hours on type:
17.00
Copilot / Total flying hours:
9545
Copilot / Total hours on type:
9
Aircraft flight hours:
164
Circumstances:
West Coast Flight 956 departed San Francisco (SFO) at 18:44 for a flight to Eugene (EUG), Portland (PDX) and Seattle (SEA). The brand new DC-9 aircraft, which had been delivered to West Coast Airlines just 2 weeks earlier, arrived at Eugene at 19:34 and took off again 18 minutes later. At 20:04 the crew were cleared to descend from the cruising altitude of FL140 to 9000 feet. While turning to heading 300°, the aircraft descended below the clearance altitude and impacted the wooded eastern slope of Salmon Mountain at the 3830 feet level. The aircraft attitude was 30° right bank, in a 3-4° climbing flight path on a heading of 265°. The aircraft disintegrated on impact and all 18 occupants were killed.
Probable cause:
The descent of the aircraft below its clearance limit and below that of surrounding obstructing terrain, but the Board had been unable to determine the cause of such descent.
Final Report: