Las Palmas-Gando (Gran Canaria)

Douglas C-47 Skytrain (DC-3)

Operator:

Registration:

OB-R-148

Flight Phase:

Flight

Flight Type:

Scheduled Revenue Flight

Survivors:

Site:

Mountains

Schedule:

Lima – Huánuco – Las Palmas

MSN:

10284

YOM:

1944

Location:

Huánuco

Country:

Peru

Region:

South America

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

Few minutes after takeoff from Huánuco-Alferez David Figueroa Fernandini Airport, while climbing to an altitude of 10,000 feet, the airplane struck the slope of a mountain located in the Montañas de Carpish Mountain Range, some 50 km north of Huánuco. The wreckage was found few hours later about 30 meters below the summit. The aircraft was destroyed and all 67 occupants were killed, among them 45 Peruvians, 5 French, 2 Britons ,5 Italians, 2 Belgians and 8 US citizens. They were on their way to the Tingo Maria National Park located west of Las Palmas.

Crash of a Douglas C-47A-25-DK in Tenerife: 32 killed

Date & Time: Dec 7, 1965 at 1840 LT

Type of aircraft:

Operator:

Registration:

EC-ARZ

Flight Phase:

Takeoff (climb)

Flight Type:

Charter/Taxi (Non Scheduled Revenue Flight)

Survivors:

Site:

Airport (less than 10 km from airport)

Schedule:

Tenerife – Las Palmas

MSN:

13474

YOM:

1944

Location:

Tenerife-Norte-Los Rodeos

Country:

Region:

Douglas C-47 Skytrain (DC-3)

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Aircraft flight hours:

19245

Circumstances:

The flight was a non-scheduled domestic flight from Tenerife to Las Palmas. It took off from runway 30 at Tenerife Airport with an IFR flight plan at 1830 hours and disappeared from the view of the tower controller in low cloud about 500 m before the end of the runway. According to the tower controller, the pilot acknowledged the last instructions from the tower two minutes after takeoff and did not re-establish contact afterwards. The aircraft was not seen again until a few moments before the accident which was presumed to have occurred between 1834 and 1840 hours according to witnesses. It was later determined that the airplane went into a dive and crashed few km from the airfield, killing all 32 occupants, most of them Scandinavian tourists.

Probable cause:

In the light of the investigation, the cause of this accident was considered to be unknown, and was, therefore, classified as "undetermined". However, the reasons which may have caused the aircraft to enter a spin are listed hereunder: One probable cause was a failure of the suction pump or the vacuum system. If the vacuum system had failed the artificial horizon, directional gyro and turn-and-bank indicator would have become inoperative. A failure of this sort, aggravated by turbulence, would deprive the pilot of the means to control the aircraft which, in these conditions, might have stalled one or more times. Another cause which might have produced a spin was flying into very severe turbulence with loss of control leading to a stall. Engine failure was not considered probable, although a malfunctioning of one of the propellers was not ruled out. It was considered that the pilot would have alerted the tower if an emergency has occurred, whereas it was considered unlikely that he would have done so if the instruments failed or if he encountered severe turbulence, as in these circumstances his entire attention would have been concentrated on trying to restore the aircraft to a normal attitude.

Final Report:

Crash of a Douglas C-47A-80-DL off Fuerteventura: 7 killed

Date & Time: Apr 21, 1963 at 0311 LT

Type of aircraft:

Operator:

Registration:

T.3-44

Flight Phase:

Flight

Flight Type:

Survivors:

Site:

Schedule:

Las Palmas – Los Llanos

MSN:

19750

YOM:

1944

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

The crew departed Las Palmas-Gando Airport at 0227LT on a flight to the airbase of Los Llanos in Albacete. While approaching the island of Fuerteventura, the twin engine aircraft crashed into the sea some 44 minutes after takeoff. SAR operations were conducted but eventually suspended few days later as no trace of the aircraft nor the seven crew members was found.

Probable cause:

Due to lack of evidence, it was not possible to determine the cause of the accident.

Crash of a Douglas C-54E-15-DO Skymaster off Las Palmas: 3 killed

Date & Time: Jan 22, 1963

Type of aircraft:

Operator:

Registration:

6601

Flight Phase:

Flight Type:

Survivors:

Yes

Site:

Schedule:

Luanda – Las Palmas – Lisbon

MSN:

27351

YOM:

1945

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

While approaching Las Palmas by night, the four engine aircraft crashed into the sea and came to rest 15 km from the runway threshold. The floating aircraft was found in the next morning and 11 occupants were evacuated safely while three passengers drowned. Few hours later, the airplane sank and was lost.

Crash of a Douglas C-54D-5-DC Skymaster off Las Palmas

Date & Time: Jul 26, 1962

Type of aircraft:

Operator:

Registration:

7501

Flight Phase:

Flight Type:

Site:

Schedule:

São Tomé - Las Palmas

MSN:

10664

YOM:

1945

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

While approaching Las Palmas-Gando Airport on a flight from São Tomé, the four engine aircraft crashed into the sea few km off shore. The crew fate remains unknown.

Crash of a Douglas C-54D-15-DC Skymaster in Las Palmas: 1 killed

Date & Time: Jul 4, 1962 at 1626 LT

Type of aircraft:

Operator:

Registration:

T.4-3

Flight Phase:

Flight Type:

Airport (less than 10 km from airport)

Survivors:

Yes

Site:

Schedule:

Sidi Ifni – Las Palmas

MSN:

22169

YOM:

1945

Location:

Country:

Region:

Grumman HU-16 (SA-16) Albatross

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

The approach to Las Palmas-Gando Airport was completed in strong cross winds. On touchdown, the left main gear collapsed and the airplane slid for several yards and came to rest in flames. Twenty occupants were injured while 23 others were unhurt. A passenger, Lt Col Sergio Ruipérez Escudero died in the accident.

Crash of a Grumman SA-16B Albatross in Las Palmas

Date & Time: Dec 12, 1959

Type of aircraft:

Operator:

Registration:

AD.1B-6

Flight Phase:

Flight Type:

Training

Survivors:

Yes

Site:

MSN:

G-315

YOM:

1953

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

Crashed in unknown circumstances and sank in the harbor of Las Palmas. There were no casualties.

Crash of a Casa 2.111 off Las Palmas: 6 killed

Date & Time: Aug 11, 1957

Type of aircraft:

Casa 2.111

Operator:

Flight Phase:

Flight Type:

Survivors:

Site:

Schedule:

Sidi Ifni – Las Palmas

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

While approaching Las Palmas, the twin engine aircraft went out of control and crashed into the sea about 15 km offshore. All six crew members were killed.

Crash of a Heinkel He.111/V2b in Bathurst: 4 killed

Date & Time: Mar 12, 1937

Type of aircraft:

Heinkel He.111

Operator:

Registration:

D-ALIX

Flight Phase: