Crash of a De Havilland DH.114 Heron 1B in Hachijō-jima: 19 killed
Date & Time:
Aug 17, 1963 at 1411 LT
Operator:
Registration:
JA6155
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Hachijō-jima – Tokyo
MSN:
14026
YOM:
1954
Crew on board:
3
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
16
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
19
Circumstances:
Shortly after takeoff from Hachijō-jima Airport, en route to Tokyo-Haneda Airport, the crew climbed in limited visibility due to foggy conditions when the airplane struck the slope of a mountain. As the airplane failed to arrive at destination, SAR were initiated at 1630LT and the wreckage was later found on the slope of a mountain located some 10 km from the airport. The aircraft was destroyed by impact forces and all 19 occupants were killed.
Probable cause:
Investigations were not able to determine the exact cause of the accident. However, the following assumptions were not ruled out:
- A navigation error on part of the crew who followed a wrong departure route in low visibility,
- An engine failure which forced the crew to modify his route in an attempt to return to the airport for an emergency landing.
- A navigation error on part of the crew who followed a wrong departure route in low visibility,
- An engine failure which forced the crew to modify his route in an attempt to return to the airport for an emergency landing.
