Zantop Air Transport

Operator:

Registration:

N10415

Flight Phase:

Flight

Flight Type:

Survivors:

Site:

Plain, Valley

Schedule:

Detroit – Kansas City

MSN:

341

YOM:

1945

Location:

Columbia City

Indiana

Country:

Region:

Armstrong Whitworth AW.650 Argosy

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Captain / Total flying hours:

14067

Captain / Total hours on type:

6732.00

Circumstances:

While on a cargo flight from Detroit to Kansas City, the C-46 collided with a private Piper Aztec registered N5628Y. Following the collision, both aircraft went out of control, dove into the ground and crashed in an open field located in Columbia City. Both pilots on board the C-46 and the pilot of the Aztec were killed.

Probable cause:

In-flight collision caused by an inadequate visual contact to avoid collision on part of the crew.

Final Report:

Crash of an Armstrong Whitworth AW.650 Argosy 101 in Piqua

Date & Time: Oct 14, 1965 at 1743 LT

Type of aircraft:

Operator:

Registration:

N601Z

Flight Phase:

Flight Type:

Survivors:

Site:

Schedule:

Madison - Wright-Patterson

MSN:

6659

YOM:

1960

Location:

Piqua

Ohio

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Captain / Total flying hours:

5616

Captain / Total hours on type:

146.00

Circumstances:

The crew departed Madison-Truax Field at 1610LT on a cargo flight to Wright-Patterson AFB on behalf of the US Air Force. While descending to the airbase, north of Dayton, all four engines stopped simultaneously. The crew attempted an immediate emergency landing in a field. The aircraft slid on the ground and eventually collided with a bridge pile and several vehicles before coming to rest. All three crew members were slightly injured while no one on the ground was hurt. The aircraft was damaged beyond repair.

Probable cause:

Engine failure caused by a fuel exhaustion. Inadequate preflight preparation and miscalculated fuel consumption on part of the flying crew.

Final Report:

Crash of a Curtiss C-46D-5-CU Commando at Dover AFB

Date & Time: Sep 13, 1965 at 0900 LT

Type of aircraft:

Operator:

Registration:

N5132B

Flight Phase:

Takeoff (climb)

Flight Type:

Survivors:

Site:

MSN:

32700

YOM:

1944

Location:

Dover AFB

Delaware

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Captain / Total flying hours:

4166

Captain / Total hours on type:

778.00

Aircraft flight hours:

17520

Circumstances:

The crew was engaged in a special cargo flight on behalf of the US Air Force. Shortly after takeoff from Dover AFB, while climbing, a false engine fire warning caused the propeller to feather. The crew elected to return for a safe landing but was unable to lower the landing gear that could bot be locked due to a hydraulic pressure leak in the windshield wiper. The captain decided to complete a belly landing in a field located few dozen yards short of runway. The airplane came to rest and was damaged beyond repair while all three crew members were slightly injured.

Probable cause:

The propeller of an engine was feathered due to a false fire warning after takeoff.

Final Report:

Crash of a Curtiss C-46A-45-CU Commando in Detroit: 4 killed

Date & Time: Dec 30, 1964 at 0214 LT

Type of aircraft:

Operator:

Registration:

N608Z

Flight Phase:

Flight Type:

Survivors:

Site:

Detroit-Metropolitan-Wayne County

Schedule:

Cleveland – Detroit – Denver

MSN:

30328

YOM:

1944

Location:

Michigan

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Captain / Total flying hours:

21400

Captain / Total hours on type:

7520.00

Aircraft flight hours:

7385

Circumstances:

The C-46 Commando had been cleared for a runway 03L ILS approach at Detroit in poor weather (sky obscured, visibility 1 mile, light drizzle). During the approach, at 1,5 miles right of the ILS course and 1 mile NE of the Outer Marker, the aircraft suddenly entered a 45° bank left turn. The bank angle exceeded 60° as the plane crossed the localizer course from left to right. The aircraft struck several 84 feet tall trees in an 8° nose down and 30° right bank attitude, struck the ground and disintegrated. In the investigation an incapacitation of the captain was considered, but not supported by postmortem examination.

Probable cause:

Loss of control during night instrument approach in adverse weather for an undetermined reason.

Final Report:

Crash of a Curtiss C-46F-1-CU Commando in Detroit

Date & Time: Nov 20, 1964 at 0611 LT

Type of aircraft:

Operator:

Registration:

N3971B

Flight Phase:

Takeoff (climb)

Flight Type:

Survivors:

Site:

Detroit-Metropolitan-Wayne County

Schedule:

Detroit – Wilmington

MSN:

22594

YOM:

1945

Flight number:

VK11346

Location:

Michigan

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Captain / Total flying hours:

10376

Captain / Total hours on type:

5676.00

Aircraft flight hours:

25018

Circumstances:

The crew was engaged in a cargo flight from Detroit to Wilmington and the aircraft was loaded to about 20 pounds under the maximum allowable gross weight of 48,000 pounds. After takeoff from runway 21L, while climbing to a height of 200 feet, the aircraft suffered vibrations then stalled and crashed in a field located 2,050 feet pas the runway end. It slid for about 448 feet before coming to rest with its both wings partially sheared off. Both pilots were evacuated and the aircraft was written off.

Probable cause:

A loss of lift during takeoff, resulting from airframe icing caused by inadequate deicing and preflight inspection. It was determined that the airplane has been improperly deiced prior to takeoff and that a layer of 3 mm of ice was still on the wings at the time of the accident.

Crash of a Curtiss C-46A-20-CU Commando near Nederland: 3 killed

Date & Time: Dec 7, 1963 at 1919 LT

Type of aircraft:

Operator:

Registration:

N609Z

Flight Phase:

Flight

Flight Type:

Survivors:

Site:

Mountains

Schedule:

Lowry - Ogden

MSN:

26571

YOM:

1943

Location:

Nederland

Colorado

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Captain / Total flying hours:

13527

Captain / Total hours on type:

10128.00

Aircraft flight hours:

11694

Circumstances:

The crew was conducting a cargo flight from Lowry AFB to Ogden-Hill AFB on behalf of the US Air Force. While cruising over the Rockies at an altitude of 12,500 feet, the crew encountered poor weather conditions when the airplane struck the slope of mountain and crashed in flames. SAR operations were initiated but eventually suspended few days later as no trace of the airplane nor the three occupants was found. The wreckage was located on 8 July 1964. All three occupants were killed and the aircraft was destroyed by fire.

Probable cause:

It was determined that the probable cause of the accident was an improper in-flight decision or planning on part of the flying crew who exercised poor judgment. The weather briefing provided to the crew by the military personnel prior to takeoff at Lowry AFB was inadequate, which was considered as a contributing factor.

Final Report:

Crash of a Curtiss C-46F-1-CU Commando at Thun Field AFB

Date & Time: Feb 16, 1963 at 1826 LT

Type of aircraft:

Operator:

Registration:

N616Z

Flight Phase:

Flight Type:

Survivors:

Site:

Schedule:

Ogden-Hill – Malmstrom – McChord – Portland – Ogden-Hill

MSN:

22590

YOM:

1942

Flight number:

VK060

Location:

Thun Field AFB

Washington

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Captain / Total flying hours:

7003

Captain / Total hours on type:

1133.00

Copilot / Total flying hours:

2133

Copilot / Total hours on type:

300

Aircraft flight hours:

17683

Circumstances:

Zantop Air Transport, Inc., LOGAIR Flight 60-16 (VK060), a Curtiss C-40F, N616Z, crashed following an attempt to land on runway 17 at Thun Field, near Puyallup, Washington, at 1826 P.s.t., February 16, 1963. Both crew members survived the crash but were severely injured. There were no other occupants. The aircraft was destroyed by the impact and post-impact fire. An engine malfunction seven minutes after takeoff from McChord AFB, Washington, was followed by an unsuccessful attempt to feather the propeller and by intermittent overspeeding. During an attempted go-around from the landing approach the pilot lost control of the aircraft and crashed in a pasture approximately one-half tile northeast of Thun Field.

Probable cause:

The Board determines that the probable cause of this accident was the improper handling of an emergency situation, precipitated by a mechanical malfunction, which resulted in an unsuccessful single engine go-around. A contributing factor was the failure of Radar Approach Control to provide complete, accurate airfield data to the pilot.

Final Report:

Crash of a Douglas DC-4 in Cincinnati

Date & Time: Nov 14, 1961

Type of aircraft:

Douglas DC-4

Operator:

Registration:

N30061

Flight Phase:

Flight Type:

Survivors:

Site:

Cincinnati-Northern Kentucky

MSN:

10331

YOM:

1944

Location:

Kentucky

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

On touchdown, the aircraft went out of control and came to rest in flames. All three crew members were injured and the aircraft was destroyed by fire.

Crash of a Curtiss C-46A-45-CU Commando in Long Beach

Date & Time: Dec 16, 1956

Type of aircraft:

Operator:

Registration:

N2028A

Flight Phase:

Flight Type:

Survivors:

Site:

MSN:

30380

YOM:

1944

Location:

Long Beach

California

Country:

Region: