Lockheed L-1049 Super Constellation

On final approach to Saigon-Tan Son Nhat Airport, following an uneventful cargo flight from Manila, the four engine aircraft collided with a US Air Force McDonnell Douglas RF-4C Phantom registered 65-0861. Its crew (two pilots) was returning to Saigon following a supply mission. After the collision, both aircraft went out of control and crashed about 6 km from the runway threshold. While both pilots of the Phantom were able to eject safely, all seven occupants on board the Constellation were killed.

The approach to Kotzebue-Wien Memorial Airport was completed in whiteout conditions with a very limited visibility. Following a 'normal' approach, the airplane belly landed and slid for few hundred yards before coming to rest. All 32 occupants were evacuated while the aircraft was damaged beyond repair.

The aircraft was on a delivery flight from Oakland to its new operator in Buenos Aires. While descending to Lima-Callao Airport, three of the four engine stopped. The pilot-in-command reduced his altitude and ditched the aircraft few km off shore. The crew of a fishing vessel was able to evacuate all five crew members while the aircraft sank and was lost.

While rolling on a taxiway, the nose gear collapsed and the airplane sank on its belly and came to rest. All three technicians on board were uninjured while the aircraft christened 'Star of Chillon' was considered as damaged beyond repair.

The crew was performing a cargo flight from Los Angeles to Chicago. While cruising at the assigned altitude of 13,000 by night, the four engine airplane struck the south face of California Peak (13,849 feet high) located about 21 miles northeast of Alamosa, Colorado. The wreckage was found a day later 150 feet below the summit and all three crew members have been killed.
Crash photo by Mark Hunt, copilot's son.

Trans World Airlines, Inc., Flight 42, (TW 42), a Boeing 707, N748TW, and Eastern Air Lines, Inc., Flight 853, (EA 853), a Lockheed 1049C, N6218C, were involved in a midair collision over the Carmel, New York VORTAC while en route to the New York City area at approximately 1619 e.s.t., December 4, 1965. TW 42 departed San Francisco, California, and was approaching the New York area from the northwest for an approach and landing at the John F. Kennedy International Airport. The flight was on an IFR flight plan at an assigned altitude of 11,000 feet mean sea level (m.s.l.). EA 853 departed Boston, Massachusetts, and was approaching the New York area from the northeast for an approach and landing at the Newark Airport. This flight was on an IFR flight plan at an assigned altitude of 10,000 feet m.s.l. As EA 853 was approaching the Cannel VORTAC on a southwesterly heading, the first officer saw TW 42 at his two o'clock position. Because he believed the jet was at his altitude and on a collision course he called "Look Out" and grasped the control wheel to assist the captain in a pull up. At approximately the same time, the captain of TW 42 observed EA 853 at his ten o'clock position on what he believed to be a collision course. He rolled into a right turn and pulled back on the yoke. He decided this maneuver would not clear EA 853 and he, assisted by his first officer, attempted to reverse the turn by rolling to the left and pushing on the yoke. The aircraft collided at an altitude of approximately 11,000 feet m.s.l. While cruising at an altitude of some 10,000 feet over Carmel on approach to Newark, the four engine aircraft collided with a TWA Boeing 707-131B registered N748TW. While the crew of the B707 was able to complete an emergency landing at JFK Airport despite the fact that a piece of 7.5 meters from the left wing was torn off, the crew of the Constellation first lost control of his aircraft but then regain control and was able to make an emergency landing in a prairie located on Titicus mountain, near Carmel. Three passengers died, plus the Constellation's pilot, Captain Charles J. White, who had returned to the aircraft's cabin to help the last passenger.

The crew obtained a special ferry permit to fly to Ardmore Airport with one engine inoperative. After touchdown on a wet runway, the airplane encountered difficulties to stop within the remaining distance, overran and came to rest into a ditch. All three crew members were evacuated safely while the aircraft was damaged beyond repair. At the time of the accident, it was dark with a limited visibility due to fog. It was reported that between 1855LT and 0040LT, 0,61 inch of rain fell at Ardmore Airport.

Flight 401 was a scheduled domestic flight between Madrid, Spain and Santa Cruz de Tenerife, Canary Islands. At 2053 hours the aircraft was cleared for approach to runway 30 at the Santa Cruz de Tenerife/Los Rodeos Airport. At this time it was informed by the approach controller that the airport was below meteorological minima and that the following weather conditions prevailed:
Wind : 330/variable 10 to 12 kt, gust to 14 kt
Visibility: 100 to 500 m, reduced to zero over the runway by a bar of stratus
Present weather: distant fog, intermittent fog banks
Clouds: 6/8 stratus from 0 to 30 m
QNH: 30.03 in of Hg
QFE: 942.9 mb
Temperature: 14°
Dew-point : 14°.
This was acknowledged by the flight. The pilot, who saw the beginning of runway 30 clearly but not the rest of it, decided to make a very low run after which he re-applied power for a go-around at 2106 hours. He circled the aerodrome, apparently intending to land, and at 2115 hours reported on final. At 2117 hours he reported to the tower: "401 pulling up to go around", and this was the last communication received from the aircraft. It was subsequently found that, when starting its go-around, the aircraft struck a scraper and tractor located 50 m from the runway edge, with one leg of the undercarriage and the lower aft part of the fuselage. It left various debris scattered about and finally crashed on the western edge of the diversion canal of the Rodeo gorge. From there, it slid about 100 m across private farmland and finally burst into flames. The accident occurred at 2117 hours.

Flight 282 was a scheduled domestic cargo flight from San Francisco International Airport, California, to John F. Kennedy International Airport, New York. It was originally scheduled to depart at 2100 hours, Pacific Standard Time, on 23 December, but the flight was delayed because of the non-availability of a flight engineer. An engineer obtained from Los Angeles arrived in San Francisco at 2315 hours and the flight departed at 0028 hours on 24 December. At 0015 hours, while taxiing to runway 28L, the flight advised Ground Control that because of a heavy load, they would like to proceed out past the GAP Radio Beacon to the Golden Gate Intersection, and thence via Victor 150 to Sacramento instead of direct to Sacramento as originally filed. The request was coordinated with Oakland Air Route Traffic Control Centre and approval obtained. The crew was then advised that for take-off on runway 28L there would be a 'heavy' left crosswind from 210° at 18 to 25 knots which they acknowledged. After having switched to clearance delivery frequency, the flight was cleared to Kennedy Airport via Victor one fifty Sacramento, Victor six north, and requested to climb out on the San Francisco two eight seven radial for a vector to Golden Gate Intersection to intercept Victor one fifty. This was acknowledged. The Clearance Delivery Controller then stated: " You can disregard the vector, climb outbound San Francisco 287° radial to Golden Gate Intersection, then Victor 150, and, depending on your altitude, they probably will give you a vector to intercept (Victor) 150 before you get to Golden Gate". This was also acknowledged. The Local Controller, who was also Tower Supervisor, noted the time of 0030 on his clock as the aircraft became airborne and passed the tower. An eyewitness observed the landing lights retracting as the aircraft crossed the end of the runway. However, several witnesses along the flight path, including some located at points just prior to the crash, saw both landing lights on. Landing lights of the L-1049H may be retracted flush with the lower wing surface and remain on until switched off. After take-off, witnesses stated the aircraft made a slight turn to the right, then a steeper turn to the left, and then was observed returning to a wings-level attitude as it entered the clouds. At 0030:22, the flight was advised to contact Departure Control and did so immediately. The Departure Controller advised the flight at 0030:57 that he had radar contact with it and requested it to report leaving thousand-foot altitudes. At 0031:05, the crew asked how they were tracking toward the GAP. The Departure Controller switched his radar scope from the 30 to the 10-mile setting and requested the flight's altitude. The crew!replied they were at 900 ft. At 0031:20, the Departure Controller advised that they were left of the San Francisco 287° radial. As he received no acknowledgement he repeated his message. The Departure Controller stated that within seconds after the second transmission, the target stopped, bloomed, and disappeared from the radar scope. Repeated attempts to communicate with the flight after its disappearance from the scope were unsuccessful. At this time, 0032:30, the controller placed a time hack on the communications tape. Ground impact was computed to have occurred at approximately 0031:30. Main impact occurred 860 ft above sea level on Sweeney's Ridge, at approximately 4.3 miles on the 257° radial of the SFO TVOR. The coordinates of the impact area were 122° 28' 00" W longitude and 37° 38' 28" N latitude. The aircraft disintegrated on impact and all three crew members were killed.

Flight 388C was a nonstop flight from Daggett, California, to Manhattan, Kansas. The crew consisted of Captain David R Brown, First Officer Joseph A. Merlo, Flight Engineer Peter H. Raymon, Stewardesses Sandra R. wise, and Ann H. Allen, and Pilot/Observer Penrod Rideout who was assigned to this flight to observe operating procedures preparatory to transitioning to L-1049 type aircraft. The aircraft was serviced with fuel and oil at the company's maintenance base in Long Beach, California, and departed for Daggett at 1210. The only maintenance required prior to departure was the replacement of the Y-lead, high tension ignition leads, and spark plugs of cylinders Nos. 12 and 13 on the No. 3 engine. Upon arrival at Daggett at 1245, Federal Aviation Agency (TAA) and Military Air Transport Service (MATS) inspectors conducted a visual ramp inspection of the aircraft and interrogation of the crew. The only discrepancy noted was small area of corrosion on the underside of the aft fuselage in the vicinity of the lavatory service area. Sixty-four U. S. Army personnel boarded at Daggett and were briefed by a stewardess regarding emergency exit locations, emergency equipment and procedure The aircraft required no servicing or maintenance and there were no carry-over maintenance items reported. Takeoff gross weight was computed to be 116,520 pounds. This weight and the center of gravity (e.g.) were both within prescribed limit. Following an uneventful flight, the crew started the descent to Manhattan Municipal Airport when the observer/pilot, who was standing between the captain's and first off seats, recalled that shortly after entering the final approach he observed the propeller rpm increase approximately 100 rpm and then return to the setting of 2400 rpm, This fluctuation occurred three times. Then, following extension of full flaps, he observed the captain reduce power to approximately inches hg and almost immediately the rate of descent increased and the aircraft yawed to the right. The aircraft, was at an altitude of approximately 75 feet a.g l. when he observed the No 3 propeller reverse indicating the light 3 come on and shouted, "No. 3 is in reverse". This shouted warning was concurrent with the application of engine power and was not heard by the captain. None of the other flight crew members saw the reverse light illuminate. Persons on the ground who witnessed the accident generally agreed that the approach appeared normal until the aircraft reached a point approximately 1/3 of a mile from the airport. It was then observed to settle abruptly and contact the ground several hundred feet short of the runway. Initial impact occurred in a wheat field, 546 feet from the approach end of runway 21. At, this point the aircraft was in a right bank of approximately 15 degrees and aligned slightly to the right of the runway centerline The aircraft bounced once, then continued through the wheat field on all three landing gears until it struck an earth embankment. 3-1/2 feet high, located 176 feet from the end of the runway. This impact sheared the right main landing gear and the nose gear from the aircraft. The right wing separated from the fuselage when the aircraft contacted the end of the runway. The aircraft slid a distance of 774 feet down the runway during which time the left main landing gear failed followed by separation of the left wind. The fuselage came to rest on a heading of approximately 270 degrees, 72 feet from the right side of the runway. There were no fatalities and only one passenger was seriously injured. The aircraft was totally destroyed by a post crash fire.