Munster

Immediately after applying takeoff power, the crew of the DC-6 heard a loud noise and the takeoff was abandoned. A visual check before the plane stopped revealed that the no. 4 engine had separated from the wing. A fire erupted and spread after evacuation, destroying the aircraft. It appeared that the no. 4 propeller had failed and that the unbalanced loads on the engine mounts caused separation of the entire engine. All crew and passengers survived but six dogs the cargo hold died in the accident.

The aircraft departed from San Diego, California, at 0407LT on 12 July for Zurich Airport, Switzerland, with two American pilots at the control, on a delivery flight to Swissair. Intermediate stops included New York, Gander and Shannon. Having left New York at 1240 GMT on 14 July 1956, the aircraft landed at Gander at 1659 GMT. After a stop of 57 minutes, it left Gander for Shannon at 1748 GMT carrying the same crew of 4 members. Following an uneventful ocean crossing the aircraft at 0008 hours on 15 July was given initial descent clearance to Shannon and was then cleared into the Shannon Holding Pattern, where four other aircraft were holding. At 0125 hours the aircraft commenced a Ground Controlled Approach to runway 23 and on establishing visual reference to the ground broke off the approach for a left-hand visual circuit to runway 05. During the turn onto final approach to runway 05, the aircraft, while banking steeply was observed to drop. The aircraft was destroyed on impact with the ground at approximately 0135LT and the 4 occupants were killed. There was no fire.

After a night takeoff from runway 32 at Shannon Airport, the four engine aircraft christened 'Triton' climbed to a maximum height of 260 feet and reached the speed of 155 knots when it went into a slight nose down attitude. It then started to descend until it crashed into the Shannon Estuary, about 8,170 feet from the departure end of runway 32. The crashed occurred approximately 35 seconds after liftoff. 28 occupants were killed while 28 others were rescued. The aircraft was destroyed.

The flight departed from Rome, Italy, at 1608, August 14, 1949, carrying 49 passengers and a crew of nine, 2,260 gallons of fuel, and 2,750 pounds of baggage and cargo Aircraft weight at time of takeoff was 68,646 pounds, which was within the allowable limit of 70,700 pounds No information is available as to whether the aircraft was properly loaded with respect to its certificated center of gravity limits According to the instrument flight clearance filed with Rome Air Traffic Control, the planned route was to Marseille, France, at an altitude of 10,500 feet, then direct to Shannon, Ireland, at an altitude of 8,500 feet Orly, the principal commercial airport at Paris, France, was designated as the flight's alternate Clear weather and light to moderate winds over the proposed route were predicted. Takeoff from Rome was made by First Officer Hall as pilot with Captain Bessey serving as copilot After leveling off at 8,500 feet, 2,000 feet below the planned cruising altitude to Marseille, Captain Bessey retired to the crew's quarters, and the flight continued with First Officer Hall flying as pilot Second Officer John Moore was co-pilot, James Baumann was navigator, Robert D Thomas and Herbert Ashbell were radio officers, and Ralph Fisher and Luigina Cerabona were flight attendants The ninth member of the crew, Ruth Nichols, had no assigned duties. Except for the fact that the number 3 engine operated roughly when the mixture was in auto lean, the flight progressed without incident At approximately 2300, the flight descended to 3,500 feet, which was above a layer of stratus clouds. The original ETA (estimated time of arrival) of 0021 over Shannon was revised several times en route, but all such times passed without the flight observing the Shannon Airport Actually, although unknown to the crew, at 2300 the aircraft had been flown beyond Shannon and was over the North Atlantic It was not until 0050 or later that a turn was made for the return course to Shannon. At 0106 the flight alerted Air-Sea Rescue facilities at Shannon and gave its position as 100 miles west of Shannon, flying inbound on a track of 80 degrees Ground speed was estimated to be 140 knots The flight continued toward Shannon until 0240 when all fuel was exhausted, and at which time the aircraft was ditched, seven miles northwest of Lurga Point on the Irish Coast No use was, made by the flight of 500 KC's, the International Distress Frequency. The aircraft remained afloat for about 15 minutes, during which time the crew and the passengers removed and manned all but one of the life rafts Aircraft circling over the life rafts were able to direct the British trawler "Stalberg" to the scene. All rescue operations were completed shortly after daylight of August 15, 1949. Seven passengers and one crew member died as a result of exposure or drowning, all others were successfully rescued. The aircraft sank and was lost.

Pan American's Flight 1-10, originating in San Francisco, California, April 10, 1948, was scheduled to fly around the world to New York, New York. In accordance with company practice the flight changed to a different aircraft, NC-88858, at the Pan American Airways' base in Calcutta, India. The flight took off from Calcutta, April 13, 1948, and continued without incident via Damascus, Syria, and Istanbul, Turkey, to Brussels, Belgium. During a night landing approach at Brussels the fluorescent lighting on the left or pilot side of the cockpit went out. Since the only other lighting immediately available was a chart light which was focused on the automatic direction finder indicator, the flight instruments could not be read, and the remainder of the landing approach was accomplished without visual reference to the flight instruments. An examination was made of the fluorescent lights after the landing. They appeared to operate normally, so the flight departed from Brussels, continuing without difficulty until on the final landing approach into London. When the power was reduced the same pilot's fluorescent lights again went out. This time the chart light was focused on the airspeed indicator. The approach was continued, and the landing was accomplished without incident. A faulty rheostat switch was found to be the cause of the fluorescent light failure, but since a spare switch could not be located, it was not changed at London. An entry describing the defect was placed in the aircraft's Form C, the airplane flight log, and the captain and the flight engineer of the new crew were informed by the company's maintenance supervisor of the condition. Though no actual maintenance was accomplished, the lights again appeared to be operating normally, so the captain, F. C. Jakel, decided to take-off, departing from London at 0035, April 15, 1948, for Shannon. At this time available weather forecasts indicated that at the estimated time of the flight's arrival at Shannon the ceiling there would be 700 feet with a higher cloud layer at 1,000 feet, and visibility 4 miles. At 0159, April 15, 1948, the flight reported being at an altitude of 4,500 feet, contact, over the Limerick Junction fan marker, located 25 statute miles southeast from the Shannon Airport, and requested permission to make a practice approach to the field with the use of the instrument landing system. Shannon Tower cleared the flight for this approach. The tower advised that 3 hours previously the instrument landing system equipment on the airport had been reported faulty, but that it had since been serviced and was operating normally according to its monitoring board, though not flight-checked. At 0210, the flight reported that it was proceeding to the outer marker, 5.2 statute miles northeast of the Shannon Airport, and also made a report, routine for Pan American flights, "mechanical condition okay." In response Shannon Tower advised the flight that the weather over the field was "fog patches, 3 miles visibility, cloud base 400 feet, sky 6/10 covered, wind from 325 degrees at 4 miles per hour." The flight was instructed to land on runway 23, the runway for which the instrument landing system was projected. It was also requested to report when making the 180 degree procedure turn for the inbound instrument approach to the field, and when over the outer marker. The requested position reports were not received by the tower, but at 0220 the flight did report a "missed approach," 2 and advised that it was going around for a second approach. At this time the flight was observed through a break in the clouds by the Shannon Tower, which was the first time that the aircraft had been seen in the vicinity of the Shannon Airport. The aircraft was reported as 500 feet above the ground, over, and in line with runway 23. Power was heard being increased, and the aircraft was observed turning left. On the second approach, at 0227, the flight reported making its 180 degree procedure turn and was cleared for landing by the tower. One minute later, weather conditions at the field were transmitted to the flight as "fog patches, visibility 2 1/2 miles, 6/10 cloud base 400 feet, 4/10 cloud base 300 feet, wind 325 degrees, 3 miles per hour, altimeter 30.29." The flight reported approaching the outer marker at 0231 at which time the tower advised that another flight which had just taken off had reported a ceiling of 500 feet when northwest of the field. Flight 1-10 acknowledged this information, which was the last communication received The aircraft was not observed at any time during the second approach until after it struck the ground. The aircraft struck the ground 2,380 feet northeast of the approach end of runway 23, and directly in line with that runway. Flames followed immediately after impact, and consumed a great portion of the wreckage. A passenger survived while 30 other occupants were killed.

At 0135 the flight transmitted a report to Shannon Radio indicating its position as over the Irish coast at 7,000 feet. At this time the flight was cleared to cross the Limerick marker at 5,000 feet. Shortly thereafter Shannon Radio advised the flight of the Shannon weather. Visibility 2 miles, 10/10 cloud cover at 900 feet, 3/10 at 500 feet, wind 160 degrees, 5 knots, altimeter setting 30 04 inches. At 0153 the flight reported over the Shannon radio range station at 5,000 feet and was given clearance to descend on the SE leg. While in the procedure turn at 0200 the flight transmitted a position report to Shannon Radio and, in acknowledgement, received a later Shannon weather report. Rain and drizzle, visibility 2 miles, 10/10 cloud cover at 900 feet, 6/10 at 400 feet, wind 120 degrees, 5 knots, altimeter setting 30 04. Receipt of this weather retort was acknowledged and the Shannon control tower cleared the aircraft for approach to Runway 14. At 0206 the flight reported over the range station at 1,200 feet at which time Shannon Tower advised Aircraft 505 that Shannon was reporting 10/10 cloud cover at 400 feet, 4/10 at 250 feet, visibility 1 mile, wind 120 degrees, 5 knots. Upon receiving acknowledgement from the flight Shannon Tower requested the pilot to make a ceiling check. This request was also acknowledged by the flight. At approximately 0208 personnel at Shannon Airport observed Aircraft 505 approach the field on a heading parallel to Runway 32. The aircraft appeared to continue on this heading until over the airport at which time it turned to the right to a heading of approximately north. Shortly thereafter the aircraft disappeared from sight. At approximately 0209 these observers saw a brilliant flash WNW of the airport and heard a loud noise. Realizing that Aircraft 505 had crashed, tower personnel immediately initiated rescue operations and dispatched emergency crews to the scene of the accident.

The crew was completing a training sortie when he lost his orientation due to the deterioration of the weather conditions, and was unable to locate his position. Due to fuel shortage, the captain decided to attempt an emergency landing and eventually tried to ditch the airplane off Shannon Airport. The twin engine aircraft crash landed in the Shannon River and sank. All three crew members were quickly rescued.

Following an uneventful flight from New York-La Guardia, the crew completed the approach and landed properly. After touchdown, the captain requested the copilot for flaps up when the aircraft sank on its belly, skidded for several yards and came to rest, broken in two. All 36 occupants were evacuated safely while the aircraft was written off.

Shortly after takeoff from Shannon Airport, while climbing, the crew reported to ATC that the left engine caught fire. The captain elected to return but as he realized this would not be possible, he decided to attempt an emergency landing. The aircraft crash landed in a marshland near the airport and came to rest. Ten occupants were injured while nine others were unhurt. The aircraft was written off.

En route, while cruising by night and marginal weather conditions, the seaplane hit the slope of Mt Beenoskee located southwest of Castlegregory, Kerry, Ireland. All nine crew members were killed.
Crew:
F/Lt Anthony Basil Langton, pilot,
F/Sgt E. Williams, copilot,
Sgt P. L. Lowe, navigator,
G. A. Cuthbert, mechanic,
F/Sgt I. R. Perkins, flight engineer,
R. Wotherspoon, wireless operator and air gunner,
R. F. Durrant, wireless operator and air gunner,
H. G. Aldrich,
A. R. Lewis.
Source: http://www.csn.ul.ie/~dan/war/jx208.html