United States of America

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Captain / Total flying hours:

5000

Captain / Total hours on type:

120.00

Circumstances:

While on a night mail flight, the pilot encountered poor weather conditions when both engines stopped simultaneously. The pilot attempted an emergency landing when control was lost and the airplane crashed on a 40° slope mountain. SAR operations were conducted but eventually suspended few days later as no trace of the aircraft nor the pilot was found. Mountaineers found the wreckage on March 21, 1969 near Imnaha.

Probable cause:

The probable cause of the accident was the combination of the following factors:
- Inadequate preflight preparation on part of the pilot,
- Fuel system; vents, drains, tank caps improperly secured,
- Fuel exhaustion,
- Complete failure of both engines in flight,
- Fuel siphoned from loose cap.

Final Report:

Crash of a Grumman G-44 Widgeon on Sanak Island

Date & Time: Dec 15, 1968 at 1310 LT

Type of aircraft:

Grumman G-44 Widgeon

Operator:

Registration:

N148M

Flight Phase:

Flight Type:

Scheduled Revenue Flight

Survivors:

Site:

Plain, Valley

MSN:

1220

YOM:

1942

Location:

Sanak Island

Alaska

Country:

Region:

Lockheed L-1649 Starliner

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Captain / Total flying hours:

11500

Captain / Total hours on type:

3000.00

Circumstances:

While taking off from a lagoon off Sanak Island, the airplane failed to get airborne, struck the shore and crashed. All four occupants were injured, two of them seriously. The aircraft was written off.

Probable cause:

The accident was probably caused by the combination of the following factors:
- The pilot failed to obtain/maintain flying speed,
- Sudden windshift,
- Quartering tailwind up to 30 knots,
- The pilot attempted to takeoff from a lagoon at low tide.

Final Report:

Crash of a Lockheed L-1649 Starliner in Las Vegas

Date & Time: Dec 9, 1968 at 1830 LT

Type of aircraft:

Operator:

Fly by Night Safaris

Registration:

N7314C

Flight Phase:

Charter/Taxi (Non Scheduled Revenue Flight)

Flight Type:

Survivors:

Site:

Las Vegas-Harry Reid (McCarran)

MSN:

1016

YOM:

1957

Location:

Nevada

Country:

Region:

Rockwell Aero Commander 560

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Captain / Total flying hours:

19250

Captain / Total hours on type:

1700.00

Circumstances:

After liftoff at McCarran Airport, while in initial climb, the crew raised the landing gear when two engines suffered a simultaneous loss of power. The captain initiated an immediate landing and the airplane belly landed on the runway and slid for few dozen yards before coming to rest. All 104 occupants were evacuated safely while the aircraft was damaged beyond repair.

Probable cause:

The accident was probably caused by the combination of the following factors:
- Aircraft improperly serviced by ground crew,
- Fuel contamination, improper fuel grade,
- Premature liftoff,
- Intentional wheels-up landing,
- Suspected mechanical discrepancy,
- Erroneously serviced with jet fuel,
- Aircraft airborne prior to V2 speed.

Final Report:

Crash of a Rockwell Aero Commander 560F near Wolf Creek: 3 killed

Date & Time: Dec 8, 1968 at 1055 LT

Type of aircraft:

Operator:

Northwest Moon Services

Registration:

N6257X

Flight Phase:

Flight

Flight Type:

Charter/Taxi (Non Scheduled Revenue Flight)

Survivors:

Site:

Plain, Valley

Schedule:

Great Falls - Missoula

MSN:

560-1115-33

YOM:

1961

Location:

Wolf Creek

Montana

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Captain / Total flying hours:

7157

Captain / Total hours on type:

107.00

Circumstances:

While in cruising altitude, the pilot encountered poor weather conditions with thunderstorm activity, turbulences, high winds and freezing rain. Under VFR mode, he lost control of the airplane that dove into the ground and crashed. All three occupants were killed.

Probable cause:

The accident was probably caused by the combination of the following factors:
- The pilot continued under VFR mode into adverse weather conditions,
- Loss of control for undetermined reason,
- Icing conditions including sleet and freezing rain,
- Turbulences associated with clouds and thunderstorms,
- Flew into known turbulences.

Final Report:

Crash of a Cessna 411 in Houston: 1 killed

Date & Time: Dec 7, 1968 at 1117 LT

Type of aircraft:

Cessna 411

Operator:

Registration:

N7392U

Flight Phase:

Executive/Corporate/Business

Flight Type:

Survivors:

Site:

MSN:

411-0092

YOM:

1965

Location:

Houston-William P. Hobby

Texas

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Captain / Total flying hours:

3500

Captain / Total hours on type:

300.00

Circumstances:

After takeoff, while climbing, the left engine failed. The pilot lost control of the airplane that crashed near the runway. The aircraft was destroyed and the pilot was killed.

Probable cause:

The accident was probably caused by the combination of the following factors:
- Failure of the left engine during initial climb,
- Failure of the fuel system, loose parts/fitting, leak/leakage,
- Lack of lubrication on specific part,
- Powerplant scored,
- Fuel starvation,
- Inadequate maintenance and inspection,
- Improper emergency procedures,
- The pilot failed to obtain/maintain flying speed,
- Complete engine failure,
- Leaking fitting in engine driven fuel pump,
- Bearing dry, armature scored in auxiliary fuel pump on left engine.

Final Report:

Crash of a Cessna 411 in Teterboro

Date & Time: Dec 6, 1968 at 1702 LT

Type of aircraft:

Cessna 411

Operator:

Registration:

N162A

Flight Phase:

Flight Type:

Positioning

Survivors:

Site:

MSN:

411-0219

YOM:

1966

Location:

Teterboro

New Jersey

Country:

Region:

Beechcraft C-45 Expeditor

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Captain / Total flying hours:

4900

Captain / Total hours on type:

150.00

Circumstances:

Shortly after takeoff from Teterboro Airport, while in initial climb, one of the engine failed. The pilot lost control of the airplane that crashed in a huge explosion on the apron. The pilot was seriously injured while the Cessna 411 was destroyed by a post crash fire as well as five other aircraft, a Piper PA-28 (N6416W), two Beechcraft 33 (N8822H & N5715V), a Beechcraft 35 (N9575Q) and a fifth aircraft registered N7167N. A sixth airplane registered N8390N was seriously damaged.

Probable cause:

Powerplant failure for undetermined reasons. The following factors were reported:
- The pilot failed to obtain/maintain flying speed,
- Improper emergency procedures,
- Improper single engine procedure.

Final Report:

Crash of a Beechcraft UC-45B Mk.3T in Seattle

Date & Time: Dec 5, 1968 at 1410 LT

Type of aircraft:

Operator:

Island Airlines (Canada)

Registration:

CF-RQL

Flight Phase:

Landing (descent or approach)

Flight Type:

Positioning

Survivors:

Site:

MSN:

5980

YOM:

1943

Location:

Seattle-Boeing Field

Washington

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Captain / Total flying hours:

4207

Captain / Total hours on type:

30.00

Circumstances:

On final approach to Seattle-Boeing Field, both engine failed. The airplane lost height, struck electrical wires and crashed in flames in a parking lot. The pilot was injured and the aircraft was destroyed as well as seven cars.

Probable cause:

The probable causes were:
- Engine failure,
- Mismanagement of fuel,
- Fuel starvation,
- Checklist not followed,
- Fuel selector on nose tank.

Final Report:

Crash of a Fairchild F27B in Pedro Bay: 39 killed

Date & Time: Dec 2, 1968 at 0936 LT

Type of aircraft:

Fairchild F27

Operator:

Registration:

N4905

Flight Phase:

Flight

Flight Type:

Scheduled Revenue Flight

Survivors:

Site:

Plain, Valley

Schedule:

Anchorage – Iliamna – Big Mountain – King Salmon – Dillingham

MSN:

YOM:

1959

Flight number:

WC055

Location:

Pedro Bay

Alaska

Country:

Region:

Rockwell Aero Commander 500

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Captain / Total flying hours:

10557

Captain / Total hours on type:

5357.00

Copilot / Total flying hours:

12087

Aircraft flight hours:

17194

Circumstances:

A Wien Consolidated Airlines Fairchild F-27B, N4905, crashed at Pedro Bay, Alaska. The 36 passengers and three crew members were killed in the accident and the aircraft was destroyed by in-flight breakup and ground impact. The aircraft was being operated as Flight 55 in scheduled domestic passenger service between Anchorage International Airport, AK (ANC) and Dillingham Municipal Airport, AK (DLG) with en route stops at Iliamna Airport, AK (ILI), Big Mountain Airport, AK (BMX), and King Salmon Airport, AK (AKN). Flight 55 departed from Anchorage at 08:46 on an instrument flight plan for Iliamna. The flight was cleared to cruise at 16,000 feet. The weather at Iliamna was reported to be clear, and the visibility was 15 miles at the time of the flight's departure from Anchorage. The flight proceeded toward Iliamna without reported difficulty, and at 09:25, the first officer requested a clearance for an approach to Iliamna. This request was approved. No further communication was received from the crew. Ground witnesses in and around the Pedro Bay area reported that they saw a fireball and a large cloud of black smoke which appeared to be behind the wing of the aircraft. The aircraft appeared to continue on course for a short period of time, then pieces of the aircraft were seen falling, and the aircraft entered a spinning descent. The major portion of the wreckage was located on the southern shore of Foxies Lake at an elevation of approximately 220 feet.

Probable cause:

The Board determines that the probable cause of this accident was an in-flight structural failure caused by an encounter with severe to extreme turbulence. This turbulence was not forecast and its presence was not known to the flight crew. The failure occurred in an area of the right wing (WS 197) which had been weakened to an indeterminate degree by pre-existing fatigue cracks.

Final Report:

Crash of a Rockwell Aero Commander 500A in Paducah

Date & Time: Nov 27, 1968 at 1802 LT

Type of aircraft:

Operator:

Registration:

N9381R

Flight Phase:

Landing (descent or approach)

Flight Type:

Positioning

Survivors:

Site:

MSN:

500-896-5

YOM:

1960

Location:

Paducah

Kentucky

Country:

Region: