Crash of a De Havilland DH.106 Comet 1A in Mauripur: 11 killed

Date & Time: Mar 3, 1953 at 0335 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
CF-CUN
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
London – Rome – Beirut – Karachi – Yangon – Jakarta – Darwin – Sydney
MSN:
6014
YOM:
1952
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
5
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
6
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
11
Aircraft flight hours:
51
Circumstances:
The crew (five flying crew and six De Havilland engineers) were conducting a demo flight from London to Sydney to show this new jetliner to potential clients in Southeast Asia and Oceania. While taking off from runway 25 (2,500 meters long) at Mauripur Airbase, the airplane failed to get airborne, overran, hit several obstacles, went through a perimeter fence and eventually crashed in flames in a small river. The aircraft was destroyed by a post crash fire and all 11 occupants were killed.
Probable cause:
The accident was caused by the fact that the nose of the aircraft was lifted too high during the takeoff run, resulting in a partially stalled condition and excessive drag. This did not permit normal acceleration and prevented the aircraft from becoming airborne within the prescribed distance. The pilot appears to have realised that the nose was excessively high and took corrective action, but this was done too late to prevent the aircraft striking an obstruction immediately beyond the perimeter fence before it became airborne. The following factor was considered as contributory: the pilot, who had only limited experience in the Comet aircraft, elected to takeoff at night at the maximum permissible takeoff for the prevailing conditions. The circumstances required strict adherence to the prescribed takeoff technique, which was not complied with.

Crash of a De Havilland DH.83 Fox Moth in Mauripur

Date & Time: Jun 12, 1951
Registration:
AP-ABQ
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Mauripur - Mauripur
MSN:
FM.44
YOM:
1948
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
3
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
The crew was completing a local training flight in Mauripur Airbase when on final approach, the single engine aircraft collided with an Auster J/5, stalled and crashed short of runway. All three crew members were injured and the aircraft was destroyed.

Crash of a Handley Page H.P.63 Halifax VII in Mauripur

Date & Time: Sep 26, 1948
Operator:
Registration:
PN256
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
0
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
On landing in Mauripur, the aircraft went out of control, veered off runway and collided with a hut. There were no casualties but the aircraft was damaged beyond repair.

Crash of an Avro 691 Lancastrian XPP in Mauripur: 4 killed

Date & Time: Aug 1, 1948 at 0940 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
AP-ACM
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Chaklala – Mauripur
MSN:
37031
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
4
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
4
Circumstances:
The crew was completing a cargo flight from Chaklala Airport in Islamabad, carrying a load of military goods. On final approach to Mauripur Airport, while at an altitude of 300 feet, the aircraft pitched up and down and then went into a nose down attitude. Out of control, it plunged into the earth and crashed in a near vertical angle near the runway 22 threshold. The aircraft was destroyed and all four crew members were killed.
Probable cause:
Poor judgement on the part of the crew who led the aircraft stalling on final approach. The following factors were considered as contributory:
- the airplane was probably overloaded,
- the center of gravity was probably out of the enveloppe when control was lost,
- as the load was not properly secured, it probably shifted during the approach.

Crash of an Avro 685 York I in Mauripur AFB

Date & Time: May 23, 1946
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
MW191
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Northolt – Mauripur
MSN:
MW191
YOM:
1945
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
0
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
On touchdown, an undercarriage collapsed. The aircraft skidded on its belly for several yards before coming to rest. There were no casualties but the aircraft was considered as damaged beyond repair.
Probable cause:
It was reported that the approach configuration was wrong and the pilot landed hard, causing an undercarriage to fail.

Crash of an Avro 691 Lancastrian I in Mauripur AFB

Date & Time: May 17, 1946
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
G-AGMH
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Northolt – Mauripur
MSN:
1188
YOM:
1944
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
0
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
Landed hard in Mauripur AFB and was considered as damaged beyond repair. No casualties.

Crash of a Noorduyn UC-64A Norseman in Mauripur

Date & Time: Sep 3, 1945
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
44-70454
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
MSN:
719
YOM:
1944
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
1
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
Crashed on takeoff. The pilot Raymond M. Christy was injured.

Crash of a Douglas DC-3 Dakota III in Raitali: 3 killed

Date & Time: Aug 19, 1945
Operator:
Registration:
FL603
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Mumbai – Mauripur
MSN:
12013
YOM:
1943
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
3
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
6
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
9
Circumstances:
The aircraft left Bombay-Santa Cruz Airport at 0725LT on a flight to Mauripur AFB in Karachi with a crew of three, six passengers, mail and freight. About thirty minutes later, a catastrophic failure cause the left engine to detach. A part of the left wing was sheared off and the aircraft dove into the ground and crashed in a prairie in Raitali. All nine occupants were killed.
Crew (353rd Squadron):
F/O S. D. Woodman, pilot,
W/O J. P. Shanahan, navigator,
W/O P. W. Williams, wireless operator and air gunner.
Probable cause:
Engine failure.

Crash of an Avro 685 York C.1 in Mauripur

Date & Time: Feb 8, 1945
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
MW118
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
MSN:
MW118
YOM:
1944
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
0
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
A tyre burst in flight, forcing the crew to complete a belly landing in Mauripur Airport, Karachi. While there were no casualties, the aircraft was damaged beyond repair.