Crash of a Mitsubishi MU-2B-35 Marquise in Easton: 3 killed

Date & Time: Feb 8, 1976 at 1225 LT
Type of aircraft:
Registration:
N300MA
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Fort Lauderdale - Easton
MSN:
596
YOM:
1973
Crew on board:
1
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
2
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
3
Captain / Total flying hours:
16800
Captain / Total hours on type:
1900.00
Circumstances:
During the last segment on final approach to Easton-Newnam Field Airport, at a height of about 150 feet, the left engine failed. The pilot lost control of the airplane that crashed 200 feet to the left of runway. It was destroyed by impact forces and all three occupants were killed.
Probable cause:
Powerplant failure for undetermined reasons. The following contributing factors were reported:
- Diverted attention from operation of aircraft,
- Failed to maintain flying speed,
- Black smoke observed followed by a stall departure to the left.
Final Report:

Crash of a Beechcraft E18S in Salisbury: 1 killed

Date & Time: May 15, 1975 at 0007 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
N23XY
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Salisbury - Fort Lauderdale - Port-au-Prince
MSN:
BA-118
YOM:
1956
Crew on board:
1
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
4
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
1
Captain / Total flying hours:
2395
Captain / Total hours on type:
85.00
Circumstances:
While taking off by night from Salisbury Airport, one of the engine lost power. The pilot lost control of the airplane that crashed by the runway. A passenger was killed while four other occupants were injured. The aircraft was destroyed.
Probable cause:
Engine malfunction for undetermined reason. The following contributing factors were reported:
- Failed to follow approved procedures,
- Failed to obtain/maintain flying speed,
- Inadequate preflight preparation,
- Improperly loaded aircraft,
- Did not use fuel boost pumps for takeoff,
- Aircraft about 400 lbs over gross weight.
Final Report:

Crash of a Lockheed EC-130G Hercules at Patuxent River NAS

Date & Time: Jan 15, 1972
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
151890
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Patuxent - Patuxent
MSN:
3871
YOM:
1963
Crew on board:
3
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
Navy Hercules 151890 had flown for over three months with a maintenance discrepancy on the number one fuel tank quantity indicator. Before the mishap flight, another attempt was made to repair the solder connections in the cannon plug. Maintenance personnel were unable to satisfactorily complete the repair in the time available before that days flight. They hurriedly reassembled the cannon plug and verbally warned the oncoming flight engineer to leave the number one fuel tank quantity indicator system circuit breaker out to prevent the indicator motor from running and ruining the internal clutch. The aircraft then flew four flights prior to the accident. The verbal warning was passed between flight engineers, except on the fourth flight. While conducting preflight procedures the fourth flight engineer noticed the circuit breaker to be out and reset it. The circuit breaker popped within seconds and was then left out for the flight back to home field. The circuit breaker was reset by an unknown person between the time the aircraft landed and the preflight the next day by the mishap crew. Shortly after takeoff from Patuxent River-NAS, MD (NHK), while climbing through 7500 feet, an explosion occurred in the outboard part of the left wing. A fire erupted. The no. 1 engine was shut down and the extinguisher bottles fired. The crew was unable to control the fire. Control difficulties forced the pilot to carry out a forced landing. An emergency descent was flown at a speed of 270 kts IAS and a forced landing was made in a corn field. After the aircraft came to rest, the fire burned for 36 minutes. The fire continued burning aft and inboard before it was extinguished by a local volunteer fire department.
Probable cause:
The aircraft suffered an inflight explosion in the left wing 5 minutes after takeoff. The explosion occurred in the n°1 main fuel tank in the forward center area beneath the outboard access plate in the immediate vicinity of the n°10 fuel quantity probe. The explosion tore open the upper forward surface of the wing from OWS 369 to OWS 576. The surface of the fuel instantly ignited into a continuous fire forcing the flight crew to complete an emergency landing in an open field 5 minutes after the explosion. The aircraft's left wing continued to burn on the ground for an additional 36 minutes. Fifteen feet of the outer left wing was consumed by the fire. The explosion was caused by the introduction of 115 volt single phase 400 Hz power into the fuel quantity indicating system for the n°1 main fuel tank. An arc occured in the fuel tank airspace from either one of two sources:
- From the n°10 fuel quantity probe to an unknown ground,
- From the coax cable in the immediate vicinity of the n°10 fuel quantity probe to an unknown ground.

Crash of a Mitsubishi MU-2B-20 Marquise in Salisbury

Date & Time: Jan 16, 1970 at 0115 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
N764Q
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Miami – Norfolk – Philadelphia
MSN:
141
YOM:
1969
Crew on board:
1
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
4
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Captain / Total flying hours:
9100
Captain / Total hours on type:
137.00
Circumstances:
The twin engine aircraft was completing a flight from Miami to Philadelphia with an intermediate stop in Norfolk, Virginia. On the second leg, the pilot encountered fuel problems and was forced to divert to Salisbury Regional Airport for an emergency landing. On final, both engines stopped simultaneously and the airplane stalled, struck trees and crashed in a wooded area. All five occupants were injured, two of them seriously. The aircraft was destroyed.
Probable cause:
Double engine failure caused by a fuel starvation. The following factors were considered as contributing:
- Mismanagement of fuel on part of the pilot,
- Miscalculation of fuel consumption on part of the pilot,
- Fuel starvation,
- Double engine failure,
- Fuel in tip tanks only as the others were empty,
- Undetermined amount of fuel lost due to broken O ring seal,
- Fuel level control valve.
Final Report:

Crash of a Lockheed 18 LodeStar in Gaithersburg

Date & Time: May 2, 1969 at 1421 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
N221P
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
MSN:
2062
YOM:
1941
Crew on board:
2
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Captain / Total flying hours:
1223
Captain / Total hours on type:
27.00
Circumstances:
During the takeoff roll at Gaithersburg-Montgomery County Airport, the twin engine airplane swerved on runway. Control was lost and the airplane veered off runway, lost its undercarriage and came to rest in flames. Both occupants were slightly injured and the airplane was destroyed by fire.
Probable cause:
Failed to maintain directional control during takeoff due to overload failure. Ground looped, gear collapsed and crashed.
Final Report:

Crash of a Beechcraft D18S in Baltimore: 1 killed

Date & Time: May 2, 1967 at 0043 LT
Type of aircraft:
Registration:
N44596
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
MSN:
A-5
YOM:
1945
Crew on board:
1
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
1
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
1
Captain / Total flying hours:
4024
Captain / Total hours on type:
64.00
Circumstances:
Just after liftoff from Baltimore-Friendship Airport, while climbing by night, the airplane encountered difficulties to gain height. It stalled then crashed on the ground near the runway end. The pilot was killed and the passenger was seriously injured. The aircraft was destroyed.
Probable cause:
The pilot failed to obtain/maintain flying speed due to an inadequate preflight preparation. The aircraft was improperly loaded, over max gross weight and exceeded after CofG limits. The cargo was not tied down in the cabin.
Final Report:

Crash of a Lockheed P-2E Neptune at Andrews AFB: 9 killed

Date & Time: Jan 8, 1967
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
131495
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
MSN:
426-5376
Crew on board:
9
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
9
Circumstances:
Shortly after takeoff from Andrews AFB, while in initial climb, the aircraft went out of control and crashed few miles from the airfield. All nine crew members were killed.

Crash of a Beechcraft TC-45G Expeditor in Cambridge

Date & Time: Aug 17, 1965 at 1154 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
N159L
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
MSN:
AF-64
YOM:
1952
Crew on board:
1
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Captain / Total flying hours:
11000
Captain / Total hours on type:
400.00
Circumstances:
Shortly after takeoff from Cambridge Airport, while in initial climb, one of the engine failed. The pilot contacted ground and expected to return for an emergency landing but the airplane lost height, struck trees and crashed in flames. While the pilot was uninjured, the airplane was destroyed by fire.
Probable cause:
Engine failure for undetermined reason.
Final Report:

Crash of a Douglas C-124 Globemaster II near Cordova: 6 killed

Date & Time: Mar 24, 1965 at 1415 LT
Operator:
Registration:
52-1075
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Dover - Dover
MSN:
43984
Crew on board:
6
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
6
Circumstances:
The crew departed Dover AFB on a training mission. During flight, the right wingtip detached and separated until the engine number four. Out of control, the airplane dove into the ground and crashed in a wooded area located near Cordova. All six crew members were killed.

Crash of a Lockheed C-121J Super Constellation at Patuxent River NAS

Date & Time: Nov 3, 1964
Operator:
Registration:
131625
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
MSN:
4126
YOM:
1953
Crew on board:
0
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
The four engine aircraft crashed on landing for unknown reason. There were no casualties but the airplane was damaged beyond repair.