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Crash of a Kaiser-Frazer C-119J Flying Boxcar in Alexandria: 3 killed

Date & Time: Sep 6, 1955
Type of aircraft:
Fairchild C-119 Flying Boxcar
Operator:
Registration:
51-8142
Flight Phase:
Takeoff (climb)
Flight Type:
Military
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Airport (less than 10 km from airport)
MSN:
145
YOM:
1952
Location:
Alexandria
Louisiana
Country:
United States of America
Region:
North America
Crew on board:
6
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
3
Circumstances:
During initial climb, the aircraft suffered an engine failure, stalled and crashed 3 miles north of Alexandria Airport. Three crew members were killed and three others were injured.
Probable cause:
Engine failure shortly after takeoff.

Crash of a Douglas C-124C Globemaster II at Kirtland AFB: 1 killed

Date & Time: Sep 6, 1955
Type of aircraft:
Douglas C-124 Globemaster II
Operator:
Registration:
50-0097
Flight Phase:
Takeoff (climb)
Flight Type:
Military
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Airport (less than 10 km from airport)
Schedule:
Kirtland - March
MSN:
43235
YOM:
1950
Location:
Kirtland AFB
New Mexico
Country:
United States of America
Region:
North America
Crew on board:
9
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
60
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
1
Circumstances:
The takeoff was attempted in strong cross winds. During the takeoff roll, the aircraft deviated from the runway centerline. Despite corrections on part of the flying crew, the four engine aircraft veered off runway and came to rest. A passenger was killed while few others were injured.

Crash of a Douglas VC-47D in Skwentna: 12 killed

Date & Time: Sep 1, 1955
Type of aircraft:
Douglas C-47 Skytrain (DC-3)
Operator:
Registration:
45-0893
Flight Phase:
Landing (descent or approach)
Flight Type:
Military
Survivors:
No
Site:
Airport (less than 10 km from airport)
Schedule:
Elmendorf – Nome
MSN:
16896/34153
YOM:
1945
Location:
Skwentna
Alaska
Country:
United States of America
Region:
North America
Crew on board:
5
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
7
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
12
Circumstances:
Enroute from Elmendorf AFB to Nome, the crew encountered engine problems and decided to divert to Skwentna Airport for an emergency landing. On short final, the airplane went out of control and crashed one mile short of runway. All 12 occupants were killed in the crash.
Probable cause:
Engine problems.

Crash of a Grumman SA-16 Albatross in Lajes: 5 killed

Date & Time: Aug 25, 1955 at 2030 LT
Type of aircraft:
Grumman HU-16 (SA-16) Albatross
Operator:
Flight Phase:
Landing (descent or approach)
Flight Type:
Military
Survivors:
No
Site:
Mountains
Schedule:
Argentia – Lajes
Location:
Lajes
Azores Islands
Country:
Portugal
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
5
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
5
Circumstances:
After an uneventful flight from Argentia NAS, Newfoundland, the crew started the descent to Lajes Airbase. On final, the seaplane hit the slope of the Negrão Peak located about 7 km from the airfield. All five crew members were killed.

Crash of a De Havilland L-20A Beaver near Safford: 1 killed

Date & Time: Aug 25, 1955
Type of aircraft:
De Havilland DHC-2 Beaver
Operator:
Registration:
52-6100
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Military
Survivors:
No
Site:
Mountains
MSN:
473
YOM:
1953
Location:
Safford
Arizona
Country:
United States of America
Region:
North America
Crew on board:
1
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
1
Circumstances:
Crashed in unknown circumstances in a mountainous area located about 13 miles north of Safford. The pilot Wilfred P. Champlain, sole on board, was killed.

Crash of a Kaiser-Frazer C-119F Flying Boxcar in Charleston: 9 killed

Date & Time: Aug 23, 1955 at 0200 LT
Type of aircraft:
Fairchild C-119 Flying Boxcar
Operator:
Registration:
51-8165
Flight Phase:
Takeoff (climb)
Flight Type:
Training
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
City
Schedule:
Charleston - Charleston
MSN:
168
YOM:
1952
Location:
Charleston-Intl
South Carolina
Country:
United States of America
Region:
North America
Crew on board:
11
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
9
Circumstances:
Shortly after a night takeoff at Charleston Airport, while climbing, one of the engine caught fire and exploded. The airplane lost height and crashed in flames onto several houses located in a residential area, some 1,7 mile from the airfield. Six crew members were seriously injured while five others were killed. Four people in the houses were killed as well.
Probable cause:
Engine explosion during initial climb for unknown reason.

Crash of a De Havilland L-20A Beaver in Lohr am Main: 1 killed

Date & Time: Aug 21, 1955
Type of aircraft:
De Havilland DHC-2 Beaver
Operator:
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Military
Site:
Plain, Valley
Schedule:
Vilseck – Frankfurt
Location:
Lohr am Main
Bavaria
Country:
Germany
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
1
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
1
Circumstances:
Crashed in flames in a wooded area located 4 km north of Lohr am Main while completing a flight from Vilseck to Main Airbase in Frankfurt. The wreckage was found two days later and the pilot, sole on board, was killed.

Crash of a Douglas SC-47A near Hawthorne: 7 killed

Date & Time: Aug 19, 1955
Type of aircraft:
Douglas C-47 Skytrain (DC-3)
Operator:
Registration:
42-108944
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Military
Survivors:
No
Site:
Mountains
Schedule:
Reno - Reno
MSN:
13288
YOM:
1944
Location:
Hawthorne
Nevada
Country:
United States of America
Region:
North America
Crew on board:
7
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
7
Circumstances:
The crew left Reno-Stead Airport on a classified mission with six other similar aircraft. While cruising in limited visibility at an altitude of 6,000 feet, the airplane hit the slope of a mountain located in the Gillis Mountain Range, about 12 miles northeast of Hawthorne. The wreckage was found few feet below the summit and all seven crew members were killed.
Probable cause:
It is believed that the accident was the consequence of a controlled flight into terrain.

Crash of a Fairchild C-119G Flying Boxcar in Edelweiler: 20 killed

Date & Time: Aug 11, 1955 at 1420 LT
Type of aircraft:
Fairchild C-119 Flying Boxcar
Operator:
Registration:
53-3222
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Training
Survivors:
No
Site:
Plain, Valley
Schedule:
Dreux - Stuttgart
MSN:
11238
YOM:
1953
Flight number:
Chalk 8
Location:
Edelweiler
Baden-Württemberg
Country:
Germany
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
5
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
15
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
20
Circumstances:
A group of nine Fairchild C-119G Flying Boxcar left Dreux, Eure-et-Loir, on a flight to Stuttgart-Echterdingen Airport in southwest Germany under flight code 'Chalk'. Enroute, the pilot of C-119 registered 53-3222 (Chalk 8) called the leader and informed the rest of the formation he lost his left engine and elected to land asap. While trying to leave the formation, 53-3222 made a turn to the left when the top of its empennage hit the base of the cockpit of C-119 registered 53-7841 (Chalk 9). Both aircraft went out of control, dove into the ground and crashed in a wooded area and a field located near Edelweiler. Both aircraft disintegrated on impact and all 66 crew members on both aircraft were killed.
Probable cause:
Failure of the left engine in flight. It was also determined that the collision was due to the wrong position of 53-7841 because his crew failed to respect the assigned altitude in the formation. In conclusion, the board finds that the primary cause of the accident was pilot error. It is the opinion of the board that if the left wingman (aircraft 53-7841) had held his proper position instead of dropping down and out, the accident would not have occurred. It was established that just prior to the accident, aircraft 7841 had overrun his element leader. Evidence was found that the right wingman (aircraft 53-3222) was in process of losing his left engine and was given instructions to leave the formation. He was in the process of leaving the formation by descending and turning to the left according to normal procedures when the collision occurred. After considering all the available evidence, the board feels that the accident would not have happened if engine malfunction had not occurred, causing the right wingman to break formation. The board found evidence of supervisory error in that the pilot responsible for the accident had not had proper crew rest and his copilot’s experience was extremely low.

Crash of a Fairchild C-119G Flying Boxcar in Edelweiler: 46 killed

Date & Time: Aug 11, 1955 at 1420 LT
Type of aircraft:
Fairchild C-119 Flying Boxcar
Operator:
Registration:
53-7841
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Training
Survivors:
No
Site:
Plain, Valley
Schedule:
Dreux - Stuttgart
MSN:
11258
YOM:
1953
Flight number:
Chalk 9
Location:
Edelweiler
Baden-Württemberg
Country:
Germany
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
5
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
41
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
46
Circumstances:
A group of nine Fairchild C-119G Flying Boxcar left Dreux, Eure-et-Loir, on a flight to Stuttgart-Echterdingen Airport in southwest Germany under flight code 'Chalk'. Enroute, the pilot of C-119 registered 53-3222 (Chalk 8) called the leader and informed the rest of the formation he lost his left engine and elected to land asap. While trying to leave the formation, 53-3222 made a turn to the left when the top of its empennage hit the base of the cockpit of C-119 registered 53-7841 (Chalk 9). Both aircraft went out of control, dove into the ground and crashed in a wooded area and a field located near Edelweiler. Both aircraft disintegrated on impact and all 66 crew members on both aircraft were killed.
Probable cause:
Failure of the left engine in flight. It was also determined that the collision was due to the wrong position of 53-7841 because his crew failed to respect the assigned altitude in the formation. In conclusion, the board finds that the primary cause of the accident was pilot error. It is the opinion of the board that if the left wingman (aircraft 53-7841) had held his proper position instead of dropping down and out, the accident would not have occurred. It was established that just prior to the accident, aircraft 7841 had overrun his element leader. Evidence was found that the right wingman (aircraft 53-3222) was in process of losing his left engine and was given instructions to leave the formation. He was in the process of leaving the formation by descending and turning to the left according to normal procedures when the collision occurred. After considering all the available evidence, the board feels that the accident would not have happened if engine malfunction had not occurred, causing the right wingman to break formation. The board found evidence of supervisory error in that the pilot responsible for the accident had not had proper crew rest and his copilot’s experience was extremely low.
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