Crash of a Boeing 307 Stratoliner in Seattle

Date & Time: Mar 28, 2002 at 1310 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
NC19903
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Seattle - Seattle
MSN:
2003
YOM:
1940
Crew on board:
4
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Captain / Total flying hours:
15000
Captain / Total hours on type:
62.00
Aircraft flight hours:
20577
Circumstances:
The crew had originally planned to practice landings at an airport about 20 minutes away, then stop, refuel the airplane, and subsequently return to the original departure airport. Prior to the flight, the crew discussed fuel endurance, which was calculated to be 2 hours based on the captain's knowledge of the airplane's fuel consumption, and the quantity of fuel indicated on the gauges. The fuel tanks were not dipped. The flight was made at 1,500 feet msl. Upon reaching the practice airport, the crew conducted one full stop landing, then taxied back for takeoff. During takeoff, an engine had a momentary overspeed, and the crew decided to return to the original departure airport without refueling. Approaching the original departure airport, the airplane had to delay landing for about 7 minutes for a manual gear extension. Upon completion, it turned back toward the airport, and was about 6 miles from the runway when fuel pressure for one of the engines dropped. The boost pumps were turned on; however, the engine lost power. A low fuel pressure light then illuminated for another engine. The captain called for the flight engineer to switch fuel feed to another tank, but the flight engineer responded, "we're out of fuel." The remaining engines subsequently lost power, and the captain ditched the airplane into a bay. The time from first takeoff until ditching was 1 hour, 19 minutes. The airplane had flown 39 hours since restoration, and exact fuel capacities, fuel flow calculations and unusable fuel amounts had not been established. A dipping chart had been prepared, with one person in the cockpit and one person with a yardstick putting fuel in a main tank in 25-gallon increments. However, the data had not been verified, and dipping was not considered to be part of the pre-flight inspection.
Probable cause:
Loss of all engine power due to fuel exhaustion that resulted from the flight crew's failure to accurately determine onboard fuel during the pre-flight inspection. A factor contributing to the accident was a lack of adequate crew communication regarding the fuel status.
Final Report:

Crash of a Boeing 307 Stratoliner B-1 in Battambang: 19 killed

Date & Time: Jun 27, 1974
Type of aircraft:
Registration:
XW-TFR
Flight Phase:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Battambang - Phnom Penh
MSN:
1999
YOM:
1940
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
6
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
33
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
19
Circumstances:
Just after liftoff, while in initial climb, the airplane stalled and crashed in flames shortly after the runway end. Two crew members and 17 passengers were killed while 20 others were injured. The aircraft was destroyed.
Probable cause:
Simultaneous loss of power on engine n°1, 2 and 3 due to poor maintenance.

Crash of a Boeing S.307B-1 Stratoliner in Luang Prabang

Date & Time: Feb 27, 1971
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
XW-PGR
Survivors:
Yes
MSN:
2000
YOM:
1940
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
0
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
Upon landing at Luang Prabang Airport, in unclear circumstances, the left wing struck a Royal Lao Air Force C-47 and was damaged. There were no injuries but the aircraft was not repaired.

Crash of a Boeing 307 Stratoliner B-1 near Hanoi: 13 killed

Date & Time: Oct 18, 1965 at 1630 LT
Type of aircraft:
Registration:
F-BELV
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Vientiane – Hanoi
MSN:
1996
YOM:
1940
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
4
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
9
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
13
Circumstances:
The aircraft departed Vientiane-Wattay Airport at 1505LT bound for Hanoi. About 15 minutes later, the crew contacted ATC and gave his ETA at Hanoi for 1644LT. While descending to Hanoi-Gia Lam Airport, the aircraft crashed in unknown circumstances in an isolated area. SAR operations were conducted but eventually suspended as no trace of the aircraft nor the 13 occupants was found. It is believed the airplane may have been shot down by soldiers based in a zone under North-Vietnam control. All four crew members were French citizens while the nine passengers were employees of the ICSC.

Crash of a Boeing 307B-1 Stratoliner on Monte Renoso: 25 killed

Date & Time: Dec 29, 1962 at 1312 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
F-BELZ
Flight Phase:
Survivors:
No
Site:
Schedule:
Bastia – Ajaccio – Nice
MSN:
2001
YOM:
1940
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
3
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
22
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
25
Captain / Total flying hours:
9865
Captain / Total hours on type:
3130.00
Copilot / Total flying hours:
7388
Copilot / Total hours on type:
497
Aircraft flight hours:
41150
Circumstances:
The Boeing SA.307 Stratoliner F-BELZ arrived at Bastia (BIA), France from Nice (NCE) at 05:25 UTC. The plane took off again for the return flight via Ajaccio (AJA), Corsica at 11:49 and was cleared for a cruising altitude of FL120, estimating Ajaccio at 12:20 UTC. Last radio contact with the flight was at 12:09 when the flight crew replied to the weather and active runway information from Ajaccio Approach. At 12:12 the flight flew into a sheer rock face of Monte Renoso which is located 45 km from the Ajaccio VOR on the 048 radial. Impact was at an altitude of 2,285 m (7,500 feet) and about 50 m (165 feet) below the summit. The aircraft rebounded after impact and fell about 100 m down the slope of the mountain. All 25 occupants were killed, among them members of the Bastia Basketball team who were flying to Nice for the National Championship. The aircraft was totally destroyed.
Crew:
Roger Mercier, pilot,
Fernand Delime, copilot,
Antoine Blois, mechanic.
Probable cause:
The accident was attributed to a series of errors by the crew who:
- Made insufficient preparation for the flight and committed a serious error in estimating the duration of the flight,
- Failed to observe the cruising altitude entered on the flight plan,
- Failed to check properly the navigation of the aircraft which resulted in a wrong estimation of the position of the aircraft,
- Failed to maintain the safety altitude, and
- Started the descent prematurely, subsequently entering into instrument flight conditions.
The errors of the crew were made possible:
- By a lack of supervision of the flights on the part of the operator; and
- By a lack of correct route instructions for the segment Bastia-Ajaccio. The Board was led to conclude that the crew of F-BEIZ did not have the necessary instructions for the route via the turning point. Even supposing that the instructions supplied to the Board by the operator were issued before the accident, and that they were available to the pilot-in-command, the Board considered that these instructions were inaccurate and dangerous since they did not give the altitude at the turning point and they provided for a flight time between Bastia and Ajaccio which was incompatible with the attainment of safety altitudes.
- By a certain fatigue of the crew. Although the regulations concerning flight time limitations were strictly observed, it is worth mentioning that the flight activity of the crew was fairly strenuous during the three days preceding the accident.
Final Report:

Crash of a Boeing 307 Stratoliner in Saigon

Date & Time: May 22, 1961 at 1148 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
F-BHHR
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Saigon – Vientiane
MSN:
1995
YOM:
1940
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
4
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
24
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Captain / Total flying hours:
20251
Captain / Total hours on type:
3000.00
Copilot / Total flying hours:
15000
Copilot / Total hours on type:
8000
Circumstances:
Shortly after takeoff from Saigon-Tan Son Nhat Airport, while climbing, the crew informed ground about the failure of the engine n°4 and was cleared to return for a safe landing. At this time, the visibility was estimated between 500 and 1,000 meters. While returning to the airport, the crew was informed about the deterioration of the weather conditions with a visibility reduced to 80 meters and strong winds. In such conditions, the captain decided to attempt a go around when the airplane banked right and crashed near the runway 25 threshold. All 28 occupants were evacuated safely while the aircraft was damaged beyond repair.
Probable cause:
The direct cause seems to derive mainly from the sudden worsening of the atmospheric conditions. The violence of the storm was definitely localized in the approach of the squall and in the squall. Whirling winds, three quarters front and then full crass, were the cause of the displacement of the aircraft to the right in spite of the efforts of the pilot, who felt that No. 3 engine was not yielding it. full power. The subsequent downdraft and rain forced the aircraft down, caused it to lose altitude and brought it to the ground. The reapplication of power, effected at an altitude of approximately 250 to 300 ft, and 25 to 30 seconds from the beginning of the runway, occurred late. In identical weather conditions, if the pilot had re-applied power as soon as he received the QBI and QAM (latest MET observation) he had requested from the tower, the aircraft would have been at an altitude of approximately 560 to 600 ft and one minute and twenty seconds from the runway, at a distance of 4 km. It would have met the squall in higher altitude and speed conditions that would have avoided the aircraft's being brought to the ground. The following factors had an aggravating effect although they were not direct causes of the accident:
- QBI was first announced by the tower while the aircraft was at 1 500 ft in a rear wind. The pilot and the radio operator stated that they did hot hear it at that time. However, a playback of the recorded tape definitely included the voice of the radio operator answering: "Aerodrome is QBI; all right". Had the pilot known of the QBI condition at that time, he would probably have requested a QAM and would have been in a better position to make a prompt decision to reapply power,
- The second report of appearance of smoke, the origin of which could not be detected on board, distracted the attention of the crew from the controls for a fraction of a second, causing them to apprehend danger from the holds. The load was 660 kg heavier than that submitted by the company. The airline should have reweighed the baggage instead of relying on the weights shown on the packages and on the manifest drawn up and filed
Final Report:

Crash of a Boeing 307 Stratoliner near Madras

Date & Time: May 10, 1958
Type of aircraft:
Registration:
N75385
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
MSN:
2002
YOM:
1940
Location:
Crew on board:
2
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
Parked since few months on a regional airport, the aircraft was recently purchased by a new owner who wanted to know the exact consumption of oil and fuel. A test flight was scheduled with two test pilots. To be able to perform a longer flight, additional fuel tanks were installed in the cabin. While cruising at a relative low altitude, the crew informed ATC that a fire erupted in the cabin and elected to make an emergency landing. The airplane crash landed in flames in a field located 15 miles from Madras and came to rest. While both pilots were able to evacuate with no injury, the aircraft was destroyed by fire.
Probable cause:
Additional fuel tanks were installed in the cabin to perform the test flight but it was determined that these fuels tanks were not sealed and were leaking. The technicians who installed the fuel tanks on board were aware of the fact that these tanks were leaking, but since they had not been able to find the source of the leaks, they decided to install them despite a major risk of fire. In flight, some fuel leaked from a tank and ignited while in contact with an incandescent element whose nature remains unknown. In such conditions, the crew was unable to continue the test flight and an emergency landing was therefore necessary.

Crash of a Boeing 307 Stratoliner near Alder: 10 killed

Date & Time: Mar 18, 1939 at 1317 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
NX19901
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Seattle - Seattle
MSN:
1994
YOM:
1939
Crew on board:
10
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
10
Aircraft flight cycles:
19
Circumstances:
The four engine aircraft (first prototype) departed Seattle-Boeing Field at 1257LT with engineers and representatives from TWA and KLM on board. At 1312LT, a radio message was transmitted from NX19901 to the Boeing Aircraft Company radio Station located at Seattle, which message gave the position of the aircraft as being between Tacoma and Mount Rainier at an altitude of 11,000 feet. Some two or three minutes later, while flying at a comparatively slow rate of speed in the vicinity of Alder, the aircraft stalled and began to spin in a nose down attitude. After completing two or three returns in the spin, during which power was applied, it recovered from the spin and began to dive. The aircraft partially recovered from the dive at an altitude of approximately 3,000 feet above sea level, during which recovery it began to disintegrate. Outboard sections of the left and right wings failed upward and broke entirely loose from the aircraft. Major portions of the vertical fin and portions of the rudder were carried away by the wing wreckage. The outboard section of the left elevator separated from the stabilizer and both fell to the ground detached. The right horizontal tail surface, being held on by the fairing along the top surface and also by the elevator trim tab cables, remained with the fuselage. The number one engine nacelle also broke loose from the aircraft and fell to the ground separately. The main body of the aircraft settled vertically and struck the ground in an almost level attitude both longitudinally and laterally at a point approximately 1,200 feet above sea level. Watches and clocks aboard the aircraft, which were broken by force of the impact, indicated the time of the accident as approximately 1317LT. The aircraft was destroyed by impact forces and all ten occupants were killed.
Crew:
Julius A. Barr, first pilot,
Earl A. Ferguson, copilot,
Benjamin J. Pearson, alternate copilot,
Harlan Hull, alternate copilot,
Ralph L. Cram, first aerodynamist,
John Kylstra, assistant to aerodynamist,
Albert G. von Baumhauer, assistant to aerodynamist and KLM reprensentative,
Pieter Guillonard, recorder and photographer,
William C. Doyle, operator of the oscillograph,
Harry T. West, engineering officer.
Probable cause:
Structural failure of the wings and horizontal tail surfaces due to the imposition of loads thereon in excess of those for which they were designed, the failure occurring in an abrupt pull-out from a dive following recovery from an inadvertent spin.
Final Report: