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Crash of a Vickers 755D Viscount off Antilla: 17 killed

Date & Time: Nov 1, 1958 at 0201 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
CU-T603
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Miami – Varadero
MSN:
91
YOM:
1956
Flight number:
CU495
Country:
Crew on board:
4
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
16
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
17
Circumstances:
Flight 495, a scheduled flight, departed Miami at 2200 hours en route to Varadero, a distance of about 200 miles, estimating its time of arrival at 2249 hours. It carried 16 passengers and a crew of 4. As there was no news of the flight at 2249 hours, an alert was declared. It was subsequently learned that the aircraft had crashed over 400 miles from Varadero at approximately 0210 hours in the Nipe Bay, Central Preston, Oriente Province, killing all aboard except 3 passengers. The aircraft left Miami with 1,600 gallons of fuel, total endurance thus being 3.47 hours, giving ample reserve for the intended flight. It was later proved that impact with the water occurred at 0210 hours. Thus, the aircraft had flown 23 minutes beyond the estimated endurance. Even though fuel on board always exceeds the amount required for a given flight, at the time of impact only 8 gallons remained in the tanks. According to testimony of residents in the accident area, the aircraft circled over the spot a number of times, finally making a wide turn, passing over the town of Antilla in the direction of Preston Airport, on final approach. It suddenly fell into the bay at about 400 metres from the coastline and 2 km from the airport. The direction of travel was reversed by the force of the impact with the water, and the aircraft travelled about 200 metres, furrowing the muddy bottom, which is at a depth of 2 fathoms.
After salvage the following evidence was found:
- The right wing was intact over its entire length, but the left wing tip was not found,
- Engines Nos. 3 and 4 were in perfect condition; engine No, 1 was lacking the hub and propeller; the propeller blades on No. 2 were bent backward,
- The tail section was completely separated from the fuselage, floating about 80 metres from the rest of the aircraft,
- When the cockpit was salvaged intact, it was found that all routine landing operations had been carried out.
The above information indicated that the pilot attempted to raise the aircraft's nose but was too near the water, which the tail hit, parting from the fuselage over a length of about 4 metres.
Probable cause:
The pilot was trying to land at Preston Airport when the aircraft ran out of fuel on final approach and loss of control followed. It was reported that five hijackers went through the cockpit few minutes after takeoff from Miami and forced the crew to divert to Antilla-Preston Airport.
Final Report:

Crash of a Sikorsky S-42 off Antilla: 17 killed

Date & Time: Aug 8, 1944 at 1320 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
NC823M
Flight Phase:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
San Juan – Antilla – Miami
MSN:
4201
YOM:
1934
Flight number:
PA218
Country:
Crew on board:
5
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
26
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
17
Captain / Total flying hours:
1523
Captain / Total hours on type:
1017.00
Copilot / Total flying hours:
380
Copilot / Total hours on type:
45
Aircraft flight hours:
12389
Circumstances:
At about 1318LT, the pilot taxied to the take-off position. The weather was clear and the ceiling unlimited with a wind estimated to be 20 knots from approximately 100 degree. The water was choppy with no ground swells. With a gradual opening of the throttles to 33 1/2 inches of manifold pressure, the plane appeared to go on the step normally and was making approximately 75 knots. The captain then requested an increase in manifold pressure from 33 1/2 inches to 35 inches and upon attaining a speed estimated as between 78 and 80 knots, the plane left the surface of the water. Captain Williams stated that as the plane rose into the air to a height of 10 or 12 feet, he relaxed back pressure slightly, in order to gain speed, whereupon the plane seemed to want to go back on the water so he pulled back on the yoke. When it became obvious to him that the plane was going to go back on the water anyway, he dropped the nose quickly to "flatten out." After striking, bow first, the plane left the water in a slightly nose-high attitude, rose higher than previously, then returned to the water at a much steeper angle. The third time, the plane rose out of control to a height of approximately 25 feet, and in a steeper angle of climb than previously. It then nosed down at a sharp angle and struck the water violently. The nose of the plane struck the water with such force as to cause the hull to fracture and completely separate at a point just aft of the pilot's compartment. The after portion of the plane, which included passenger compartments A, B, C, and D, pitched forward and came to rest in a nearly inverted position with the forward portion fully submerged. Seventeen passengers were killed while all 14 other occupants were rescued.
Probable cause:
This investigation revealed nothing in the conduct of the flight from the time it left Miami until the time of the plane's leaving the water in the attempted take-off from Antilla, which would indicate a probable cause of the accident. It appears that a degree of laxity characterized this flight as was evidence by the crew's failure to comply with the proper cockpit check procedure and by the lack of an understanding between the crew members regarding the seating arrangement of the passengers. However, as previously stated, these items are not believed to have contributed to the cause of the accident. Considerable significance must be attached to Captain Williams' own description of his handling of the flight and engine controls is during the attempted take-off and subsequent maneuvers of the aircraft. Therefore, in summing up the findings of this investigation, it appears that the pilot failed to keep the airplane airborne after it had attained fixing speed and left the water and that a safe recovery might have been effected at the time the airplane first returned to the water had the pilot used proper technique. These errors in all probability were due largely to the pilot's limited experience in handling S42's. Based on the evidence produced through this investigation, loss of control during take-off was found to be the probable cause of the accident.
Final Report: