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Crash of a Beechcraft TC-45G Expeditor in El Vado

Date & Time: Jan 10, 1976
Type of aircraft:
Beechcraft C-45 Expeditor
Operator:
Registration:
N9907Z
Flight Phase:
Landing (descent or approach)
Flight Type:
Illegal (smuggling)
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Airport (less than 10 km from airport)
MSN:
AF-105
YOM:
1952
Location:
El Vado
New Mexico
Country:
United States of America
Region:
North America
Crew on board:
1
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
After landing on a snow covered runway, the twin engine airplane ground looped, hit a barrel and came to rest. The aircraft was set afire and destroyed and the pilot disappeared. Transport of contraband.
Probable cause:
Ground looped after the pilot failed to maintain directional control on a snow covered runway. Illegal flight.
Final Report:

Crash of a Beechcraft TC-45G Expeditor in Steins

Date & Time: Jun 12, 1975
Type of aircraft:
Beechcraft C-45 Expeditor
Operator:
George A. Sanborn
Registration:
N9430Z
Flight Phase:
Landing (descent or approach)
Flight Type:
Illegal (smuggling)
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Desert
MSN:
AF-73
YOM:
1952
Location:
Steins
New Mexico
Country:
United States of America
Region:
North America
Crew on board:
1
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
The pilot, sole on board, was completing a drug smuggling light and the aircraft was carrying a load of marijuana. Following a complete failure of both engines, the pilot attempted an emergency landing in a desert area when the airplane crash landed in a dry lake bed and hit a ditch. The aircraft was abandoned and the pilot was not found.
Probable cause:
Failure of both engines following a fuel exhaustion. The following contributing factors were reported:
- Mismanagement of fuel,
- Fuel exhaustion,
- Rough/uneven terrain,
- Illegal flight.
Final Report:

Crash of a Beechcraft D18S in Timberon

Date & Time: Jun 16, 1973 at 0730 LT
Type of aircraft:
Beechcraft D18
Operator:
Northern Air Service - USA
Registration:
N26Q
Flight Phase:
Takeoff (climb)
Flight Type:
Executive/Corporate/Business
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Airport (less than 10 km from airport)
Schedule:
Timberon - El Paso
MSN:
A-953
YOM:
1953
Location:
Timberon
New Mexico
Country:
United States of America
Region:
North America
Crew on board:
1
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Captain / Total flying hours:
2400
Captain / Total hours on type:
140.00
Circumstances:
The twin engine airplane did not liftoff, struck trees at the end of the runway and crashed in flames. The aircraft was destroyed and the pilot was slightly injured.
Probable cause:
The pilot delayed action in aborting takeoff and selected the wrong runway relative to existing wind. The following factors were reported:
- Downwind,
- High obstructions.
Final Report:

Crash of a Lockheed PV-1 Ventura in Tucumcari: 5 killed

Date & Time: Dec 3, 1972 at 2207 LT
Type of aircraft:
Lockheed PV-1 Ventura
Operator:
Investment Dynamics
Registration:
N5033F
Flight Phase:
Landing (descent or approach)
Flight Type:
Executive/Corporate/Business
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Airport (less than 10 km from airport)
Schedule:
Tulsa - Tucumcari
MSN:
5887
YOM:
1943
Location:
Tucumcari
New Mexico
Country:
United States of America
Region:
North America
Crew on board:
2
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
9
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
5
Captain / Total flying hours:
6248
Captain / Total hours on type:
110.00
Circumstances:
On approach to Tucumcari Airport, the crew failed to realize he was misaligned with runway 26 due to limited visibility caused by night and low ceiling. On short final, the airplane struck the ground and crashed 471 feet left of the runway and 100 feet west of runway threshold. Both pilots and three passengers were killed while six other occupants were injured.
Probable cause:
The crew descended below the minimum descent altitude during a VOR approach for undetermined reason. The following factors were reported:
- Low ceiling,
- Not aligned with runway.
Final Report:

Crash of a Beechcraft A60 Duke in Roy

Date & Time: Jul 26, 1972 at 0730 LT
Type of aircraft:
Beechcraft 60 Duke
Operator:
Registration:
N147E
Flight Phase:
Landing (descent or approach)
Flight Type:
Executive/Corporate/Business
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Plain, Valley
Schedule:
El Paso - Roy
MSN:
P-148
YOM:
1970
Location:
Roy
New Mexico
Country:
United States of America
Region:
North America
Crew on board:
1
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
1
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Captain / Total flying hours:
6000
Captain / Total hours on type:
750.00
Circumstances:
After landing at Roy, the twin engine airplane did not decelerate as expected, continued its course then went through fences and came to rest in flames. Both occupants evacuated safely while the aircraft was destroyed.
Probable cause:
Spontaneous and improper action on part of the pilot who remained the engine power full ON after landing for unknown reason. Improper operation of powerplant and powerplant controls.
Final Report:

Crash of a Boeing B-17G-DL Flying Fortress in Socorro: 2 killed

Date & Time: Jul 12, 1972 at 1605 LT
Type of aircraft:
Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress
Operator:
Black Hills Aviation
Registration:
N73648
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Fire fighting
Survivors:
No
Site:
Plain, Valley
Schedule:
Alamogordo - Alamogordo
MSN:
32505
YOM:
1944
Flight number:
Tanker 56
Location:
Socorro
New Mexico
Country:
United States of America
Region:
North America
Crew on board:
2
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
2
Captain / Total flying hours:
3500
Captain / Total hours on type:
325.00
Circumstances:
The crew departed Alamogordo on a fire fighting mission in the region of Socorro. During a second pass at low altitude, the airplane contacted trees and crashed in flames. Both pilots were killed.
Probable cause:
The pilot misjudged altitude and clearance. Witnesses stated that the pilot was too low on the second slurry run.
Final Report:

Crash of a Beechcraft 65-B80 Queen Air in Albuquerque: 9 killed

Date & Time: May 19, 1972 at 1229 LT
Type of aircraft:
Beechcraft 80 Queen Air
Operator:
Ross Aviation - USA
Registration:
N841NS
Flight Phase:
Takeoff (climb)
Flight Type:
Scheduled Revenue Flight
Survivors:
No
Site:
Airport (less than 10 km from airport)
Schedule:
Albuquerque - Santa Fe
MSN:
LD-346
YOM:
1967
Location:
Albuquerque-Sunport
New Mexico
Country:
United States of America
Region:
North America
Crew on board:
1
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
8
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
9
Captain / Total flying hours:
6769
Captain / Total hours on type:
411.00
Circumstances:
Shortly after takeoff from Albuquerque Airport, while in initial climb, the pilot declared an emergency and was cleared to return when control was lost. The airplane dove into the ground and crashed in flames in a field near the airport. The aircraft was totally destroyed and all nine occupants have been killed.
Probable cause:
Engine failure or malfunction during initial climb and uncontrolled descent. The following factors were reported:
- Inadequate preflight preparation,
- Inadequate maintenance and inspection,
- Deficiency of company maintained equipment, services and regulation by operational supervisory personnel,
- Left front cargo door improperly secured,
- Blades failure due to foreign object damage,
- Suspected or known aircraft damage,
- Forward cargo door not secured, opened in flight and damaged left prop, causing additional drag,
- Door unsafe system inoperative.
Final Report:

Crash of a Lockheed 18-08 LodeStar in Albuquerque: 11 killed

Date & Time: Dec 5, 1969 at 1500 LT
Type of aircraft:
Lockheed 18 LodeStar
Operator:
Troy G. Hawkins
Registration:
N410M
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Private
Survivors:
No
Site:
Plain, Valley
Schedule:
Las Vegas - Dalhart
MSN:
2203
YOM:
1942
Location:
Albuquerque
New Mexico
Country:
United States of America
Region:
North America
Crew on board:
2
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
9
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
11
Captain / Total flying hours:
8030
Captain / Total hours on type:
30.00
Circumstances:
En route from Las Vegas to Dalhart, Texas, the crew encountered poor weather conditions with icing and turbulences. The VFR rated pilot preferred to continue in such conditions when few minutes later, a structural failure occurred on the left wing that detached. Out of control, the airplane dove into the ground and crashed in a huge explosion in an open field. All 11 occupants were killed.
Probable cause:
Airframe failure in flight and uncontrolled descent caused by the combination of the following factors:
- The pilot-in-command attempted operation with known deficiencies in equipment,
- The pilot-in-command continued VFR flight into adverse weather conditions,
- The pilot-in-command exceeded designed stress limits of aircraft,
- Overload failure of airframe, wings spars,
- Separation in flight,
- Icing conditions, including sleet and freezing rain,
- Airframe ice,
- The left wing failed and separated in flight,
- The pilot type rated for VFR flight only,
- The aircraft was not fitted with de-icing equipment.
Final Report:

Crash of a Ted Smith 601 in Santa Fe: 2 killed

Date & Time: Sep 15, 1969 at 0915 LT
Type of aircraft:
Piper PA-61 Aerostar (Ted Smith 601)
Operator:
Registration:
N7442S
Flight Phase:
Takeoff (climb)
Flight Type:
Private
Survivors:
No
Site:
Airport (less than 10 km from airport)
Schedule:
Santa Fe – Dallas
MSN:
61-0025-054
YOM:
1969
Location:
Santa Fe
New Mexico
Country:
United States of America
Region:
North America
Crew on board:
1
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
1
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
2
Circumstances:
During the takeoff roll at Santa Fe Airport, the airplane failed to gain sufficient speed but the pilot did not abandoned the procedure and continued. After liftoff, the airplane encountered difficulties to gain height then stalled and crashed in flames. The aircraft was destroyed and both occupants were killed.
Probable cause:
Improper operation of powerplant & powerplant controls and inadequate preflight preparation on part of the pilot. The following factors were reported:
- The pilot failed to abort takeoff,
- High density altitude,
- Lack of familiarity with aircraft,
- Takeoff made with mixture controls too lean,
- Density altitude about 8,200 feet,
- Insufficient runway for takeoff.
Final Report:

Crash of a De Havilland U-6A Beaver near Bent: 3 killed

Date & Time: Apr 8, 1968 at 1430 LT
Type of aircraft:
De Havilland DHC-2 Beaver
Operator:
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Survey / Patrol / Reconnaissance
Survivors:
No
Site:
Mountains
Schedule:
Holloman - Holloman
Location:
Bent
New Mexico
Country:
United States of America
Region:
North America
Crew on board:
3
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
3
Circumstances:
The crew was searching for a test balloon when the single engine aircraft crashed in unknown circumstances in a mountainous area located six miles southeast of Bent. All three crew members were killed.
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