Crash of a Curtiss C-46 in Paraguay: 1 killed

Date & Time: Dec 12, 1972
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Schedule:
Miami - Asunción
Country:
Crew on board:
2
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
1
Circumstances:
The crew started the descent to Asunción when the airplane struck the slope of a mountain. The wreckage was found eight days later in an isolated area. While the copilot survived, the captain died from his injuries.

Crash of a Cessna 414 Chancellor in Merritt Island: 1 killed

Date & Time: May 15, 1972 at 1449 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
N8137Q
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Miami - Merritt Island
MSN:
414-0037
YOM:
1969
Crew on board:
1
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
1
Captain / Total flying hours:
1248
Captain / Total hours on type:
91.00
Circumstances:
On final approach to Merritt Island Airport, while completing a steep turn, the pilot lost control of the airplane that stalled and crashed in a river. The aircraft was destroyed and the pilot was killed.
Probable cause:
The pilot failed to obtain/maintain flying speed while completing a steep turn to final approach.
Final Report:

Crash of a Lockheed L-1049H Super Constellation off Great Inagua Island: 4 killed

Date & Time: Oct 20, 1971 at 2205 LT
Operator:
Registration:
N564E
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Santo Domingo - Miami
MSN:
4834
YOM:
1958
Country:
Crew on board:
4
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
4
Captain / Total flying hours:
14000
Captain / Total hours on type:
5000.00
Circumstances:
While cruising by night on a cargo flight from Santo Domingo to Miami, the four engine airplane went out of control and crashed into the sea off Great Inagua Island. The airplane exploded while contacting water and was totally destroyed. All four occupants were killed.
Probable cause:
The exact cause of the accident could not be determined with certainty. However, the assumption that a fire broke out in the cargo compartment was not ruled out.
Final Report:

Crash of a Canadair C-4GM North Star in Sarasota

Date & Time: Sep 17, 1971 at 1320 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
CF-UXB
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Sarasota - Miami - Cockburn Harbor
MSN:
117
YOM:
1948
Crew on board:
2
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Captain / Total flying hours:
14500
Captain / Total hours on type:
8500.00
Circumstances:
On approach to Miami Airport, the crew did not get three greens and decided to return to Sarasota. On approach, engine number one and four were shut down and both other engines at an altitude of 500 feet. The airplane belly landed and slid for 1,800 feet before coming to rest. Both crew members were uninjured while the aircraft was damaged beyond repair.
Probable cause:
Failure of the landing gear to extend properly. The following factors were reported:
- Material failure,
- Improperly installed,
- Inadequate maintenance and inspection,
- Intentional wheels-up landing,
- Suspected mechanical discrepancy,
- Left gear uplatch upper link assembly failed,
- Lower gear by emergency system due to improper blot installed.
Final Report:

Crash of a Learjet 23 in Rio de Janeiro: 5 killed

Date & Time: Aug 31, 1969 at 2316 LT
Type of aircraft:
Registration:
PP-FMX
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Miami - Rio de Janeiro
MSN:
23-090
YOM:
1966
Country:
Crew on board:
2
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
4
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
5
Circumstances:
The crew was completing a ferry flight from Miami, Florida, to Rio de Janeiro. During the final approach completed by night, the airplane went out of control and crashed into the Guanabara Bay, some 8 km northwest of Santos Dumont Airport. The wreckage was found few hundred meters off the Fundão Island. The copilot's wife was found alive while five other occupants were killed.
Crew:
Joaquim Pereira, pilot,
Joaci Rupf, copilot.

Crash of a Douglas DC-3 in Marinilla: 6 killed

Date & Time: Aug 11, 1967
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Miami - Quito
Country:
Crew on board:
2
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
4
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
6
Circumstances:
While completing an illegal flight, the airplane suffered an engine failure. The crew elected to make an emergency landing when control was lost and the airplane crashed. All six occupants were killed.
Probable cause:
Engine failure in flight.

Crash of a Lockheed 18-56-23 LodeStar off Lima: 5 killed

Date & Time: Apr 2, 1967
Type of aircraft:
Registration:
N706G
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Miami – Lima – Asunción
MSN:
2625
YOM:
1944
Country:
Crew on board:
2
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
3
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
5
Circumstances:
While approaching Lima-Callao-Jorge Chávez Airport, the twin engine aircraft went out of control and crashed into the sea few km off shore. All five occupants were killed. They were performing a flight from Miami to Asunción with an intermediate stop in Lima.

Crash of a Hawker-Siddeley HS.125-1A/522 off Freeport: 1 killed

Date & Time: Nov 22, 1966 at 2014 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
N235KC
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Miami – Freeport
MSN:
25096
YOM:
1966
Country:
Crew on board:
1
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
1
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
1
Captain / Total flying hours:
6300
Captain / Total hours on type:
152.00
Circumstances:
The pilot departed Miami on a private flight to Freeport with his spouse on board. He did not file any flight plan and failed to ask for a copilot. During a night approach to Freeport Airport, in dark night, the twin engine airplane struck the water surface and crashed into the sea about 7,2 km short of runway, off Pinder Point. The pilot was seriously injured while the passenger's body was not recovered.
Probable cause:
The pilot misjudged altitude and failed to follow the approved procedures. The controlled descent into water was probably the consequence of a instruments misread or failed to read on part of the pilot.
Final Report:

Crash of a Douglas C-54D-10-DC Skymaster in Panama City: 7 killed

Date & Time: Aug 4, 1965 at 2334 LT
Type of aircraft:
Registration:
OB-R-769
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Iquitos – Cali – Panama City – Miami
MSN:
10826
YOM:
1945
Country:
Crew on board:
3
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
4
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
7
Captain / Total flying hours:
4563
Copilot / Total flying hours:
5012
Circumstances:
The flight was a non-scheduled international cargo flight carrying wild animals from Iquitos, Peru, to Miami, U.S.A., with intermediate stops at Cali, Colombia, and Panama City, Panama. It departed Iquitos at 1325 hours GMT and reached Cali, Colombia at 1725 hours. There it was refuelled and repairs were carried out on Nos. 2 and 3 engines. It then took off for Panama City at 2120 hours, arriving there for refuelling at 2320 hours. At 2333 hours local time, the aircraft took off normally from runway 03 for Miami. One minute later, the tower controller looked towards the aircraft before authorizing a change of frequency and saw large flames at a heading of approximately 040° but was unable to say if the aircraft was still airborne or had just crashed. He immediately gave the alarm and enquired whether the air traffic cont;roller still had radar contact with the air- craft, On receiving a negative reply, he notified the airport authority that the aircraft had crashed. It was subsequently found that the aircraft had struck a mahogany tree at a height of about 70 ft above the ground and then several others before corning to rest on uneven ground. The accident occurred 2.5 miles north-east from the end of runway 03 at Tocumen Airport. The airplane was destroyed and all seven occupants were killed.
Probable cause:
The Commission of Inquiry decided that this accident was probably caused by faulty maintenance. Some malfunction of No. 2 engine apparently occurred during the first phase of take-off and caused an intense in-flight fire. The destruction by the fire of some of the control surfaces resulted in a loss of control and the aircraft struck several trees and crashed.
Final Report:

Crash of a Beechcraft C-45G Expeditor off Miami

Date & Time: Apr 9, 1965 at 1405 LT
Type of aircraft:
Registration:
N9523Z
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
MSN:
AF-201
YOM:
1952
Location:
Crew on board:
1
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Captain / Total flying hours:
5587
Captain / Total hours on type:
460.00
Circumstances:
Sole on board, the pilot was completing an on-demand cargo flight. While flying along the Feast Florida coast, both engines failed simultaneously. The pilot contacted ATC, reported his position and elected to make an emergency landing but was eventually forced to ditch the aircraft off Miami. While the pilot was evacuated safely, the airplane sank and was not recovered.
Probable cause:
Double engine failure in flight for undetermined reason. The exact cause of the accident could not be determined as the aircraft was not recovered.
Final Report: