Louisiana

Shortly after takeoff from Natchitoches Airport by night and in foggy conditions, the airplane failed to gain sufficient height when it struck a tree located 590 feet past the runway end and crashed. The aircraft was destroyed and all six occupants were killed.
Crew:
Robert N. Elliott, pilot.
Passengers:
Jim Croce, singer,
Maury Muehleisen, musician,
George Stevens, comedian,
Kenneth D. Cortese, manager,
Dennis Rast, manager.

The airplane was completing a flight from Yakima, Washington, to New Orleans with an intermediate stop in Tulsa, OK. On final approach by night, the pilot lost control of the airplane that crashed into Lake Pontchartrain few hundred yards short of runway. Few debris were found floating on water and a day later, it was confirmed that all three occupants have been killed.

The crew was engaged in a local training flight at Lake Charles Airport. After completing several touch-and-go maneuvers, the airplane approached the airport when it landed very hard. Out of control, it veered off runway to the left then crashed into a covered concourse, the roof of which was about the same height of the windshield of the aircraft. All four crew members were killed. They were based at England AFB.

On a night approach to New Orleans-Lakefront Airport, the pilot encountered poor weather conditions with low ceiling. Unable to locate the runway, he abandoned the approach and initiated a go-around. Few minutes later, during a second attempt to land, he decided to descend below MDA when the twin engine airplane struck the water surface and crashed into Lake Pontchartrain few miles short of runway. All three occupants were killed but only two bodies were recovered.

En route from Savannah to Lake Charles, while in cruising altitude, the pilot encountered very bad weather conditions with heavy rain falls and turbulences. In clouds, he lost control of the airplane that entered a dive and crashed in an open field. The airplane was destroyed and the pilot, sole on board, was killed.

While flying over Louisiana on a flight from Dallas to Haleyville, the right engine failed. Unable to maintain the prescribed altitude, the pilot attempted an emergency landing. The aircraft crash landed in a rough terrain and came to rest. All four occupants escaped uninjured while the aircraft was damaged beyond repair.

The twin engine aircraft was flying at low height and low speed when control was lost. It crashed in an open field located in White Castle, killing both occupants.

William Jackson of Travel Associates leased DC-3 N142D from Avion Airways for the purpose of transporting sportsmen from Memphis to Belize. The aircraft departed Memphis at 04:36 on an IFR flight to New Orleans. At 06:35 the crew contacted New Orleans approach control: "... out of three point four for three thousand." The approach controller told the crew to maintain 3000 feet and proceed direct to the ILS outer compass locator. He gave the weather as "sky partially obscured visibility 1/16 fog and smoke, altimeter 30.00, runway 10 runway visual range less than 600 feet". The pilot elected to carry out the approach despite the fact that minimum visibility for an approach was 2400 feet and that the centerline lights were inoperative. After being given vectors for the runway 10 approach he decided to carry out a low pass and continue if runway lights became visible. Apparently the pilot continued the descent. The aircraft contacted the runway very hard 1198 feet past the threshold, bounced and after power was applied, the DC-3 struck the ground again 3100 feet further on. The airplane cartwheeled and caught fire.

Shortly after takeoff from Lafitte, south Louisiana, the amphibian aircraft went through a thunderstorm area and encountered severe turbulences. Control was lost and the airplane crashed into the bayou of Rigolettes. The pilot, sole on board, was killed. The aircraft was owned by J. Ray McDermot.

Delta Air Lines DC-8-51 N802E was scheduled as Flight 9877, to provide crew training for a captain-trainee and a flight engineer-trainee. In addition the flight engineer-instructor was being given a routine proficiency check. At 23:14 a weather briefing was given to the instructor pilot, indicating, "... the only significant weather was a restriction in visibility which was expected to reduce to about two miles in fog and smoke near 0600...". The flight departed the ramp at 00:40 with the captain-trainee in the left seat and the check captain in the right seat. At 00:43 the crew advised the tower they were ready for takeoff and would "...like to circle and land on one (runway 1)." The tower controller then cleared them as requested. The aircraft was observed to make what appeared to be a normal takeoff and departure. At 00:47 the crew reported on base leg for runway 01, and the controller cleared the flight to land. A subsequent discussion revealed that they would execute a simulated two-engine out approach, execute a full stop landing and then takeoff on runway 19. The tower controller observed Flight 9877 in a shallow left turn on what appeared to be a normal final approach. The degree of bank increased to approximately 60° or greater when the aircraft hit the power lines approximately 2,300 feet short and 1,100 feet west of the runway threshold. The DC-8 crashed into a residential area, destroying several homes and the Hilton complex. All six crew members were killed as well as 13 people on the ground, clients and employees at Hilton Hotel. 18 other people were injured, some of them seriously. The aircraft was totally destroyed by impact forces and a post crash fire.