Crash of a Beechcraft C18S in Blackfoot

Date & Time: Apr 20, 1972 at 1700 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
N4289A
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Blackfoot - Blackfoot
MSN:
6492
YOM:
1945
Crew on board:
1
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
2
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Captain / Total flying hours:
8000
Captain / Total hours on type:
150.00
Circumstances:
Shortly after liftoff from Blackfoot-McCarley Field, while in initial climb, both engines failed simultaneously. The pilot attempted an emergency landing when the airplane belly landed in a field located past the runway end and came to rest. All three occupants were slightly injured and the aircraft was damaged beyond repair.
Probable cause:
Double engine failure after takeoff caused by a fuel starvation. The following factors were reported:
- Inadequate preflight preparation,
- Mismanagement of fuel,
- Failed to use the pre-takeoff checklist,
- Fuel starvation,
- The pilot took off on almost empty tanks.
Final Report:

Crash of a Beechcraft 65-B80 Queen Air near Fairfield: 5 killed

Date & Time: Feb 20, 1972 at 1032 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
N1027C
Flight Phase:
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Hailey - Boise
MSN:
LD-309
YOM:
1966
Crew on board:
1
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
4
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
5
Captain / Total flying hours:
12179
Captain / Total hours on type:
612.00
Circumstances:
While in cruising altitude, the left engine caught fire and exploded. Shortly later, the left wing separated. Out of control, the airplane dove into the ground and crashed near Fairfield, killing all five occupants.
Probable cause:
Engine failure in normal cruise followed by an airframe failure. The following factors were reported:
- Improper maintenance by maintenance personnel,
- Powerplant failure due to cylinder assembly which was improperly installed,
- Engine fire,
- Fire in brakes, wheel assembly and wheel well,
- Separation in flight,
- Cylinder separation,
- Excessive working hours may have contributed.
Final Report:

Crash of a Convair CV-240-14 in Buhl

Date & Time: May 14, 1971 at 0702 LT
Type of aircraft:
Registration:
N1015G
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Twin Falls - Twin Falls
MSN:
127
YOM:
1949
Location:
Crew on board:
3
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Captain / Total flying hours:
9587
Captain / Total hours on type:
2326.00
Circumstances:
Shortly after takeoff from Twin Falls-City County Airport, while climbing, the right engine lost power. As he was unable to feather the right propeller, the captain decided to reduce his altitude and completed a belly landing in a field located in Buhl, some 16 miles northwest of Twin Falls Airport. The aircraft was damaged beyond repair and all three crew members were unhurt. They were completing a local flight on behalf of the United States Department of the Interior.
Probable cause:
Partial loss of the right engine during initial climb caused by the failure of the fuel system. The following factors were reported:
- The pilot-in-command failed to follow the approved procedures,
- Improper emergency procedures,
- Intentional wheels-up landing,
- Partial loss of power on one engine,
- Forced landing off airport on land,
- Propeller not feathered,
- Right engine fuel feed valve diaphragm ruptured.
Final Report:

Crash of a Hawker-Siddeley HS.125-1A in Boise: 2 killed

Date & Time: Dec 28, 1970 at 1837 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
N36MK
Survivors:
No
Site:
Schedule:
Billings - Boise
MSN:
25073
YOM:
1966
Location:
Crew on board:
2
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
2
Captain / Total flying hours:
16871
Captain / Total hours on type:
2183.00
Circumstances:
While descending to Boise International Airport by night and marginal weather conditions, the crew failed to realize his altitude was too low when the airplane struck a mountain located 10 miles northeast of the airfield. The aircraft was totally destroyed and both pilots were killed.
Probable cause:
Improper IFR operation on part of the crew who failed to follow the approved procedures. The following factors were reported:
- Instruments misread or failed to read,
- Aircraft northeast circling, ILS approach to runway 10L,
- Leveling at 10,000 feet then descended below the minimum safe altitude of 8,600 feet until striking the ground at an altitude of 5'690 feet MSL.
Final Report:

Crash of a Stinson V-77 Reliant in Boise: 2 killed

Date & Time: Oct 16, 1965 at 1745 LT
Type of aircraft:
Registration:
N60361
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Boise - Boise
MSN:
77-43
Location:
Crew on board:
1
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
1
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
2
Captain / Total flying hours:
5000
Captain / Total hours on type:
100.00
Circumstances:
On approach to Boise Airport, the pilot initiated a go-around procedure when the aircraft struck a dirt bank and crashed, bursting into flames. Both occupants, performing a demo flight, were killed.
Probable cause:
The pilot delayed in initiating go-around procedure and seat belt was not fastened.
Final Report:

Crash of a Beechcraft C-45H Expeditor in Salmon: 2 killed

Date & Time: Jul 9, 1965 at 1545 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
N9327Z
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Salmon - Salmon
MSN:
AF-716
YOM:
1954
Location:
Crew on board:
2
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
2
Captain / Total flying hours:
1266
Captain / Total hours on type:
72.00
Circumstances:
The crew was engaged in a firefighting mission in the region of Salmon, Idaho. While cruising a low height, the crew failed to realize his speed was too low when the airplane stalled and crashed in flames. The aircraft was destroyed and both crew members were killed.
Probable cause:
The crew failed to maintain flying speed. Unfavorable wind conditions and downdraft/updraft as well as inherent high risk flight operation were considered as contributing factor.
Final Report:

Crash of a Ford 5 in Moose Creek: 4 killed

Date & Time: Aug 4, 1959
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
N8419
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Grangeville – Moose Creek
MSN:
5-AT-058
YOM:
29
Crew on board:
2
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
3
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
4
Circumstances:
The Tri-Motor took off from the Grangeville to deliver goods to the backcountry airstrip at Moose Creek on the Nezperce National Forest and to drop two smokejumpers on a fire burning on Pettibone Ridge. Aboard the aircraft were a forest supervisor, a smokejumper foreman and two smokejumpers. When landing at Moose Creek to drop off the supplies before dropping the jumpers, the aircraft crashed into the trees at the end of the dirt runway and burst into flames.

