New Jersey

Flight Type:

Ferry

Survivors:

Site:

Schedule:

Teterboro - Elmira

MSN:

411-0086

YOM:

1965

Location:

Teterboro

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Captain / Total flying hours:

6450

Circumstances:

Shortly after takeoff from Teterboro Airport, while in initial climb, the pilot lost control of the airplane that stalled and crashed in a huge explosion near the runway end. The aircraft was destroyed and the pilot, sole on board, was killed.

Probable cause:

Uncontrolled descent after takeoff following a powerplant failure for undetermined reasons. The following factors were reported:
- The pilot failed to obtain/maintain flying speed,
- The pilot failed to follow the approved procedures,
- Improper emergency procedures,
- Inadequate preflight preparation,
- Complete engine failure on one engine,
- No engine malfunction found,
- Possibly insufficient warm up time,
- The pilot did not maintain single engine speed.

Final Report:

Crash of a Lockheed L-382B-10C Hercules at McGuire AFB: 3 killed

Date & Time: Oct 10, 1970 at 2130 LT

Type of aircraft:

Lockheed C-130 Hercules

Operator:

Registration:

N9248R

Flight Phase:

Flight Type:

Cargo

Survivors:

Site:

Schedule:

Wright Patterson – McGuire – Dover

MSN:

4221

YOM:

1967

Location:

McGuire AFB (Fort Dix)

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Captain / Total flying hours:

16586

Captain / Total hours on type:

11735.00

Circumstances:

The crew was completing a cargo flight from Wright Patterson AFB, Ohio, to Dover AFB, Delaware, with an intermediate stop at McGuire AFB, New Jersey, on behalf of the US Air Force. On final approach, the crew encountered low visibility due to fog. While transiting from IFR to VFR on short final, the airplane went out of control, struck the ground and crashed 5,470 feet short of runway. The aircraft was destroyed and all three crew members were killed.

Probable cause:

Improper IFR operation on part of the pilot-in-command who suffered a spatial disorientation on final approach. The following factors were reported:
- Low ceiling,
- Fog,
- Instruments-misread or failed to read,
- Company dispatch,
- Weather slightly worse than forecast,
- The crew was disoriented by lite glare,
- Fog during transition from IFR to VFR.

Final Report:

Crash of a Noorduyn UC-64 Norseman in Lakewood

Date & Time: Aug 2, 1970 at 1144 LT

Type of aircraft:

Noorduyn Norseman

Operator:

Registration:

N1207

Flight Phase:

Flight Type:

Skydiving / Paratroopers

Survivors:

Site:

Schedule:

Lakewood - Lakewood

MSN:

841

YOM:

1945

Location:

Lakewood

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Captain / Total flying hours:

1520

Captain / Total hours on type:

30.00

Circumstances:

The single engine airplane was engaged in a local skydiving exercice. While taking off from Lakewood, the engine stopped. The airplane lost height, struck trees and crashed. The pilot and two passengers were seriously injured while seven other occupants were slightly injured. The aircraft was damaged beyond repair.

Probable cause:

Engine failure during initial climb. The following factors were considered as contributory:
- Inadequate preflight preparation on part of the pilot,
- Mismanagement of fuel,
- Fuel starvation,
- High obstructions,
- Fuel selector positioned between tanks,
- The left fuel tank was empty while approx 12 galons of fuel remained in the right fuel tank.

Final Report:

Crash of a Cessna 402 in Newark: 4 killed

Date & Time: Mar 18, 1970 at 1934 LT

Type of aircraft:

Cessna 402

Operator:

Registration:

N3218Q

Flight Phase:

Charter/Taxi (Non Scheduled Revenue Flight)

Flight Type:

Survivors:

Site:

Schedule:

Sherbrooke - Newark

MSN:

402-0018

YOM:

1967

Location:

Newark

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Captain / Total flying hours:

10461

Captain / Total hours on type:

83.00

Circumstances:

The pilot initiated the approach to Newark Airport in marginal weather conditions (heavy rain falls). On final, he failed to realize his altitude was insufficient when the airplane crashed onto a natural gas storage tank located in Elizabeth, few miles short of runway 04L threshold. The aircraft was totally destroyed and all four occupants were killed.

Probable cause:

Ground collision during initial approach caused by the combination of the following factors:
- The pilot-in-command failed to follow the approved procedures,
- Improper IFR operation on part of the pilot-in-command,
- Instruments misread or failed to read,
- Obstructions to vision,
- Rain,
- No second pilot on board,
- Descended below glide slope on an ILS approach to runway 04L.

Final Report:

Crash of a Boeing 707-331C in Atlantic City: 5 killed

Date & Time: Jul 26, 1969 at 1233 LT

Type of aircraft:

Boeing 707

Operator:

Registration:

N787TW

Flight Phase:

Flight Type:

Training

Survivors:

Site:

Schedule:

New York - Atlantic City

MSN:

18712/373

YOM:

1964

Flight number:

TW5787

Location:

Atlantic City

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Captain / Total flying hours:

27436

Captain / Total hours on type:

4330.00

Copilot / Total flying hours:

6080

Copilot / Total hours on type:

1314

Aircraft flight hours:

17590

Circumstances:

The flight departed New York-JFK to carry out training and proficiency check manoeuvres at the National Aviation Facilities Experimental Center (NAFEC) at the Atlantic City Airport. The first captain to receive the proficiency check occupied the left seat. The instructor-pilot occupied the right seat, and a flight engineer occupied the flight engineer's position. The other two captains occupied the flight deck as observers while awaiting their turn at the controls. Flight 5787 landed on runway 13 then requested, and the tower approved, clearance to taxi to the end of the runway, execute a 180 degrees turn, and take off on runway 31. Prior to takeoff, the instructor pilot briefed the captain to expect a simulated engine failure after V1, to execute a three-engine climbout, and to request vectors for a precision ILS approach to runway 13, using the aircraft's flight director system. Take off was initiated at 12:20 and instructor pilot retarded the No. 4 engine to training idle thrust after V1 had been reached. The takeoff was continued and emergency procedures were executed in accordance with the TWA engine failure emergency checklist. The aircraft was leveled off at 1,500 feet and vectored to intercept the ILS course in the vicinity of the outer marker. The No. 4 engine remained in idle thrust and the instructor pilot directed the captain to execute a simulated three-engine ILS approach, and to expect a missed approach at the decision height. The landing gear was extended and after the aircraft passed the outer marker, flaps were placed full down (50deg). The tower cleared TWA 5787 to land. At the decision height, a missed approach was announced. The captain advanced power on engines 1, 2, and 3, and called for "25 Flaps," "Takeoff Power," "Up Gear." However, neither the flaps nor the landing gear moved from their previous positions. The aircraft was accelerated to 130 knots and a missed-approach climb was instituted. Approximately 16 t o 18 seconds after the start of the missed-approach procedure, one of the observer pilots commented, "Oh! Oh! Your hydraulic system's zeroed." At 300 feet agl and an airspeed of 127 knots all hydraulic pumps were shutdown, but power on the no. 4 engine was not restored. Directional control was lost and the aircraft struck the ground in a right-wing low nose down attitude. The Boeing 707 broke up and caught fire.

Probable cause:

The probable cause of this accident was a loss of directional control, which resulted from the intentional shutdown of the pumps supplying hydraulic pressure to the rudder without a concurrent restoration of power on the No.4 engine. A contributing factor was the inadequacy of the hydraulic fluid loss emergency procedure when applied against the operating configuration of the aircraft.

Final Report:

Crash of a Curtiss C-46F-1-CU Commando in Medford: 2 killed

Date & Time: May 7, 1969 at 1247 LT

Type of aircraft:

Curtiss C-46 Commando

Operator:

Flying West Airways

Registration:

N1243N

Flight Phase:

Flight Type:

Cargo

Survivors:

Site:

Schedule:

Medford – Allentown

MSN:

22456

YOM:

1945

Location:

Medford

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Captain / Total flying hours:

3137

Circumstances:

Following a premature liftoff, the airplane struck trees, stalled and crashed in a huge explosion. Both pilots were killed.

Probable cause:

The accident was caused by the combination of the following factors:
- Ground swerve during takeoff run,
- Collision with trees during initial climb,
- Improper operations of brakes and/or flight controls,
- Premature liftoff,
- Failure to obtain/maintain flying speed,
- Evasive maneuver to avoid collision,
- Premature takeoff to avoid aircraft tiedown area after loss of directional control,
- Tailwheel was in unlocked position.

Final Report:

Crash of a Cessna 411 in Teterboro

Date & Time: Dec 6, 1968 at 1702 LT

Type of aircraft:

Cessna 411

Operator:

Registration:

N162A

Flight Phase:

Flight Type:

Positioning

Survivors:

Site:

MSN:

411-0219

YOM:

1966

Location:

Teterboro

Country:

Region:

Douglas C-47 Skytrain (DC-3)

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Captain / Total flying hours:

4900

Captain / Total hours on type:

150.00

Circumstances:

Shortly after takeoff from Teterboro Airport, while in initial climb, one of the engine failed. The pilot lost control of the airplane that crashed in a huge explosion on the apron. The pilot was seriously injured while the Cessna 411 was destroyed by a post crash fire as well as five other aircraft, a Piper PA-28 (N6416W), two Beechcraft 33 (N8822H & N5715V), a Beechcraft 35 (N9575Q) and a fifth aircraft registered N7167N. A sixth airplane registered N8390N was seriously damaged.

Probable cause:

Powerplant failure for undetermined reasons. The following factors were reported:
- The pilot failed to obtain/maintain flying speed,
- Improper emergency procedures,
- Improper single engine procedure.

Final Report:

Crash of a Douglas C-47A-15-DL in Teterboro

Date & Time: Sep 26, 1968 at 1422 LT

Type of aircraft:

Operator:

Registration:

N64423

Flight Phase:

Flight Type:

Cargo

Survivors:

Site:

MSN:

9251

YOM:

1943

Location:

Teterboro

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Captain / Total flying hours:

11345

Captain / Total hours on type:

3808.00

Aircraft flight hours:

52844

Circumstances:

Shortly after takeoff from Teterboro Airport, while climbing, the airplane stalled and crashed near the runway end. The airplane was destroyed and both pilots were injured.

Probable cause:

The accident was probably caused by an inadequate preflight preparation and/or planning on part of the crew. The following factors were considered as contributing:
- The cargo shifted during initial climb to the rear, modifying the CofG,
- The cargo was improperly secured.

Final Report:

Crash of a Douglas DC-8-31 in Atlantic City

Date & Time: Apr 28, 1968 at 0523 LT

Type of aircraft:

Douglas DC-8

Operator:

Registration:

N1802

Flight Phase:

Flight Type:

Training

Survivors:

Site:

Schedule:

Atlantic City - Atlantic City

MSN:

45277/94

YOM:

1960

Location:

Atlantic City

Country:

Region: