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Crash of a Douglas DC-8-63CF in Colombo: 183 killed

Date & Time: Nov 15, 1978 at 2330 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
TF-FLA
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Jeddah - Colombo - Surabaya
MSN:
46020/415
YOM:
1968
Flight number:
LL001
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
13
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
249
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
183
Circumstances:
The four engine airplane was chartered by Garuda Indonesia Airways to fly back to Surabaya 249 Indonesian pilgrims who were returning home following a 'haj' in Mecca. Following an uneventful flight, the crew was cleared to descend from FL330 to FL220 then was informed that runway 04 was in use. The captain requested a runway 22 landing and was cleared for. On final approach by night, while at an altitude of 650 feet, the crew was cleared to land on runway 22, a clearance that was acknowledged by the crew. Few seconds later, the approach controller realized that the aircraft was too low and tried to contact the crew. Unfortunately, this was not possible as the crew already switched to the tower frequency. On short final, the airplane struck tree tops and crashed in a huge explosion in a coconut grove located 2,1 km short of runway 22 threshold. 79 occupants were rescued while 183 others were killed, among them eight crew members. The aircraft was totally destroyed by a post crash fire.
Probable cause:
It was determined that the accident was the consequence of the combination of the following factors:
- The flight crew's failure to conform to the laid down approach procedures,
- The crew failed to check and utilize all instruments available for altitude and descent rate awareness,
- The copilot failed to provide the captain with the required altitude and sink rate call-outs at the various levels,
- The captain failed to initiate a missed approach procedure at the appropriate height when the runway was not in sight,
- The sink rate was very excessive during most part of the descent,
- There is a possibility that the radio altimeter bug on the captain's panel had been erroneously set at 150' which resulted in the captain being deprived of the warning light of the altimeter and of the audiovisual warnings of the GPWS as the break-off altitude of 250' which he had intended to set,
- Contributing to the accident was the fact that there was a down draught of the wind which probably rendered recovery more difficult when the captain realized that the aircraft had descended too low and called for maximum power to overshoot.
Final Report:

Crash of a Douglas C-54A-5-DO Skymaster in Pisa

Date & Time: Jan 27, 1952
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
TF-RVH
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
MSN:
7485
YOM:
1944
Location:
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
4
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
The four engine aircraft christened 'Helka' was performing a cargo flight, carrying 50 cows. After touchdown at Pisa-San Giusto Airport, the airplane encountered difficulties to stop within the remaining distance. It overran and came to rest in flames in a ditch. All four crew members were evacuated safely while only three cows were rescued, 47 others being killed.

Crash of an Airspeed AS.65 Consul in Crow Stone Edge: 3 killed

Date & Time: Apr 12, 1951
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
TF-RPM
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Site:
Schedule:
Croydon – Liverpool – Prestwick – Reykjavik
MSN:
2647
YOM:
1946
Region:
Crew on board:
2
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
1
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
3
Circumstances:
The crew was performing a delivery flight from Croydon to Reykjavik with intermediate stops in Liverpool and Prestwick. While approaching Liverpool from the east, the pilot encountered poor weather conditions and lost his orientation. While flying in poor visibility, the twin engine aircraft hit the slope of a mountain located in Crow Stone Edge, southwest of Sheffield, in the Peak District National Park. The aircraft disintegrated on impact and all three occupants were killed.
Crew:
Pall Magnusson, pilot,
Alexander Watson, wireless operator.
Passenger:
Johann Rist.

Crash of a Douglas C-54B-20-DO Skymaster in Vatnajökull

Date & Time: Sep 14, 1950
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
TF-RVC
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Schedule:
Luxembourg – Reykjavik – New York
MSN:
27240
YOM:
1944
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
6
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
While flying at an altitude of 6,000 feet, the four engine aircraft christened 'Geysir' hit the northwest slope of the Vatnajökull glacier, in the southeast part of Iceland. As the airplane failed to arrive, SAR operations were conducted but due to poor weather conditions, the wreckage was spotted four days later only . As the crash site was difficult to reach, the first rescuers arrived on site two days later, on September 20. The aircraft was destroyed but all six crew members survived because the cargo turned out to contain expensive furs and Swiss chocolate. The crew was performing a cargo flight from Luxembourg to New York with an intermediate stop in Reykjavik.

Crash of an Avro 652 Anson in Hellisheiði: 4 killed

Date & Time: Mar 7, 1948
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
TF-RVL
Flight Phase:
Survivors:
No
Site:
Schedule:
Vestmannaeyjar – Reykjavik
MSN:
4185
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
2
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
2
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
4
Circumstances:
While cruising in poor weather conditions, the twin engine aircraft hit the slope of Mt Skalafell located near Hellisheiði. The aircraft was destroyed by impact forces and all four occupants were killed.

Crash of a Grumman JRF-6B Goose off Búðardalur: 4 killed

Date & Time: Mar 13, 1947
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
TF-RVI
Flight Phase:
Survivors:
No
MSN:
1139
YOM:
1942
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
2
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
2
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
4
Circumstances:
Crashed into the sea shortly after takeoff from the Búðardalur Bay. All four occupants were killed.

Crash of a Noorduyn UIC-64A Norseman off Reykjavik

Date & Time: Jun 26, 1946
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
TF-RVD
MSN:
126
YOM:
1943
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
0
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
While landing off Reykjavik, the single engine aircraft hit waves, overturned and sank. The crew fate remains unknown but the aircraft was lost.

Crash of a Noorduyn UC-64A Norseman off Patreksfjörđur

Date & Time: Apr 15, 1946
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
TF-RVE
MSN:
113
YOM:
1943
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
0
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
Crashed into the sea off Patreksfjörđur while landing on rough sea. The aircraft was lost but the occupant fate remains unknown.