Crash of a Lisunov LI-2 in the Arctic

Date & Time: May 26, 1955
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
CCCP-N535
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Bukhta Somnitelnaya - Bukhta Somnitelnaya
MSN:
184 346 02
YOM:
1959
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
6
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
4
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
On a flight from Bukhta Somnitelnaya (Wrangel Island) to a drifting ice floe in the central Arctic Basin when the ski of the right main landing gear hit an ice hummock during the landing run and broke. The nose of the aircraft touched the ice and the fuselage broke into three when falling back onto the ice. All 6 crew and 4 passengers escaped unhurt and were evacuated by another aircraft. The wreck was set on fire and abandoned on the drifting ice floe. It was spotted by an aircraft of the Icelandic Coast Guard about 155 miles north-west of Iceland (approximately 10-20 miles off Scoresby Sound on Greenland's East Coast) 11DEC1959 but could no longer be found a few days later because of fog. It eventually sank.

Crash of a Lisunov LI-2 in Mys Zhelaniya

Date & Time: Apr 2, 1955
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
CCCP-N497
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Mys Zhelaniya - Dikson Island
MSN:
184 307 08
YOM:
1951
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
3
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
7
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
On a flight from Mys Zhelaniya (Novaya Zemlya) to Dikson Island in support of the Arctic expedition 'Sever 7' when the crew was ordered to land on the ice near Mys Zhelaniya for training purposes. The skis of the landing gear broke through the ice during the landing run. All 7 crew and 3 passengers escaped unhurt but the aircraft could not be recovered in time and sank during a storm 06APR55.
Probable cause:
It was later reported that the ice thickness was about 30 cm at the time of the accident, which is insufficient.

Crash of a Lisunov LI-2 near Tsaghkachen: 6 killed

Date & Time: Jan 27, 1954 at 0717 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
CCCP-L4105
Flight Phase:
Survivors:
No
Site:
Schedule:
Yerevan - Yerevan
MSN:
184 65 07
YOM:
3
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
6
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
6
Aircraft flight hours:
1930
Circumstances:
The crew left Yerevan Airport at 0513LT for a meteorological survey mission and completed several maneuvers between 3,500 and 5,000 meters in cloudy conditions over the region of the Sevan Lake. Following an uneventful mission, the crew decided to return to Yerevan and started the descent from the northeast when, at an altitude of 3,160 meters, the airplane hit the east slope of Mt Kara-Dag (3,231 meters high) located about 12 km west of the village of Tsaghkachen. Rescuers arrived on site a day later and all six occupants have been killed.
Probable cause:
It was determined that the aircraft was, at the time of impact, off course about 18 km due to strong winds. Investigations reported that the crew failed to prepare the mission according to procedures and miscalculated the flight trajectory. Also, it was determined that the crew did not receive any information about the wind component prior to the flight and failed to use the ADF system properly, which was considered as contributory factor. While cruising in clouds, the pilots were unable to distinguish the mountain struck by the aircraft.

Crash of a Consolidated PB4Y-2S Privateer off Agrihan Island: 9 killed

Date & Time: Dec 17, 1953 at 0845 LT
Operator:
Registration:
59716
Flight Phase:
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Agana - Agana
MSN:
59716
YOM:
1943
Region:
Crew on board:
9
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
9
Circumstances:
While flying at low altitude into the typhoon Doris, the aircraft (VW-3) crashed into the ocean in unclear circumstances off Agrihan Island. No trace of the aircraft nor the crew was found.

Crash of a Douglas C-47B-35-DK off Wollongong: 6 killed

Date & Time: Oct 27, 1952 at 1130 LT
Operator:
Registration:
A65-113
Flight Phase:
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Sydney - Sydney
MSN:
16711/33459
YOM:
1945
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
4
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
2
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
6
Circumstances:
The aircraft left Sydney-Mascot at 1034LT on a meteorological mission consisting of clouds measurement with four crew members and two employees of the Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO). While flying in poor weather conditions, the crew obtained the permission to descend from 6,000 to 2,000 feet when both engines failed simultaneously. The airplane went out of control and crashed into the sea about 27 miles east of Wollongong. Few debris were found floating on water and all six occupants have been killed.
Crew:
F/Lt A. Tafe, pilot,
S/Ldr P. G. Fisher, copilot,
W/O G. G. Bocquet, radio operator,
ACW M. E. Costello.
Passengers:
Mr. F. Campbell,
Mr. R. S. Styles.
Probable cause:
Double engine failure.

Crash of a Boeing B-29-90-BW Superfortress in McClellan AFB: 10 killed

Date & Time: Apr 5, 1952
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
44-87756
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
McClellan - McClellan
MSN:
12559
YOM:
1944
Crew on board:
10
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
10
Circumstances:
The crew was returning to his base at McClellan AFB after a 19 hours mission consisting of weather reports. On final approach, a propeller went into reverse. The airplane went out of control and crashed in a huge explosion about three miles short of runway. The aircraft was destroyed by impact forces and a post crash fire and all 10 crew members were killed.
Crew:
Maj Bruce Acebedo,
S/Sgt Carlton J. Fose,
M/Sgt Edwin M. Fultz,
Cpt Guilford A. Hopkins,
S/Sgt. Elbert E. King,
Cpt Robert L. Kizer,
2nd Lt August I. Lam,
S/Sgt Hayden C. Schulz,
T/Sgt George R. Shook,
Cpt Leonard B. Winstead.
Probable cause:
Failure of a propeller which went into reverse on final approach.

Crash of a Douglas A-26C-35-DT Invader in Pyongyang: 4 killed

Date & Time: Feb 22, 1952 at 1225 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
44-35364
Flight Phase:
Survivors:
No
MSN:
28643
YOM:
1944
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
4
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
4
Circumstances:
While on a weather reconnaissance mission over Pyongyang, the crew made his last radio contact at 1225LT when the aircraft disappeared in unknown circumstances. No trace of the airplane nor the crew was found.
Crew:
1st Lt George Bain,
A1C Edwin W. Collins,
T/Sgt Carl M. Spence,
1st Lt Russell J. Wolfgram.

Crash of a Handley Page H.P.63 Halifax Met.6 off Barra Head: 8 killed

Date & Time: Dec 29, 1950 at 1330 LT
Operator:
Registration:
ST798
Flight Phase:
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Belfast - Belfast
Region:
Crew on board:
8
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
8
Circumstances:
The crew left Belfast-Aldergrove Airport to perform a meteorological mission over the North Atlantic. While cruising southeast of the Hebrides Islands, the four engine aircraft went out of control and crashed into the sea about 24 km southeast of Barra Head. SAR operations were conducted but eventually suspended few days later as no trace of the aircraft nor the crew was found. On January 16, 1951, the body of the captain and some debris were found by fishermen. It is believed that the loss of control may have been caused by a sudden in flight fire.
Crew (202nd Squadron):
S/L Terence Anthony Cox, pilot,
P/O Donald Nattriss, copilot,
Sgt Edward Arthur Keeble,
Sgt John Frederick Stanley Black,
F/Sgt John Henry Cobbold,
Sgt William Richard Martindale,
Sgt Stuart Gordon Purches,
Sgt Gerald Walklate.

Crash of a Handley Page H.P.70 Halifax Met.6 into the Atlantic Ocean: 7 killed

Date & Time: Jul 9, 1949 at 1143 LT
Operator:
Registration:
ST818
Flight Phase:
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Belfast - Belfast
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
4
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
3
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
7
Circumstances:
The aircraft left Belfast-Aldergrove Airport at 0850LT on a meteorological mission over the Atlantic Ocean. The crew maintained radio contact with the ground until 1143LT when it disappeared from radar screens. SAR operations were conducted on a large area west of the Outer Hebrides Islands but were eventually suspended as no trace of the aircraft nor the crew was found. On board were three passengers and four crew members from the 202nd Squadron.

Crash of a Lockheed PV-1 Ventura in the Tararua Mountain Range: 4 killed

Date & Time: Feb 28, 1946 at 0710 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
NZ4573
Flight Phase:
Survivors:
No
Site:
Schedule:
Ohakea - Ohakea
MSN:
6203
YOM:
1944
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
4
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
4
Circumstances:
The crew was engaged in a meteorological survey mission and left Ohakea AFB at 0700LT. Ten minutes later, while cruising in the Waitohu Valley in poor weather conditions, the aircraft hit the slope of a mountain located in the Tararua Mountain Range. SAR operations were conducted but eventually suspended few days later as no trace of the aircraft nor the 4 crew members was found. On March 19, 1949, walkers found the wreckage of the aircraft in a wooded area located near Otaki.
Crew:
F/Lt Walter Jacobs,
F/Lt Sydney Langton,
W/O Hedley Newell,
AC1 Anthony Hayhurst.