Crash of a Convair C-131F Samaritan in Galivan: 4 killed

Date & Time: Sep 26, 1975
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
141012
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Schedule:
El Toro - El Toro
MSN:
295
YOM:
1955
Crew on board:
6
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
4
Circumstances:
The crew was engaged in a local training flight out from El Toro MCAS. After takeoff, while climbing, the airplane went out of control and crashed in the garden of the Saddleback College located about 8 miles southeast of the airfield. Four crew members were killed while two others were injured.

Crash of an Avro 748-2A-235 in Pedro Afonso: 4 killed

Date & Time: Jun 17, 1975
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
PP-VDN
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Schedule:
São Paulo – Porto Nacional – Pedro Afonso – Belém
MSN:
1625
YOM:
1967
Flight number:
RG236
Country:
Crew on board:
3
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
12
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
4
Circumstances:
Few minutes after takeoff from Pedro Afonso, the crew encountered technical problems and decided to return. The approach was completed at a too high speed and the airplane landed too far down the runway, approximately 300 meters from the runway end. Unable to stop within the remaining distance, the airplane overran, crossed a street and crashed into a house. A woman and her two children were killed in the house as well as the copilot. A second crew member was injured while 13 other occupants were unhurt. The aircraft was damaged beyond repair.

Crash of an Embraer EMB-110C Bandeirante in São Paulo: 15 killed

Date & Time: Feb 27, 1975 at 0633 LT
Operator:
Registration:
PP-SBE
Flight Phase:
Survivors:
No
Site:
Schedule:
São Paulo - Bauru - Araçatuba
MSN:
110-021
YOM:
1974
Flight number:
VP640
Country:
Crew on board:
2
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
13
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
15
Circumstances:
Shortly after takeoff from runway 34 at São Paulo-Congonhas Airport, while climbing, the crew reported problems with the right engine and attempted to return for an emergency landing. Shortly later, the airplane went out of control and crashed in flames onto several houses located in the district of Campo Belo near the airport. The aircraft and four houses were totally destroyed and all 15 occupants were killed. There were no victims on the ground.
Probable cause:
Failure of the right engine after takeoff for unknown reason.

Crash of a Cessna 411 in Buenos Aires: 2 killed

Date & Time: Feb 5, 1975 at 1200 LT
Type of aircraft:
Registration:
LV-LXW
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Site:
Country:
Crew on board:
2
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
2
Circumstances:
Shortly after takeoff from Buenos Aires-Ezeiza-Ministro Pistarini Airport, the twin engine airplane went out of control and crashed in a residential area located in González Catán, about 8 km northwest of the airfield. The airplane was destroyed and both occupants were killed. There were no injuries on the ground.
Probable cause:
Loss of control following an engine failure.

Crash of a Beechcraft A90 King Air in Washington DC: 5 killed

Date & Time: Jan 25, 1975 at 1210 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
N57V
Survivors:
No
Site:
Schedule:
Columbus - Washington DC
MSN:
LJ-268
YOM:
1967
Crew on board:
2
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
3
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
5
Captain / Total flying hours:
9745
Captain / Total hours on type:
50.00
Circumstances:
On a VOR/DME approach to Washington-National Airport, the crew encountered low clouds and failed to realize his altitude was insufficient. On final, the twin engine airplane struck a radio antenna. Upon impact, the left wing was torn off and the aircraft crashed in flames in the garden of the American University campus. The aircraft was destroyed by impact forces and a post crash fire and all five occupants were killed.
Probable cause:
The exact cause of the accident could not be determined. The following findings were reported:
- Low ceiling,
- High obstructions,
- Separation of the left wing in flight,
- Descended below minimum approach segment altitude during VOR/DME approach,
- Hit radio tower, causing the left wing to separate.
Final Report:

Crash of a Britten-Norman BN-2A Islander in Seattle: 4 killed

Date & Time: Dec 26, 1974 at 1805 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
N66HA
Flight Phase:
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Schedule:
Seattle - Oak Harbor
MSN:
31
YOM:
1968
Flight number:
HG308
Crew on board:
1
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
5
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
4
Captain / Total flying hours:
2000
Captain / Total hours on type:
342.00
Circumstances:
Shortly after takeoff from Seattle-Tacoma Airport, while climbing in marginal weather conditions, the twin engine airplane went out of control and crashed in a residential area located in Riverton Heights, near the airport. Two passengers were seriously injured while four other occupants including the pilot were killed.
Probable cause:
Diverted attention from operation during initial climb caused the aircraft to crash. The following contributing factors were reported:
- Instruments-misread or failed to read,
- Low ceiling,
- Snow,
- High obstructions,
- Flight and navigation instruments: airspeed, obstructed,
- Foreign materials affecting normal operations,
- Unknown matter in Pitot static system affected the airspeed indicator.
Final Report:

Crash of a Douglas C-47A-30-DL in Svay Rieng: 6 killed

Date & Time: Apr 20, 1974
Operator:
Registration:
XW-TFL
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Schedule:
Pakse - Svay Rieng
MSN:
9559
YOM:
1943
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
3
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
3
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
6
Circumstances:
After landing at Svay Rieng Airport, the airplane became uncontrollable and skidded on runway. It veered off runway and collided with several wooded houses. All six occupants escaped uninjured while six people were killed on the ground.

Crash of a Lockheed L-1049H Super Constellation in Miami: 9 killed

Date & Time: Dec 15, 1973 at 2353 LT
Registration:
N6917C
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Site:
Schedule:
Miami - Caracas
MSN:
4815
YOM:
1957
Crew on board:
3
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
9
Captain / Total flying hours:
11550
Captain / Total hours on type:
1087.00
Copilot / Total flying hours:
2500
Copilot / Total hours on type:
650
Aircraft flight hours:
28905
Circumstances:
A Lockheed L-1049H Super Constellation, N6917C, was destroyed when it crashed shortly after takeoff from Miami International Airport, FL (MIA). All three crew members were killed. The airplane struck several houses as it came down, killing six people on the ground. The airplane was carrying a cargo of Christmas trees to Venezuela. The main cabin was completely filled with trees. Bundles of trees were also loaded into the forward and aft belly compartments. Departure time was planned at 14:15 but the flight engineer noted that the aircraft's batteries were missing. After replacement batteries were purchased, charged , and installed in the aircraft, the three-member crew began preparing for departure. At 22:56, after overcoming some difficulty starting the engines, the flight contacted Miami Ground Control (GC) and requested taxi clearance. N6917C was cleared to taxi to runway 09L and an en route clearance was given to the crew at 23:07. The airplane proceeded to the ramp adjacent to runway 09L and remained there until 23:22. The crew then advise the tower that they would like to return to the ramp. The crew requested some assistance because they couldn't properly close the crew compartment door. At 23:41, the crew re-established radio contact with Miami GC, and the flight was cleared to taxi back to runway 09L. At 23:51, upon clearance, a rolling takeoff was started. According to tower controllers, the aircraft became airborne abruptly 4,800 feet from the start of the takeoff, and it assumed an unusually nose-high attitude of 20-30 degrees nose up. It reached an altitude of 100-120 feet before it began to lose altitude. After striking high tension wires and a tree, the aircraft crashed into a parking lot, after which it collided with several homes and other property before stopping.
Probable cause:
Over rotation of the aircraft at lift-off resulting in flight in the aerodynamic region of reversed command, near the stall regime, and at too low an altitude to effect recovery. The reasons for the aircraft's entering this adverse flight condition could not be determined. Factors which may have contributed to the accident include: (a) improper cargo loading; (b) a rearward movement of unsecured cargo resulting in a shift of the center of gravity aft of the allowable limit and (c) deficient crew coordination.
Final Report:

Crash of a Fairchild-Hiller FH-227B in Saint Louis: 38 killed

Date & Time: Jul 23, 1973 at 1743 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
N4215
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Schedule:
Nashville – Clarksville – Paducah – Cape Girardeau – Marion – Saint Louis
MSN:
513
YOM:
1966
Flight number:
OZ809
Crew on board:
3
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
41
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
38
Captain / Total flying hours:
9170
Captain / Total hours on type:
4382.00
Copilot / Total flying hours:
3921
Copilot / Total hours on type:
989
Aircraft flight hours:
14300
Circumstances:
Ozark Air Lines Flight 809, an FH-227B, was a regular flight between Nashville Metropolitan Airport, TN (BNA) and St. Louis (STL), with intermediate stops at Clarksville, TN (CKV), Paducah, KY (PAH), Cape Girardeau Airport, MO (CGI) and Marion-Williamson County Airport, IL (MWA) with an instrument flight rules (IFR) flight plan. The flight departed Marion at 17:05. The flight proceeded via the V-335 airway toward St. Louis without difficulty. At 17:26, the Kansas City Air Route Traffic Control Center (KCC) controller requested that Flight 809 make a 360 degree turn to the right. He advised that there would be about a 5-minute delay and that the right turn would keep the flight clear of the weather. At 17:28, the KCC controller cleared the flight to proceed to the St. Louis VOR and to contact St. Louis Approach Control. One minute later the first officer transmitted, "Approach, this is Ozark eight oh nine, seven thousand, with Quebec." Weather information 'Quebec' indicated: Estimated ceiling-4,000 feet broken, visibility-5 miles, haze and smoke, wind-120° at 8 knots , temperature-92 degrees, altimeter-30.06, ILS runway 12R approaches in use, landing and departing runways 12. The approach controller responded: "Ozark eight oh nine, Roger, maintain seven thousand and, ... continue toward the VOR, be vectors runway three zero left ILS." Between 17:32 and 17:39, the approach controller gave Flight 809 radar vectors through an area of thunderstorm cells that lay south and southeast of the St. Louis Airport. At 17:40, the controller cleared the flight for an ILS approach to runway 30L and cleared the flight crew to contact the St. Louis Control Tower. The Tower controller cleared the flight to land. At 17:42:31, the local controller said, "Ozark eight oh nine, it looks like a heavy rain shower moving right across the approach end of the runway now." The first officer replied, "Roger, we see it." After passing the Outer Marker, the aircraft began to descend below the glide slope until it struck the ground. First, the aircraft struck tree tops about 55 feet above the ground then crashed on a hillside located less than two miles from runway 30L threshold, in the district of Normandy. Two crew members and four passengers survived while all 38 other occupants were killed.
Probable cause:
The aircraft's encounter with a downdraft following the captain's decision to initiate and continue an instrument approach into a thunderstorm. The captain's decision probably was influenced by the lack of a timely issuance of a severe weather warning by the National Weather Service, and the improper assessment of the weather conditions in the terminal area by the flight crew and the flight dispatcher.
Final Report:

Crash of a Piper PA-31P Pressurized Navajo in Tampa: 1 killed

Date & Time: Jun 15, 1973 at 0517 LT
Type of aircraft:
Registration:
N6840L
Flight Phase:
Survivors:
No
Site:
Schedule:
Tampa - Coral Creek
MSN:
31P-44
YOM:
1971
Crew on board:
1
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
1
Captain / Total flying hours:
4620
Captain / Total hours on type:
790.00
Circumstances:
Shortly after takeoff from Tampa Airport, while climbing, the pilot informed ATC about the failure of the left engine and elected to return. The pilot attempted an emergency landing when the airplane slid on the ground and crashed into a building located near the airport. The aircraft was destroyed and the pilot was killed.
Probable cause:
Failure of the left engine during initial climb for undetermined reason. The following factors were reported:
- Ignition system: spark plug,
- Carbon deposit,
- Improper clearance, tolerance,
- Inadequate maintenance and inspection,
- Pilot declared emergency, crash landed and slid into building,
- Propeller feathered,
- Plugs fouled.
Final Report: