Crash of a De Havilland C-7A Caribou in Kwajalein

Date & Time: Jan 18, 1984
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
66-255
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Kwajalein - Kwajalein
MSN:
255
YOM:
1967
Region:
Crew on board:
0
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
The crew was completing a local training mission at Kwajalein Island Airport. Upon touchdown, one of the undercarriage collapsed. The aircraft came to rest on the runway and was damaged beyond repair. There were no casualties.

Crash of a Douglas VC-54D-10-DC in Roi-Namur

Date & Time: Jun 28, 1977 at 0830 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
42-72650
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Roi-Namur - Kwajalein
MSN:
10755
YOM:
1945
Region:
Crew on board:
4
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
12
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
The crew was engaged in a short positioning flight from Roi-Namur Airport (north part of the Kwajalein atoll) to the main airport of Kwajalein located on the south part of the same atoll. During the takeoff roll on runway 04, the captain decided to abort for unknown reason. Unable to stop within the remaining distance, the aircraft overran and came to rest into the sea. The left wing was broken in two and the aircraft was later removed from water but declared as damaged beyond repair. There were no injuries among the 16 occupants.

Special thanks to US Army Louis D. Sutton, PIC on the following US Army C-54 that should takeoff immediately after the accident one, for his testimony.

Crash of a De Havilland DHC-4A Caribou on Meck Island

Date & Time: Dec 31, 1975
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
66-250
Flight Type:
MSN:
250
YOM:
1969
Region:
Crew on board:
0
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
Crashed in unknown circumstances. Crew fate unknown as well as the exact date of the mishap, somewhere in 1975.

Crash of a SCAN-30 Pace Gannet off Arno Atoll

Date & Time: Aug 1, 1972 at 0845 LT
Type of aircraft:
Registration:
N4452
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Majuro - Arno Atoll
MSN:
34
YOM:
1949
Region:
Crew on board:
1
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
3
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Captain / Total flying hours:
1698
Captain / Total hours on type:
21.00
Circumstances:
Upon landing off the Arno Atoll on a short flight from Majuro, the amphibian airplane suffered a hull bow skin failure and sank. While all four occupants were rescued, the aircraft sank and its wreckage was not recovered.
Probable cause:
Due to lack of evidences, the exact cause of the accident could not be determined.
Final Report:

Crash of a Douglas C-124C Globemaster II in Enewetak Island

Date & Time: Jun 16, 1956
Operator:
Registration:
51-5183
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
MSN:
43593
YOM:
1951
Region:
Crew on board:
0
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
On final approach to Enewetak Atoll, the four engine aircraft was too low and struck the ground 400 feet short of runway threshold. On impact, the undercarriage were sheared off and the aircraft crash landed. There were no casualties but the airplane was written off.

Ground fire of a Boeing RB-50F Superfortress in Enewetak

Date & Time: Oct 23, 1952
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
47-158
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Enewetak - Enewetak
MSN:
15842
YOM:
1947
Region:
Crew on board:
0
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
While taxiing to its parking position, the aircraft caught fire for unknown reason. The crew stopped the airplane and all occupants were able to evacuate without any injuries. Unfortunately, the aircraft was completely destroyed by fire. It was carrying film material of aerial-mosaic photography taken of the nuclear weapons test site in preparation of the 'Operation Ivy'.

Crash of a Douglas R5D-3 Skymaster off Roi-Namur: 26 killed

Date & Time: Sep 20, 1950 at 0520 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
56496
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Honolulu – Roi-Namur – Manille
MSN:
10624
YOM:
1945
Region:
Crew on board:
7
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
19
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
26
Circumstances:
Three minutes after its takeoff from runway 04 at Roi-Namur-Dyess Airport, while in initial climb by night, the four engine aircraft stalled and crashed into the sea some 2,5 km off shore. The aircraft sank by few hundred yards and all 26 occupants were killed. Only few debris were found.
Probable cause:
Investigations were unable to determine the exact cause of the accident. Nevertheless, investigators pinpointed the following findings:
- The captain was distracted while the first officer was looking for different radio frequencies,
- Apparent failure of some instruments,
- A sudden power loss on two engines on the same side of the plane, #1 & 2 or # 3 & 4,
- Engagement of the autopilot system by a person not entitled to do so, apparently by a person other than the two pilots,
- A lateral loss of control as a result of the malfunction of flaps that have been deployed in an asymmetric position,
- Technical issue on the primary control system,
- A structural failure that probably occurred on the extremity of both wings and on the tail simultaneously.

Crash of a Boeing B-29-85-BW Superfortress off Kwajalein: 16 killed

Date & Time: Apr 19, 1947
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
44-87638
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
MSN:
12441
Region:
Crew on board:
16
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
16
Circumstances:
Crashed into the sea shortly after takeoff from the Kwajalein Atoll Airport. All 16 occupants were killed.

Crash of a Consolidated PBY-6A Catalina off Kwajalein Island

Date & Time: Aug 16, 1946
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
64011
Survivors:
Yes
MSN:
2081
Region:
Crew on board:
0
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
Water-looped on landing, hit a reef and sank. There were no casualties.

Crash of a Douglas C54B-1-DC Skymaster in Kwajalein

Date & Time: Nov 26, 1944 at 1200 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
42-72320
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
MSN:
10425
YOM:
1944
Region:
Crew on board:
0
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
Crashed on take off.