Crash of a Fairchild C-123B-12-FA Provider near Payette: 19 killed

Date & Time: Oct 9, 1958 at 1825 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
55-4521
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Ogden-Hill - McChord
MSN:
20182
YOM:
1954
Location:
Crew on board:
5
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
14
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
19
Circumstances:
The crew was returning to his base in McChord after he took part to an airshow at Ogden-Hill AFB, supplying the Thunderbird's team. While flying in cruising altitude, the airplane went out of control, dove into the ground and crashed in a field located seven miles east of Payette. The airplane was totally destroyed upon impact and all 19 occupants were killed, among them two civilians.
Probable cause:
It is believed that the loss of control was the consequence of an in-flight collision with a flock of birds, maybe goose.

Crash of a Curtiss C-46F-1-CU Commando near Fish Haven: 40 killed

Date & Time: Jan 7, 1953 at 0412 LT
Type of aircraft:
Registration:
N1648M
Flight Phase:
Survivors:
No
Site:
Schedule:
Seattle – Cheyenne – Fort Jackson
MSN:
22395
YOM:
1945
Flight number:
AAT166A
Crew on board:
3
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
37
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
40
Captain / Total flying hours:
4960
Captain / Total hours on type:
1055.00
Copilot / Total flying hours:
3584
Copilot / Total hours on type:
46
Aircraft flight hours:
1941
Circumstances:
The flight originated at Boeing Field, Seattle, Washington, with the first stop scheduled at Cheyenne, Wyoming. The crew consisted of Captain Lawrence B. Crawford, First Officer Maxwell F. Perkins and Stewardess Marie Davis. Prior to departure the aircraft was serviced with 738 gallons of fuel and 20 gallons of oil, bringing the total on board to 1,020 gallons of fuel and 60 gallons of oil. Pre-flight inspection was performed by the crew. The gross weight of the aircraft at departure was 45,401 pounds or 401 pounds over the maximum allowable gross weight of 45,000 pounds authorized for passenger operations; 3 the distribution of the load on board, however, was within the prescribed center of gravity limitations. Weather briefing of the crew by the United States Weather Bureau at Boeing Field indicated en route weather to be scattered to broken clouds to overcast with the tops estimated at 12,000 feet and a Cheyenne Terminal Forecast of scattered clouds at 15,000 feet, visibility of more than 15 miles. The weather briefing included a forecast of icing conditions in clouds and precipitation above 6,000 feet along the route, with cloud tops ranging from 10,000 to 14,000 feet MSL. An IFR (Instrument Flight Rules) flight plan, filed by Captain Crawford and approved by the Civil Aeronautics Administration Air Route Traffic Control, Seattle, requested a cruising altitude of 13,000 feet to Cheyenne via Airways Green 2, Blue 12, Blue 32, Red 1, and Green 3, with a proposed air speed of 200 mph, estimated elapsed time five hours, with six hours and forty minutes of fuel aboard, alternate airport, Denver, Colorado. The flight departed Boeing Field at 0050 and made the required position reports along the route, with no mention of any irregularities, reporting over Malad City at 13,000 feet, time 0358, and estimating Rock Springs at 0445. There were no further radio contacts with the aircraft. All attempts to contact the flight by CAA radio stations and by other aircraft along and bordering the proposed route were unsuccessful. A widespread search for the missing aircraft was subsequently conducted under the supervision of Air Search and Rescue units of the United States Air Force. The wreckage was found eight miles west of Fish Haven five days later by the pilot of reconnaissance aircraft and all 40 occupants have been killed.
Probable cause:
The Board determines that the probable cause of this accident was the inadvertent descent into an area of turbulence and icing which resulted in the flight's inability to regain a safe altitude. The following findings were pointed out:
- Light to moderate turbulence and light rime ice prevailed in cloud tops at cruising altitude, while at lower altitudes moderate to severe turbulence and moderate to heavy icing existed,
- Ice found on the wing had formed in flight,
- The crew had been adequately briefed by the U. S. Weather Bureau as to weather over the route prior to departure from Seattle,
- All major components of the aircraft were identified and examination of the wreckage disclosed no evidence of malfunction, failure or fire prior to impact,
- Both engines were developing power at impact,
- All navigation aids along the route were reported normal,
- The accident occurred within the airway and slightly to the left of course.
Final Report:

Crash of a Boeing B-29-65-BW Superfortress in Mountain Home: 7 killed

Date & Time: Sep 4, 1951
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
44-69810
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Mountain Home - Mountain Home
MSN:
10642
YOM:
1944
Crew on board:
7
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
7
Circumstances:
The crew was completing a local training flight at Mountain Home Airport, consisting of touch and goes. After takeoff, while in initial climb, the four engine bomber went out of control and crashed in a huge explosion about 1,300 feet past the runway end. The aircraft exploded on impact and disintegrated, killing all seven crew members.