Crash of a Douglas DC-3-277D in Porto Alegre

Date & Time: Jan 3, 1958
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
PP-VDL
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Porto Alegre - Porto Alegre
MSN:
4115
YOM:
1941
Country:
Crew on board:
2
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
The crew (one pilot under check and one instructor) were conducting a local training flight at Porto Alegre-Salgado Filho Airport. While passing over the runway at low height, the instructor shut down the right engine to simulate a failure when the airplane rolled to the right. The instructor elected to correct the situation by an action on the rudder but the airplane reached a critical attitude. Power was reduced on the second engine and the aircraft crash landed. Both occupants were slightly injured and the aircraft was damaged beyond repair.
Probable cause:
Error of judgement on the part of the instructor.

Crash of a Douglas R4D-6L in McMurdo Sound

Date & Time: Sep 13, 1957
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
17274
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
MSN:
14332/25777
YOM:
1944
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
0
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
After liftoff, while climbing to a height of 10 feet, the left engine misfired. The airplane banked left, causing the left wing to struck the ground. Upon impact, six feet of the left wing were sheared off. The pilot-in-command continued to climb, completed a downwind circuit and made an uneventful landing. There were no injuries but the aircraft was considered as damaged beyond repair.
Probable cause:
The left engine misfired on takeoff due to the presence of water in the fuel lines.

Crash of a Douglas R4D-1 near Niquitao: 8 killed

Date & Time: Sep 3, 1957 at 1200 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
YV-C-AVG
Flight Phase:
Survivors:
No
Site:
Schedule:
Maiquetía – Barinas
MSN:
4764
YOM:
1942
Country:
Crew on board:
3
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
5
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
8
Circumstances:
The aircraft, chartered by the Socony Mobil Oil Company of Venezuela, took off on a special flight on 3 September at 0903LT from the Maiquetía International Airport on a through flight to Barinas. It carried a crew of 3 and 5 passengers. As the aircraft did not reach its destination nor any of the neighbouring airports that same day an emergency was declared. The wreckage was found on 12 September in the Penas Blancas Hills. There were no survivors.
Probable cause:
The probable causes of the accident are as follows:
- Bad weather and the latter's influence on radio communications and radio compass,
- Leaving the recommended route led to the aircraft going into a dangerous area,
- Flying between Boconó and Barinas at an inadequate height.
Final Report:

Crash of a Douglas R4D-3 in Port Hardy: 14 killed

Date & Time: Jun 23, 1957 at 1420 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
CF-EPI
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Port Hardy – Vancouver
MSN:
7408
YOM:
1942
Country:
Crew on board:
3
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
15
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
14
Circumstances:
At approximately 1411LT the aircraft departed Port Hardy on a scheduled flight to Vancouver with a crew of three and fifteen passengers on board. Five minutes after takeoff the pilot informed the control tower that he was returning because of elevator control trouble. The aircraft made a long final approach to runway 15 and at 1420LT touched the runway and bounced. At this point, the aircraft was observed to make an exceptionally sharp climb and it appeared that full power was applied. However, at the top of this steep climb, the aircraft stalled and fell to the ground in a nose-down attitude, the right wing striking first, and burst into flames almost instantly. The stewardess and three passengers were the only survivors.
Probable cause:
Because of a partially locked elevator, control of the aircraft was lost during an attempt to land.
Final Report:

Crash of a Douglas R4D-5 on Mt Concepción: 16 killed

Date & Time: Jan 23, 1957 at 1118 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
AN-AEC
Flight Phase:
Survivors:
No
Site:
Schedule:
Managua – Bluefields – San Carlos – Managua
MSN:
12312
YOM:
1944
Country:
Crew on board:
3
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
13
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
16
Circumstances:
The aircraft was on a flight from Managua to Bluefields and San Carlos and then returning to Managua. It departed San Carlos for Managua at 1049LT carrying a crew of 3 and 13 passengers. This information was given directly by the captain over the aircraft's transmitters, as the radio station for point-to- point communication is in the town, some distance from the landing field. The aircraft made no further contact. It crashed into the side of Concepción Volcano at 1118LT at a height of 2,650 feet killing all occupants. The aircraft crashed while performing a sharp ascending left curve at an altitude of 2,650 feet (according to the reading of the operating altimeter found at the accident site) and on a magnetic heading of 1700, i. e. 127° off its original course of 297°, and 350 feet below its cruising level, reported by the pilot as 3 000 feet. Witnesses stated that the weather was clear and fog covered only the top of the volcano, from 3 200 feet to its summit. A number of persons saw the aircraft flying on its normal heading to Managua shortly before the accident. Had the weather been unfavorable the pilot could very well have taken the usual action of flying at an altitude above all obstructions on the route and would have reported such action.
Probable cause:
According to eyewitnesses, the aircraft made a left turn, i. e. towards the volcano, and there were indications of abnormal conditions when it banked sharply in descent then in rapid climb; this shows that some trouble arose in the operation of the controls, propellers or engines, which unexpectedly caused loss of control. It was impossible to ascertain the cause of this malfunctioning, owing to the condition of total destruction of the aircraft after impact and fire.
Final Report:

Crash of a Douglas DC-3 in New York: 1 killed

Date & Time: Jan 19, 1957
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
N33374
Flight Phase:
Survivors:
No
MSN:
4369
YOM:
1942
Crew on board:
1
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
1
Circumstances:
Parked at Idlewild Airport, the aircraft was stolen by a technician who was able to takeoff. During initial climb, at an altitude of 150 feet, the airplane stalled and crashed near the runway. The aircraft was destroyed and the 'pilot' was killed.

Crash of a Douglas DC-3 in Agartala: 3 killed

Date & Time: Oct 19, 1956
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
VT-DGK
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
MSN:
KAL-2
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
3
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
3
Circumstances:
On approach to Agartala Airport, the crew encountered poor weather conditions and the pilot-in-command decided to make a go around. A second attempt to land was abandoned few minutes later. Despite the fact that weather conditions were below minima, the crew started a third attempt to land. On final, as the pilot-in-command was unable to locate the runway, he decided to make a new go around when the aircraft struck trees and crashed in flames few km short of runway. The aircraft was destroyed by impact forces and a post crash fire and all three crew members were killed.
Probable cause:
Decision of the crew to attempt an approach and landing in below minima weather conditions.

Crash of a Douglas DC-3 in Najran

Date & Time: Feb 16, 1956 at 1200 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
HZ-AAO
Flight Phase:
Survivors:
Yes
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
0
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
Crashed while taking off from Najran Airport. No casualties.

Crash of a Douglas DC-3C in Burbank: 3 killed

Date & Time: Sep 8, 1955 at 0757 LT
Type of aircraft:
Registration:
N74663
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Burbank – Oakland
MSN:
6257
YOM:
1943
Flight number:
CRR024
Crew on board:
3
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
30
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
3
Captain / Total flying hours:
4500
Captain / Total hours on type:
1200.00
Copilot / Total flying hours:
2880
Copilot / Total hours on type:
120
Aircraft flight hours:
9849
Circumstances:
This was a nonscheduled flight originating at Burbank, California, for Oakland, California. There were 30 passengers and a crew consisting of Captain Joseph A. Bradsher, Copilot Keith C. Dutson, and Stewardess Utta Jorgensen. Company records indicated that takeoff gross weight was 26,089 pounds (authorized maximum was 26,200 pounds), and the center of gravity of the aircraft was located within prescribed limits. A Defense Visual Flight Rules flight plan was filed; the plane was loaded, taxied to the end of the runway, and its engines were run up. At 0751 the flight was cleared for takeoff from runway 15, to climb westward on top of haze and smoke. It executed a takeoff and climbed in a normal manner into smoke haze, which was more dense toward the south., and in which it was lost to view of observers at the airport. Approximately one minute 2 after takeoff (0752) Flight 24 called the tower and requested an emergency landing clearance. This was granted; runway 7 was suggested by the tower and accepted by the pilot. The airport was cleared of traffic and emergency equipment alerted. At 0755 the tower called repeatedly as the flight had not been sighted. At 0756 the flight called the tower and stated its intent to land on runway "31." Lockheed Air Terminal has no runway 31 but has a runway 33. About this time Flight 24 was sighted by the control tower operator an estimated one mile to the southwest proceeding in a nose-high attitude toward the airport but not aligned with any runway. Across the approach track being used was a powerline about 500 feet short of the airport boundary. As this line approached the nose-high attitude increased and immediately after passing this powerline the aircraft executed a slight left turn, banked 10 to 12 degrees. The left wing then struck a service powerline at the airport boundary. The aircraft stalled, its left wing collided with two parked Air Force C-54's, it cartwheeled, slid across the apron and struck Lockheed Service hangar No. 24, coming to rest in the open doorway of that hangar. The fuselage broke open at a point behind the wing and most of the survivors escaped or were rescued through this opening. Small fires started by the crash were quickly extinguished by personnel of Lockheed's plant protection organization, who also rescued survivors and rendered first aid most efficiently. This organization also guarded the scene and wreckage.
Probable cause:
On the basis of all available evidence the Board determines that the probable cause of this accident was the captain's irrevocable commitment to a landing without radio or visual confirmation of his runway alignment following engine failure immediately after takeoff. A contributing factor was engine malfunction immediately after takeoff in near minimum visibility. The following findings were reported:
- Overheating of the right engine's rear master rod and loss of much of its bearing metal constituted a failure which foretold imminent internal destruction of that engine,
- Feathering of the right propeller was not accomplished and that propeller continued to rotate (windmill),
- The aircraft when observed approaching the airport had its gear extended, its attitude was excessively nose-high, and it was not aligned with any runway,
- The left wing of the aircraft struck a powerline,
- Forward motion continued; the aircraft stalled and collided successively with two parked Air Force aircraft, the apron, and Lockheed Service Hangar No. 24.
Final Report:

Crash of a Douglas DC-3A on Mt Forno Grande: 13 killed

Date & Time: Aug 26, 1955 at 0800 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
PP-CBY
Flight Phase:
Survivors:
No
Site:
Schedule:
Rio de Janeiro – Caravelas
MSN:
11692
YOM:
1943
Country:
Crew on board:
4
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
9
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
13
Circumstances:
The aircraft took off from Rio for Caravelas with an IFR flight plan specifying flight at 1,500 meters along airway Vd-1, carrying 4 crew members and 9 passengers. After 58 minutes of flight the aircraft reported that it was over Campos at 1,500 meters. There was no further news from the aircraft whose wreckage was later discovered on the summit of Mt Forno Grande in the State of Espírito Santo. There were no survivors and the aircraft was destroyed.
Probable cause:
The accident was due to the Forno Grande peak not being indicated on current charts, the flight being conducted outside the airway and failure to adhere to the approved flight plan.
Final Report: