All Greenland | Bureau of Aircraft Accidents Archives

The twin engine aircraft departed Sondreströmfjord on a charter flight to Goose Bay, carrying six sailors and two pilots. Seventeen minutes after takeoff, while cruising at FL220, the aircraft entered an uncontrolled descent and the crew did not send any distress call. At an altitude of 7,000 feet, the aircraft disintegrated and debris scattered on a wide area. The wreckage was found about 148 southwest of Sondreströmfjord and all eight occupants were killed.

Probable cause:

The exact cause of the accident could not be determined with certainty. However, the following findings were reported:
- There was no evidence from the post-mortem examination which suggests a contributory factor in this accident.
- There was no radio transmission from the crew indicating that they were concerned of any problem.
- There was no evidence of fire, engine failure, explosion, structural or mechanical defect prior to the in-flight break-up.
- The evaluation of the ATC tape indicates that an impairment of the crew was present, consistent with, but not confirmatory of hypoxia.

Crash of a Fokker F27 Friendship 100 in Greenland: 2 killed

Date & Time: Apr 20, 1985 at 1932 LT

Type of aircraft:

Fokker F27 Friendship

Operator:

Registration:

YN-BZF

Flight Phase:

Flight Type:

Survivors:

Site:

Schedule:

Keflavik – Sondreströmfjord

MSN:

10118

YOM:

1959

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Aircraft flight hours:

45111

Aircraft flight cycles:

58384

Circumstances:

The Fokker F-27, registration YN-BZF, was engaged on a delivery flight from North Yemen to Nicaragua. For the purpose of extended range two 200 US gal auxiliary ferry fuel tanks had been installed in the cabin of the aircraft. YN-BZF departed on 11 April 1985 from North Yemen (Sanaa) via Saudi Arabia (Jeddah), Egypt (Cairo) to Greece (Athens). The flight proceeded from Greece on 19 April 1985 via Italy (Genoa) to Scotland (Prestwick). On 20 April 1985 the flight proceeded from Prestwick via Stornoway to Reykjavik (Iceland) where it arrived at 15:48 hours. Since the crew had been unable to retrieve fuel from the auxiliary ferry fuel system during the preceding part of the flight, they checked the system during the stay at Reykjavik, and they found it to be in working order. An additional check was done by experienced Icelandic F-27 engineers. In the opinion of the ground engineers the auxiliary fuel system "was not very professionally looking" and they "got the feeling that the crew was not quite certain of how to operate it". They advised the crew on how to operate the fuel system and do a ground run to see if it worked. After having received weather information and ATC clearance, the crew took off at 17:21 hours, heading for Kangerlussuaq-Søndre Strømfjord Airport. At 18:32 the Pilot-in-Command transmitted a message to Iceland radio, whom he asked to extend his thanks to the Icelandic engineers with the message that the auxiliary ferry fuel system was working correctly. This message was transmitted prior to passage of Kulusuk at 19:35 hours. During the flight from Reykjavík, Iceland to Greenland the crew informed the air traffic control that problems had arisen with retrieving fuel from the auxiliary ferry fuel system. At 19:50, approximately 50 NM west of Kulusuk, the crew radioed to the radar station BIG GUN about fuel problems, as it had been discovered that the auxiliary ferry fuel system did not function after all. Thus encountering a reduction of fuel reserves by approximately 400 US gal together with a ground speed of only 180 knots the crew decided to return for landing at Kulusuk Airport. However, due to deteriorating weather conditions the aerodrome could not be located. The flight diverted hereafter westbound for an emergency landing at a radar station, "SOB STORY", on the icecap. During descent the aircraft collided with the icecap.

