Ground accident of a Martin 404 in Roanoke

Date & Time: Jul 9, 1966 at 0954 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
N40446
Flight Phase:
Survivors:
Yes
MSN:
14238
YOM:
1952
Crew on board:
4
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
38
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
While parked at Roanoke-Woodrum Airport, all passengers embarked when the undercarriage failed. The airplane sank on its belly. All 42 occupants were evacuated safely and the airplane was later considered as damaged beyond repair.
Probable cause:
Improper maintenance by the maintenance personnel as the hydraulic reservoir, lines and fittings were not properly serviced. Investigations revealed the landing gear pin was not in. On hydraulic test, ground handle moved up due to excessive clnc in sel valve and air hydraulic system.
Final Report:

Crash of a Canadair CL-44D4-2 at Norfolk-Chambers Field NAS

Date & Time: Mar 21, 1966 at 1525 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
N453T
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Indianapolis – Norfolk
MSN:
22
YOM:
1961
Flight number:
FT6303
Crew on board:
6
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Captain / Total flying hours:
8667
Captain / Total hours on type:
172.00
Copilot / Total hours on type:
18
Circumstances:
The crew was completing a cargo flight from Indianapolis to Chambers Field NAS in Norfolk. The copilot was in command on final approach to runway 10 and failed to realise that the aircraft position was inappropriate. The airplane touched down with its left main gear and nose gear first. At impact, the left wing was torn off and out of control, the airplane crashed inverted and burst into flames. All six crew members were quickly evacuated and the aircraft was totally destroyed.
Probable cause:
Wrong approach configuration on part of the copilot. Improper level off and inadequate supervision on part of the captain.
Final Report:

Crash of a Douglas DC-7 in Washington DC

Date & Time: Jul 30, 1964 at 2102 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
N464
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Washington DC - Washington DC
MSN:
44127
YOM:
1953
Crew on board:
3
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
5
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Captain / Total flying hours:
14375
Captain / Total hours on type:
260.00
Circumstances:
The crew was completing a local test flight at Washington-Dulles Airport. Upon landing, the nose gear collapsed and the airplane slid for several yards before coming to rest. All eight occupants were uninjured while the aircraft was considered as damaged beyond repair.
Probable cause:
The crew failed to maintain directional control and the pilot-in-command made an inadequate supervision of flight.
Final Report:

Crash of a Lockheed P2V-7S Neptune Norfolk-Chambers Field NAS

Date & Time: Jul 22, 1964
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
145922
Flight Type:
MSN:
726-7194
YOM:
1958
Crew on board:
0
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
Suffered an accident at Norfolk-Chambers Field NAS. The occupant's fate remains unknown.

Crash of a Douglas DC-7D in Richmond

Date & Time: Jul 17, 1964 at 1833 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
N809D
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
New York – Richmond
MSN:
44860
YOM:
1955
Crew on board:
5
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
71
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Captain / Total flying hours:
16244
Captain / Total hours on type:
1862.00
Aircraft flight hours:
25106
Circumstances:
On final approach to Richmond-Byrd Field Airport, the pilot was cleared to land on runway 15 but the airplane was slightly below the glide. This caused the right main gear to struck the ground 150 feet short of runway threshold and to be sheared off at impact. The aircraft slid on the runway for 4,752 feet before coming to rest. All 76 occupants were evacuated safely while the aircraft was considered as damaged beyond repair.
Probable cause:
The pilot misjudged altitude and distance and undershot during landing.
Final Report:

Crash of a Lockheed 12 Electra Junior in Martinsville: 5 killed

Date & Time: Jul 7, 1964 at 0515 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
N18946
Flight Phase:
Survivors:
No
MSN:
1240
YOM:
1938
Crew on board:
1
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
4
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
5
Captain / Total flying hours:
15165
Captain / Total hours on type:
4.00
Circumstances:
Shortly after a night takeoff from Martinsville-Blue Ridge Airport, the twin engine airplane encountered difficulties to gain height, struck trees, stalled and crashed in flames. All five occupants were killed.
Probable cause:
Inadequate preflight preparation and/or planning on part of the pilot who started the flight with the gust locks engaged.
Final Report:

Crash of a Lockheed L-049E Constellation in Richmond: 77 killed

Date & Time: Nov 8, 1961 at 2124 LT
Registration:
N2737A
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Newark – Wilkes Barre – Baltimore – Columbia
MSN:
1976
YOM:
1946
Flight number:
IM201
Crew on board:
5
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
74
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
77
Captain / Total flying hours:
4433
Captain / Total hours on type:
293.00
Copilot / Total flying hours:
17841
Copilot / Total hours on type:
352
Aircraft flight hours:
32589
Circumstances:
On November 8, 1961, at 2124 e.s.t., an Imperial Airlines, Lockheed L-49, crashed and burned during an attempted landing at Byrd Field, Richmond, Virginia. Seventy-four passengers and three flight crew members died as a result of carbon monoxide poisoning. Two members of the flight crew escaped from the burning wreckage. The aircraft was totally destroyed. The flight was en route from Baltimore, Maryland, to Columbia, South Carolina, when in the vicinity of Richmond the crew as a result of fuel mismanagement allowed the Nos. 3 and 4 engines to run the No. 4 fuel tank dry. When they were unable to restart the two engines, they feathered the propellers and elected to land at Richmond. As the flight approached the airport for its intended landing on runway, Captain Greenlee, who was acting as copilot, without warning to the captain in command, turned the aircraft to attempt a landing on runway 02 and put the landing gear selector in the down position. When the landing gear did not extend due to crew mismanagement of the hydraulic system, a go-around was attempted with only the Nos. 1 and 2 engines operating. During the go-around, which was poorly executed, the No. 1 engine failed as a result of overboosting. With only one engine remaining in operation it was impossible to maintain flight. The crew also misjudged the aircraft flight path, overshot the extended centerline of runway 33 and crashed one-half mile to the left of the final approach path and one mile from the runway threshold.
Probable cause:
The Board determines the probable cause of this accident was the lack of command coordination and decision, lack of judgment, and lack of knowledge of the equipment resulting in loss of power in three engines creating an emergency situation which the crew could not handle.
Final Report:

Crash of a Douglas DC-7 at Chambers Field NAS

Date & Time: Sep 26, 1961
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
N317A
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
New York - Norfolk
MSN:
44138
YOM:
1954
Crew on board:
5
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
The crew was performing a positioning flight from New York to Chambers Field NAS at Norfolk to pick up troops on behalf of the US Army. On approach, the primary hydraulic system failed. Nevertheless, the crew was able to continue the approach and the aircraft touched down 275 feet past the runway threshold. After a course of 1,400 feet, the airplane veered off runway to the left and struck an embankment before coming to rest. All five crew members were uninjured while the aircraft was damaged beyond repair.
Probable cause:
Loss of directional control during the landing roll caused by improper use of propeller reversing and braking. The following factors contributed to the accident:
- The captain's inadequate familiarity with the aircraft systems and procedures under normal system hydraulic failure,
- Failure of the hydraulic system for an undetermined reason.

Crash of a Lockheed P2V-7 Neptune near Oceana NAS

Date & Time: Aug 28, 1961
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
140965
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
MSN:
726-7067
Crew on board:
0
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
Crashed in unknown circumstances. Crew fate remains unknown.

Crash of a Vickers 745D Viscount in Holdcroft: 50 killed

Date & Time: Jan 18, 1960 at 2219 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
N7462
Flight Phase:
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Chicago – Washington DC – Norfolk
MSN:
217
YOM:
1957
Flight number:
CA020
Crew on board:
6
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
44
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
50
Captain / Total flying hours:
20850
Captain / Total hours on type:
3560.00
Copilot / Total flying hours:
5215
Copilot / Total hours on type:
2952
Aircraft flight hours:
9247
Circumstances:
While cruising at an altitude of 8,000 feet in foggy and icing conditions, both engines number three and four failed. The crew elected to restart the engines, without success. The airplane went out of control and plunged before crashing in a wooded area, striking the ground in a level attitude, with no forward velocity. The airplane was destroyed and all 50 occupants were killed.
Probable cause:
The Board determines the probable cause of this accident was the delayed arming of the engine ice-protection systems while flying in icy conditions, resulting in the loss of engine power and attendant electrical energy required to unfeather propellers and relight sufficient engines to maintain flight.
Final Report: