Crash of a SNCASE SE.161 Languedoc off Marseille: 10 killed

Date & Time: Dec 2, 1956
Type of aircraft:
SNCASE SE.161 Languedoc
Operator:
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Survey / Patrol / Reconnaissance
Survivors:
No
Site:
Lake, Sea, Ocean, River
Schedule:
Toulon - Toulon
Location:
Marseille
Bouches-du-Rhône
Country:
France
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
10
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
10
Circumstances:
The crew departed Hyères-Le Palyvestre NAS in the evening of December 1st after a distress called was received from a cargo in the Mediterranean Sea. During the night, the four engine aircraft crashed in unknown circumstances into the sea off Marseille, killing all 10 crew members.

Crash of a Martin P5M-2 Marlin into the Atlantic Ocean: 10 killed

Date & Time: Nov 9, 1956 at 2150 LT
Type of aircraft:
Martin P5M-2 Marlin
Operator:
Registration:
127705
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Survey / Patrol / Reconnaissance
Survivors:
No
Site:
Lake, Sea, Ocean, River
Schedule:
Hamilton - Hamilton
Location:
Atlantic Ocean
All World
Country:
World
Region:
World
Crew on board:
10
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
10
Circumstances:
The crew left Hamilton-Kindley Field Airport at 1827LT for a maritime patrol flight. En route, by night and poor weather conditions (heavy rain falls), the crew lost control of the airplane that crashed into the ocean not far from a Liberian freighter. All ten occupants were killed when the aircraft sank and was lost. It is believed that an engine failed and/or caught fire during climb.
Crew:
P3c Wendell Frederick Beverly,
P3c Billy Gene Comer,
P3c Jesse William Grable,
P3c Richard Woods Montgomery,
Lt Charles William Patterson,
P2c Lyle Freeman Quimby,
Lt Cyrus Eugene Reid Jr.,
Airman Bobbie Lee Sanders,
Cdr John Milton Sweeney,
P1c Robert Wayne Taylor.

Crash of a Grumman JRF-5 Goose near Béjaïa: 1 killed

Date & Time: Oct 4, 1956
Type of aircraft:
Grumman G-21A Goose
Operator:
Registration:
8.S.8
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Survey / Patrol / Reconnaissance
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Plain, Valley
Schedule:
Oran - Oran
MSN:
B84
YOM:
1944
Location:
Béjaïa
Béjaïa
Country:
Algeria
Region:
Africa
Crew on board:
4
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
1
Circumstances:
The crew left Lartigue Airbase (Tafraoui AFB) in Oran on a maritime patrol flight along the coast, between cape Carbon and Cape Tenès, Algiers region. While flying northwest of Béjaïa, the airplane encountered strong downdrafts and crashed on a rocky terrain overlooking the sea. The copilot was killed while three other occupants were injured.
Crew:
T/Sgt Parfait, pilot,
T/Sgt Thinon, copilot, †
T/Sgt Pichon, gunner,
T/Sgt Jean Claude Deniel, radio operator.

Crash of a Lockheed P2V-2 Neptune MR.1 in Luqa

Date & Time: Jan 13, 1956
Type of aircraft:
Lockheed P-2 Neptune
Operator:
Registration:
WX547
Flight Phase:
Landing (descent or approach)
Flight Type:
Survey / Patrol / Reconnaissance
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Airport (less than 10 km from airport)
Schedule:
Luqa - Luqa
MSN:
426-5163
Location:
Luqa
Malta
Country:
Malta
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
0
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
An undercarriage collapsed on landing at Luqa Airport. There were no injuries but the aircraft was damaged beyond repair.
Probable cause:
Undercarriage collapsed on landing.

Crash of a Martin PBM-5S2 Mariner off Colón: 15 killed

Date & Time: Oct 31, 1955
Type of aircraft:
Martin PBM Mariner
Operator:
Registration:
59232
Flight Phase:
Takeoff (climb)
Flight Type:
Survey / Patrol / Reconnaissance
Survivors:
No
Site:
Lake, Sea, Ocean, River
MSN:
59232
YOM:
1945
Location:
Colón
Colón
Country:
Panama
Region:
Central America
Crew on board:
16
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
15
Circumstances:
While taking off from the Colón-Coco Solo NAS, the aircraft suffered a right engine failure, lost speed and height and eventually burst into flames while hitting a concrete pier. A crewman survived while 15 others were killed.
Probable cause:
Failure of the right engine on takeoff.

