Washington

Flight Type:

Military

Survivors:

Site:

Mountains

Schedule:

Clark - Kadena - Yokota - McChord

MSN:

6054

YOM:

1964

Location:

Mt Constance

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Aircraft flight hours:

16793

Circumstances:

The airplane was conducting a flight from Clark AFB, Philippines, to McChord AFB with intermediate stops at Kadena AFB, Okinawa, and Yokota AFB, Tokyo, carrying 16 people among them six marines. En route to McChord, while cruising by night, the crew established contact with ATC and was cleared to descend from FL370 to FL150 then FL100. Few minutes later, after confusing the C-141 with another Navy aircraft, the air traffic controller cleared the crew to descent to 5,000 feet which was a too low altitude for the area. While descending at an altitude of 7,000 feet in limited visibility, the four engine airplane struck the slope of Mt Constance (7,756 feet high) located in the Olympic National Park, about 52 miles northwest of McChord AFB. The airplane impacted the mountain about 150 feet below the summit and caused an avalanche. Debris were found scattered on a wide area and none of the 16 occupants survived the crash.

Probable cause:

The air traffic controller with whom the captain conversed mistook the C-141 with another Navy aircraft. As a result, he cleared him to descend to FL050 when the minimum prescribed altitude was FL100. Due to limited visibility caused by night, lack of ground visual references and clouds, the crew was unable to distinguish the mountain. This resulted to a controlled flight into terrain.

Crash of a Britten-Norman BN-2A Islander in Seattle: 4 killed

Date & Time: Dec 26, 1974 at 1805 LT

Type of aircraft:

Britten-Norman Islander

Operator:

Registration:

N66HA

Flight Phase:

Takeoff (climb)

Flight Type:

Scheduled Revenue Flight

Survivors:

Yes

Site:

City

Schedule:

Seattle - Oak Harbor

MSN:

YOM:

1968

Flight number:

HG308

Location:

Seattle-Tacoma (SeaTac)

Country:

Region:

Landing (descent or approach)

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Captain / Total flying hours:

2000

Captain / Total hours on type:

342.00

Circumstances:

Shortly after takeoff from Seattle-Tacoma Airport, while climbing in marginal weather conditions, the twin engine airplane went out of control and crashed in a residential area located in Riverton Heights, near the airport. Two passengers were seriously injured while four other occupants including the pilot were killed.

Probable cause:

Diverted attention from operation during initial climb caused the aircraft to crash. The following contributing factors were reported:
- Instruments-misread or failed to read,
- Low ceiling,
- Snow,
- High obstructions,
- Flight and navigation instruments: airspeed, obstructed,
- Foreign materials affecting normal operations,
- Unknown matter in Pitot static system affected the airspeed indicator.

Final Report:

Crash of a Piper PA-31P Pressurized Navajo in Walla Walla: 1 killed

Date & Time: Dec 27, 1973 at 1707 LT

Type of aircraft:

Piper PA-31-310 Navajo

Operator:

Registration:

N66798

Flight Phase:

Flight Type:

Executive/Corporate/Business

Survivors:

Site:

Schedule:

Spokane - Walla Walla

MSN:

31-7300158

YOM:

1973

Location:

Walla Walla

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Captain / Total flying hours:

25000

Captain / Total hours on type:

529.00

Circumstances:

On approach to Walla Walla Airport by night, the pilot encountered limited visibility due to fog. He descended below the MDA when the twin engine airplane struck the ground and crashed short of runway threshold. The aircraft was destroyed and the pilot, sole on board, was killed.

Probable cause:

Poor judgment and improper IFR operation caused the airplane to crash on final approach. The following factors were reported:
- Low ceiling, fog and snow,
- Limited visibility,
- Descent below MDA,
- Night VFR approach,
- Single piloted aircraft.

Final Report:

Crash of a De Havilland DH.104 Dove in Moses Lake

Date & Time: May 15, 1973 at 1030 LT

Type of aircraft:

De Havilland DH.104 Dove

Operator:

Jimmy T. Thompson

Registration:

N4041B

Flight Phase:

Takeoff (climb)

Flight Type:

Ferry

Survivors:

Yes

Site:

Schedule:

Moses Lake - Twin Falls

MSN:

04385

YOM:

1953

Location:

Moses Lake

Country:

Region:

Rockwell Grand Commander 680

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Captain / Total flying hours:

2795

Captain / Total hours on type:

15.00

Circumstances:

During the takeoff run, at V1 speed, the crew started the rotation when the left engine lost power. The captain elected to abandon the takeoff procedure but following a lack of coordination and poor experience, the crew lost control of the aircraft that veered off runway and came to rest. Both pilots were uninjured while the aircraft was written off.

Probable cause:

Powerplant failure for undetermined reason. The following factors were reported:
- The crew failed to maintain flying speed,
- The crew failed to follow the approved procedures,
- Misused of flaps,
- Improper emergency procedures,
- Left engine lost power,
- Pilot continued the takeoff and did not feathered the propeller,
- Flaps were retracted.

Final Report:

Crash of a Rockwell Grand Commander 680F in Battle Ground: 3 killed

Date & Time: Feb 17, 1973 at 0859 LT

Type of aircraft:

Operator:

Hassan Enterprises

Registration:

N69HE

Flight Phase:

Executive/Corporate/Business

Flight Type:

Survivors:

Site:

Plain, Valley

Schedule:

Salem - Seattle

MSN:

680F-932-5

YOM:

1960

Location:

Battle Ground

Country:

Region:

Consolidated PB4Y-2 Privateer

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Captain / Total flying hours:

2000

Captain / Total hours on type:

9.00

Circumstances:

While in cruising altitude on a flight from Salem to Seattle, the pilot encountered icing conditions and was cleared to divert to Portland. Shortly later, control was lost and the airplane entered a dive. Both wings and elevators separated prior to final impact. All three occupants were killed.

Probable cause:

While cruising in poor weather conditions, the pilot suffered a spatial disorientation. The following factors were reported:
- Exceeded designed stress limits of aircraft,
- Overload failure,
- Lack of familiarity with aircraft and lack of recent experience on instruments,
- Low ceiling, rain, icing conditions,
- Visibility down to zero,
- Both outbound wings and horizontal stabs separated prior to impact.

Final Report:

Crash of a Consolidated PB4Y-2 Privateer in Wenatchee

Date & Time: Jul 27, 1972 at 1818 LT

Type of aircraft:

Operator:

Registration:

N6816D

Flight Phase:

Landing (descent or approach)

Flight Type:

Fire fighting

Survivors:

Yes

Site:

Schedule:

Wenatchee - Wenatchee

MSN:

59905

YOM:

1943

Location:

Wenatchee

Country:

Region:

Rockwell Aero Commander 500

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Captain / Total flying hours:

10600

Captain / Total hours on type:

1000.00

Circumstances:

Following a fire fighting mission in the region of Wenatchee, the crew was returning to Wenatchee-Pangborn Airport. On short final, the airplane crashed in flames short of runway threshold and came to rest. Both pilots were slightly injured and the aircraft was destroyed.

Probable cause:

In-flight fire for undetermined reason.

Final Report:

Crash of a Rockwell Aero Commander 500 in Carson: 1 killed

Date & Time: Jan 9, 1971 at 1931 LT

Type of aircraft:

Operator:

Mission Drywall Company

Registration:

N8473C

Flight Phase:

Flight Type:

Private

Survivors:

Site:

Plain, Valley

Schedule:

Hillsboro – Spokane

MSN:

500-801

YOM:

1959

Location:

Carson

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Captain / Total flying hours:

516

Captain / Total hours on type:

207.00

Circumstances:

On a night flight from Hillsboro to Spokane, the pilot encountered poor weather conditions with low ceiling, freezing rain and a visibility limited to 3 miles. Despite the situation, he decided to continue under VFR mode when few minutes later, he lost control of the airplane that crashed near Carson. The wreckage was found three days later. The aircraft was destroyed and the pilot was killed.

Probable cause:

The pilot continued under VFR flight into adverse weather conditions and attempted operation with known deficiencies in equipment. The following factors were reported:
- Inadequate preflight preparation,
- Airframe ice,
- Low ceiling,
- Icing conditions including sleet, freezing rain,
- Flew into known icing conditions,
- Aircraft not de-icer equipped.

Final Report:

Crash of a Cessna 401B near Yakima: 1 killed

Date & Time: Jul 21, 1970 at 0230 LT

Type of aircraft:

Cessna 401

Operator:

Registration:

N7917Q

Flight Phase:

Flight Type:

Positioning

Survivors:

Site:

Mountains

Schedule:

Omak – Troutdale

MSN:

401B-0017

YOM:

1969

Location:

Yakima

Country:

Region:

Landing (descent or approach)

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Captain / Total flying hours:

7029

Captain / Total hours on type:

513.00

Circumstances:

While cruising by night under IFR mode with the autopilot system ON, the twin engine aircraft struck the slope of a mountain located near Yakima. The wreckage was found a day later. The airplane was destroyed and the pilot has been killed.

Probable cause:

Controlled flight into terrain. At the time of the accident, the aircraft was 10 miles of the intended course for undetermined reason.

Final Report:

Crash of a Lockheed P-2H Neptune at Whidbey Island NAS

Date & Time: Oct 17, 1969

Type of aircraft:

Lockheed P-2 Neptune

Operator:

Registration:

140433

Flight Phase:

Flight Type:

Military

Site:

Whidbey Island NAS (Ault Field)

MSN:

726-7092

Location:

Country:

Region: