Southern Air Transport | Bureau of Aircraft Accidents Archives

While taxiing at Wau Airport, the aircraft rolled on a landmine and exploded. all five crew members escaped with minor injuries while the aircraft was damaged beyond repair. It was engaged in a humanitarian flight on behalf of the International Committee of the Red Cross.

Probable cause:

Exploded after rolling on a landmine.

Crash of a Lockheed L-382E-22C Hercules in Juba

Date & Time: Aug 12, 1990

Type of aircraft:

Lockheed C-130 Hercules

Operator:

Registration:

N911SJ

Flight Phase:

Landing (descent or approach)

Flight Type:

Cargo

Survivors:

Yes

Site:

Airport (less than 10 km from airport)

Schedule:

Juba - Nairobi

MSN:

4384

YOM:

1970

Location:

Juba

Central Equatoria (الاستوائية الوسطى)

Country:

South Sudan

Region:

Africa

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

After takeoff from Juba Airport, while climbing to a height of 300 feet and a speed of 155 knots, the engine n°4 lost power. The crew elected to return for an emergency landing when engine n°1 and 2 oversped. While completing a turn to join the runway 31, the engine n°3 lost power and its propeller was feathered. The crew was able to land the airplane safely but after touchdown, the aircraft was unable to stop within the remaining distance, veered off runway and eventually collided with containers, bursting into flames. All five occupants escaped uninjured.

Probable cause:

The exact cause of the engine problems could not be determined with certainty. However, the assumption that the fuel was contaminated by water was not ruled out.

Crash of a Lockheed L-382G-31C Hercules at Travis AFB: 5 killed

Date & Time: Apr 8, 1987 at 1732 LT

Type of aircraft:

Lockheed C-130 Hercules

Operator:

Registration:

N517SJ

Flight Phase:

Landing (descent or approach)

Flight Type:

Training

Survivors:

Site:

Airport (less than 10 km from airport)

Schedule:

Travis AFB - Travis AFB

MSN:

4558

YOM:

1974

Flight number:

SJ517

Location:

Travis AFB

California

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:

8600

Captain / Total hours on type:

8000.00

Aircraft flight hours:

17027

Circumstances:

The Hercules aircraft took off from Travis AFB at 14:45 for the second of a series of local training flights. Approaches and practice landings were carried out at McClellan AFB before returning to Travis. A runway 21L ILS approach and full stop landing were to be made by a 1st officer candidate. A balked landing forced the captain to take over the controls and initiate a go-around. The no. 1 and no. 2 engines both decelerated when throttles were advanced. The aircraft then banked left and struck the airport perimeter fence in a nose-low and steep left-wing low attitude.

Probable cause:

Inadequate Southern Air Transport engine maintenance which allowed the accumulation of oil residues in the engine compressor sections until two engines were incapable of responding to rapid demands for increased power. Contributing to the accident was the continuation of the go-around by the captain after power had been lost from two engines and the movement of the flap handle to the flaps retracted position during the go-around.

Final Report:

Crash of a Lockheed L-382G-23C Hercules at Kelly AFB: 3 killed

Date & Time: Oct 4, 1986 at 0410 LT

Type of aircraft:

Lockheed C-130 Hercules

Operator:

Registration:

N15ST

Flight Phase:

Takeoff (climb)

Flight Type:

Cargo

Survivors:

Site:

Airport (less than 10 km from airport)

Schedule:

Kelly AFB - Robins AFB

MSN:

4391

YOM:

1970

Flight number:

SJ015

Location:

Kelly AFB (ex Brooks Field, San Antonio)

Texas

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:

7000

Captain / Total hours on type:

1400.00

Copilot / Total flying hours:

4100

Copilot / Total hours on type:

107

Aircraft flight hours:

45622

Aircraft flight cycles:

20472

Circumstances:

Southern Air Transport’s LOGAIR 15 flight, a Lockheed L-382G, was cleared for takeoff from Kelly Air Force Base, Texas, on an instrument flight plan to Robins Air Force Base, Georgia, at about 0405 on October 4, 1986. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed. There were three flightcrew members aboard the military contracted domestic cargo flight operating under 14 CFR Part 121. All communications with the air traffic control tower were routine. Radar recorded that the airplane reached an altitude of about 700 feet above ground level. Witnesses reported an abnormally steep climb attitude. followed by a turn and/or bank to the left, after which the airplane continued to roll to the left and struck the ramp area at about a 90° angle to the departure runway in a near-inverted attitude between two hangars and exploded. A severe ground fire ensued. All three flightcrew members were killed.

Probable cause:

The probable cause of this accident was the use by the carrier of a non approved device designed to raise the elevator during loading operations which was not properly stowed by the flightcrew and which lodged in the Controls, preventing the flightcrew from controlling the airplane during takeoff.

Final Report:

Crash of a Curtiss C-46F-1-CU Commando in Dallas

Date & Time: Jul 19, 1953

Type of aircraft:

Curtiss C-46 Commando

Operator:

Registration:

N1697M

Flight Phase:

Landing (descent or approach)

Flight Type:

Cargo

Survivors:

Yes

Site:

Airport (less than 10 km from airport)

Schedule:

Miami – Dallas

MSN:

22573

YOM:

1945

Location:

Dallas-Love Field

Texas

Country:

United States of America

Region:

North America

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

On final approach to Love Field, the aircraft was too low and hit a embankment short of runway threshold. The aircraft crash landed and lost its right wing before coming to rest upside down. Both pilots were injured and the aircraft was written off.