Crash of a Lockheed P2V Neptune into the Atlantic Ocean: 9 killed

Date & Time: Oct 13, 1955
Type of aircraft:
Lockheed P-2 Neptune
Operator:
Registration:
WX510
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Survey / Patrol / Reconnaissance
Survivors:
No
Site:
Lake, Sea, Ocean, River
MSN:
426-5109
Location:
Atlantic Ocean
All World
Country:
World
Region:
World
Crew on board:
9
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
9
Circumstances:
The crew was engaged in a rescue mission after an Icelandic trawler was missing. The aircraft crashed in unknown circumstances about 208 km west of Barra Island, Hebrides Islands. Few debris were found and none of the nine crew members survived the crash.
Probable cause:
The exact cause of the accident could not be determined due to lack of evidences. However, it is believed that the loss of control occurred during a last turn at low height or that the aircraft stalled while cruising at low speed.

Crash of a Lockheed PV-2 Harpoon off Fiumefreddo

Date & Time: Sep 9, 1955
Type of aircraft:
Lockheed P-2 Harpoon
Operator:
Registration:
MM80069
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Survey / Patrol / Reconnaissance
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Lake, Sea, Ocean, River
Schedule:
Catania - Catania
MSN:
15-1036
YOM:
1944
Location:
Fiumefreddo
Sicily
Country:
Italy
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
3
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
The crew departed Catania-Fontanarossa Airport for a maritime patrol flight. Enroute, an engine failed, forcing the crew to ditch the aircraft off Fiumefreddo di Sicilia. All three crew members were rescued while the aircraft sank and was lost.
Probable cause:
Engine failure.

Crash of a Beechcraft C-45F Expeditor off Palermo

Date & Time: Aug 23, 1955 at 1900 LT
Type of aircraft:
Beechcraft C-45 Expeditor
Operator:
Registration:
MM61666
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Survey / Patrol / Reconnaissance
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Lake, Sea, Ocean, River
Schedule:
Palermo - Palermo
MSN:
8206
YOM:
1944
Location:
Palermo
Sicily
Country:
Italy
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
4
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
The crew left Palermo-Boccadifalco Airport on a patrol flight, searching for cigarettes smuggling boat. In-flight, an unexpected situation forced the crew to ditch the aircraft at 1900LT about 70 km off Palermo. The aircraft sank and was lost while all four occupants were rescued at 2330LT.

Crash of a Lockheed P2V-5 Neptune on Saint-Lawrence Island

Date & Time: Jun 22, 1955
Type of aircraft:
Lockheed P-2 Neptune
Operator:
Registration:
131515
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Survey / Patrol / Reconnaissance
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Plain, Valley
MSN:
426-5396
Location:
Saint Lawrence Island
Alaska
Country:
United States of America
Region:
North America
Crew on board:
8
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
The aircraft was engaged in a maritime patrol over the Bering Sea. While cruising at an altitude of 8,000 feet about 40 miles west of the Saint Lawrence Island, the airplane was attacked by two Soviet MiG-15 fighters. The crew was able to leave the area and elected to make an emergency landing on St Lawrence Island when the aircraft crash landed. There were no injuries.
Probable cause:
Attacked by two Soviet MiG-15.

Crash of a Douglas C-47 on Mt Doi Pha Hom Pok: 7 killed

Date & Time: May 13, 1955
Type of aircraft:
Douglas C-47 Skytrain (DC-3)
Operator:
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Survey / Patrol / Reconnaissance
Survivors:
No
Site:
Mountains
Location:
Mt Doi Pha Hom Pok
Chiang Mai (เชียงใหม่)
Country:
Thailand
Region:
Asia
Crew on board:
7
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
7
Circumstances:
The crew was completing a border patrol when the airplane struck the Mt Doi Pha Hom Pok located some 25 km from Amphoe Fang. The wreckage was found two weeks later, on 29 May. All seven crew members have been killed.
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