Oklahoma

Texas International Airlines Flight 655 was a regularly scheduled passenger and cargo flight from Dallas to Memphis and return, with en route stops at Texarkana, El Dorado, and Pine Bluff. Flight 655 departed Memphis on the return flight at 18:42. After a stop at Pine Bluff, the flight continued toward El Dorado were it landed at 19:53. The crew conferred with the waiting pilots and used the Convair's weather radar to examine the weather echoes west of El Dorado. The crew commented on what appeared to be a 15-mile-wide break in the line of weather echoes, near the 300° radial of the El Dorado VORTAC and about 35 miles west-northwest of the airport. As Flight 655 taxied to runway 22, the crew contacted the FSS and stated that they were taxiing and would be proceeding under visual flight rules (VFR) to Texarkana. The aircraft took off at 20:15. After takeoff, the aircraft flew a magnetic heading of 290° and climbed to an altitude of 1,500 feet msl. The flight operated between altitudes of 1,500 feet and 3,000 feet until 20:49:47. From that time until the time of impact at 20:52:19, the aircraft's altitude varied between 2,200 feet and 2,025 feet. As the flight progressed, the first officer (pilot flying) expressed concern about the flight's position relative to the elevation of the terrain. About 12 minutes before impact, the first officer stated, "I sure wish I knew where ... we were." A few minutes later he stated, "Paintin' ridges and everything else boss, and I'm not familiar with the terrain." Two minutes and 40 seconds before impact and after the captain's ordered descent to 2,000 feet, the first officer said, "I'll be .... Man, I wish I knew where we were so we'd have some idea of the general ... terrain around this ... place." The captain told the first officer that the highest point in the area was "twelve hundred" feet and that they were not near that point. About 14 seconds before impact, the first officer mentioned that they were about to pass over Page VORTAC. Six seconds later the captain said that the heading to Texarkana was 180°. The first officer said that it was 152°. At 20:52:17, the first officer said, "Minimum en route altitude here is forty-four hun..." His statement was terminated by the sound of the crash. The aircraft crashed into the steep, heavily wooded, north slope of Black Fork Mountain in the Ouachita Mountain Range at an elevation of 2,025 feet (617 m) and about 600 feet below the top of the ridge.

The crew left Oklahoma City-Wiley Post Airport on a local test flight. While in cruising altitude, the airplane disappeared from radar screens, dove into the ground and crashed in an open field. Debris scattered on a wide area and both occupants were killed.

On final approach, the twin engine airplane was too low and struck power cables. It stalled and crashed in flames few dozen yards short of runway, killing all three occupants.

Shortly after takeoff from Oklahoma City-Will Rogers Airport, while in initial climb, the left engine failed. He feathered the left propeller then initiated a left turn when control was lost. The airplane nosed down and crashed in a huge explosion, killing all seven occupants.

While cruising by night over State of Oklahoma, the pilot lost control of the airplane that entered a dive. During the descent, the airplane disintegrated and eventually crashed in an open field located near Milo. All three occupants were killed.

The airplane was engaged in a local sightseeing flight of a duration of eight minutes. Shortly after takeoff from runway 35, in initial climb, the left engine lost power. The crew reduced his altitude and elected to make an emergency landing when the right wing struck trees. The airplane lost height and crashed near a farm. All 29 occupants were evacuated, nine of them were wounded. The aircraft was written off.

En route to Muskogee, while cruising by night, the pilot reported engine trouble but did not report any emergency. Twenty minutes later, the airplane went out of control and crashed in a huge explosion near Altus. The pilot, sole on board, was killed.

The crew was engaged in a local test flight and departed Oklahoma-Wiley Post Airport in the early afternoon to test the aircraft that has a new tail design. While cruising at a speed of 243 knots in the vicinity of the airport, the rudder detached. The airplane entered a dive and crashed in a field located in Bethany, by the airport. All three crew members were seriously injured and the aircraft was destroyed.

On final approach to Bethany Airport by night, the pilot completed a last turn to join the approach path when he lost control of the airplane that crashed in flames few miles from the airfield. A passenger was seriously injured while four other occupants were killed.

The crew was engaged in a local test flight out from Norman Airport, consisting of various tests (stalls) in specific conditions. In flight, the pilot-in-command engaged the aircraft in a stall when control was lost. The airplane entered a dive and eventually crashed in a wooded area located in Rosedale, about 28 miles southeast of Norman Airfield. The aircraft was destroyed and all threes occupants were killed.