Probable cause:

The following findings were reported:
- The crew was properly certified for the flight,
- According to the crew the normal aircraft systems, except for the FDR and the cockpit right front window electrical deicing system, were functioning normally, which was also determined by the on site investigation,
- The auxiliary ferry fuel system was not functioning properly. The cause of this has not been conclusively established,
- The crew did not undertake a satisfactory functional airborne check of the auxiliary ferry fuel system to ensure that it worked prior to the essential appliance of the system for flight, (cause-factor),
- It is the opinion of this department from the evidence available that a deficiency in the procedures applied for operating the auxiliary ferry fuel system may have been a major factor,
- The assistance rendered to the flight of YN-BZF was active and generally professional. However, the AFIS operator erroneously stated the distance from the KK NDB of 3 NM to be 10 NM.,
- Furthermore the bearing from the KK NDB was not stated by the AFIS operator at BGKK on request from the crew of YN-BZF,
- In the opinion of this department the lack of this information does not seem to have had any important bearing on the possibility of locating the aerodrome,
- Weather conditions were a major factor in this accident, at the time of the approach into BGKK, as well as at the accident site, (cause-factor),
- The Search and Rescue operation was anticipated at an early stage and put into effect immediately after the aircraft was considered to have had an accident,
- The conditions offered on the accident site: low visibility approaching darkness, and consequently the inability to evaluate surface conditions, precluded successful rescue in the first attempt.

Crash of a Britten-Norman BN-2A Islander in Greenland

Date & Time: Aug 7, 1979

Type of aircraft:

Britten-Norman Islander

Operator:

Harvest Air

Registration:

G-AXWG

Flight Phase:

Landing (descent or approach)

Survivors:

Yes

Site:

Plain, Valley

MSN:

135

YOM:

1970

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

Upon landing on an icy area somewhere in Greenland, the twin engine airplane went through the ice and sank. There were no injuries but the aircraft was not recovered.

Crash of a Rockwell Aero Commander 680FL in Greenland: 1 killed

Date & Time: Aug 14, 1967 at 1021 LT

Type of aircraft:

Rockwell Aero Commander 680

Operator:

Aviation Communications

Registration:

N6362U

Flight Phase:

Flight

Flight Type:

Survey / Patrol / Reconnaissance

Survivors:

Yes

Site:

Plain, Valley

Schedule:

Reykjavik - Kulusuk

MSN:

680-1421-67

YOM:

1964

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

The crew departed Reykjavik on a flight to Kulusuk with equipments which should be dropped off. En route, weather conditions worsened and while cruising in whiteout conditions, the crew lost his orientation when the airplane struck the ground and crashed. A pilot was killed while two other occupants were seriously injured.

Final Report:

Crash of a Douglas C-54A-1-DO Skymaster in Greenland: 2 killed

Date & Time: May 13, 1957 at 0335 LT

Type of aircraft:

Douglas C-54 Skymaster

Operator:

Registration:

N68736

Flight Phase:

Flight Type:

Survivors:

Site:

Schedule:

Qikiqtarjuaq – Narsarsuaq

MSN:

7449

YOM:

1943

Flight number:

UO736

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Captain / Total flying hours:

12929

Captain / Total hours on type:

5150.00

Copilot / Total flying hours:

5675

Copilot / Total hours on type:

3550

Circumstances:

The aircraft carried a crew of three and no passengers. It was one of several Company aircraft under contract to transport diesel oil from Narsarsuaq, Greenland, to various DEW Line sites (Distant Early Warning Radar Line). The flight was returning from DEW site 39 when it crashed during a VFR descent on the Greenland ice cap at approximately 0335LT. After impact, the airplane skidded about 4,500 feet before coming to rest. The copilot survived while two other occupants were killed.

Final Report:

Crash of a Douglas C-47D in Greenland

Date & Time: Sep 3, 1954

Type of aircraft:

Douglas C-47 Skytrain (DC-3)

Operator:

Registration:

43-48460

Flight Phase:

Flight

Flight Type:

Military

Site:

Plain, Valley

MSN:

14276/25721

YOM:

1944

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

Crashed in unknown circumstances about 306 km east of Thule AFB. The occupant fate remains unknown.

Crash of a Boeing SB-17G-95-DL Flying Fortress in Greenland

Date & Time: Dec 13, 1948

Type of aircraft:

Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress

Operator:

Registration:

44-83724

Flight Phase:

Landing (descent or approach)

Flight Type:

Survey / Patrol / Reconnaissance

Survivors:

Yes

Site:

Plain, Valley

MSN:

32365

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

The crew was involved in a SAR mission following the crash of a USAF C-47 on December 9. In unknown circumstances, the B-17 crash landed in an icecap. While the aircraft was damaged beyond repair and abandoned on site, all six crew members were rescued by the crew of a ski equipped C-47 on December 27, 1948.

Crash of a Douglas C-47A-35-DL in Greenland

Date & Time: Dec 9, 1948

Type of aircraft:

Douglas C-47 Skytrain (DC-3)

Operator:

Registration:

42-23794

Flight Phase:

Flight Type:

Survivors:

Site:

MSN:

9656

YOM:

1943

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

En route, an engine failure forced the crew to attempt an emergency landing. The aircraft eventually crash landed on the icecap and came to rest. Several attempts to rescue the crew failed, one of them with the crash of a B-17 registered 44-83724. On December 27, the crew of a ski equipped C-47 was able to land and to evacuate all six occupants. The aircraft was abandoned on site.
Source: ASN & Joe Baugher.

Crash of a Consolidated PBY-5A Catalina in Greenland

Date & Time: Jan 27, 1943

Type of aircraft:

Consolidated PBY Catalina

Operator:

Registration:

7278

Flight Phase:

Flight

Flight Type:

Survey / Patrol / Reconnaissance

Survivors:

Site:

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

This accident occurred while flying over Greenland Ice Cap at an altitude of 4500-ft indicated. This should have given a clearance of 1000-ft according to charts of the area. Weather and snow covered terrain resulted in poor depth perception. Without realizing they were close to the ice, as a horizon was visible and were not on instruments, they suddenly made contact on the upgrade of a 400-ft slope. the pilot immediately applied throttles in an attempt to get into air but was unsuccessful due to the slope. Further attempts to swing plane around in order to take-off down grade were unsuccessful as plane sank into snow and ice. Block and tackle was dropped, but that also proved unsuccessful. The Ice Cap presents an unbroken pure white surface and when the prominent cost of landmarks are not visible, depth perception is extremely difficult, analagons to flying over glassy water in low visibility. It is considered that the fundamental cause of this accident was the almost lack of depth perception. This plane and its crew were strained on the ice cap for fifteen days, but were in constant touch with there base by radio. A plane dropped supplies and salvage equipment. On the 14th day a Danish Rescue party reached them. On the fifteenth day they abandoned there plane, all confidential publications, the IFF, SBAE and RADAR being destroyed. They returned by foot to the rescue party's came and on the sixteenth day returned to the NORTH STAR. Except for extreme cold, none of the crew suffered any ill effects.
Crew:
Lt R. W. Shepard, pilot,
Lt A. H. Gilster, copilot,
AP2c M. V. Egert,
Amm2c N. J. Richey Jr.,
Amm3c W. Blankenship,
Rm1c J. J. Rutowski,
Rm3c E. R. Herbert.
Source: http://www.warcovers.dk/greenland/crash270143.htm

Probable cause:

It is considered that the fundamental cause of this accident was the almost lack of depth perception.

Crash of a Douglas C-53-DO in Greenland

Date & Time: Nov 5, 1942

Type of aircraft:

Douglas C-53 Skytrooper (DC-3)

Operator:

Registration:

42-15569

Flight Phase:

Flight Type:

Survivors:

Site:

MSN:

7364

YOM:

1942

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

The aircraft crashed in unknown circumstances on the east coast of Greenland. SAR operations were conducted but eventually suspended few days later as no trace of the aircraft was found. The aircraft was finally spotted five months later and on site, rescuers found the five crew members alive. They lived five months in the tail of the aircraft by outside temperature down to -40° C.
Source: ASN & 'Frozen in Time' by Mitchell Zuckoff.

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