Scheduled Revenue Flight

Flight Type:

Survivors:

Site:

Greater Wellington Regional Council

Schedule:

Christchurch - Paraparaumu

MSN:

15948/32696

YOM:

1945

Flight number:

NZA152

Location:

Paraparaumu-Kapiti Coast

Country:

New Zealand

Region:

Oceania

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Aircraft flight hours:

12732

Circumstances:

On final approach to Paraparaumu Airport, both engines failed simultaneously. Then captain was able to restart the engine but the aircraft lost speed and height. While trying to climb, the aircraft banked right and hit a house, shearing off 12 feet of the right wing. The airplane passed between two houses and eventually crashed in a wooded area. The aircraft was destroyed, three children were killed and all other occupants were injured, some of them seriously.

Probable cause:

- Either throughout the flight or a substantial portion of it both engines were drawing fuel from the starboard main tank,
- The selector valves or valve were moved after the engines cut out, and the valves, when found and checked later, indicated a final setting of each engine to its respective port and starboard main tank,
- The total fuel usage recorded for sixty hours of service by the engines of this aircraft prior to this flight establish that the fuel was used normally by each engine from each tank and there was no malfunctioning of the selector equipment,
- The failure of the engines of this aircraft was due to exhaustion of fuel in the starboard main tank, to which both engines had been selected,
- Having regard to the position and condition of the aircraft at the time of engine failure the subsequent accident to the aircraft was inevitable.

Final Report:

Crash of a Curtiss C-46A-55-CK Commando in Havana

Date & Time: May 17, 1954

Type of aircraft:

Curtiss C-46 Commando

Operator:

Registration:

CU-C556

Flight Phase:

Flight Type:

Survivors:

Site:

MSN:

264

YOM:

1945

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

On touchdown, an undercarriage collapse. The airplane went out of control and came to rest, damaged beyond repair. There were no injuries.

Probable cause:

Undercarriage collapsed on landing.

Crash of a De Havilland DH.104 Dove 1 in Kahemba

Date & Time: May 1, 1954

Type of aircraft:

De Havilland DH.104 Dove

Operator:

Registration:

OO-CFD

Flight Phase:

Flight Type:

Survivors:

Site:

Democratic Republic of Congo

MSN:

04083

YOM:

1947

Location:

Kahemba

Bandundu

Country:

Region:

Africa

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

The approach to Kahemba was completed in heavy rain falls when the wipers failed. The airplane went out of control and crashed few km from the airfield. There were no casualties but the aircraft was written off.

Probable cause:

Failure of the wipers during heavy rain falls.

Crash of a De Havilland DH.89A Dragon Rapide in Labasa

Date & Time: Apr 26, 1954

Type of aircraft:

De Havilland DH.89 Dragon Rapide

Operator:

Registration:

VQ-FAL

Flight Phase:

Flight Type:

Survivors:

Site:

Servicios Aéreos de Chiapas

Schedule:

Labasa – Nadi

MSN:

6707

YOM:

1944

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

Shortly after takeoff from Labasa Airport, the left engine failed. The aircraft stalled and crashed in flames. All six occupants were injured and the aircraft was destroyed by fire.

Probable cause:

Failure of the left engine after takeoff.

Crash of an Avro 652 Anson V near Copainalá: 6 killed

Date & Time: Apr 24, 1954 at 0800 LT

Type of aircraft:

Avro 652 Anson

Operator:

Registration:

XA-KED

Flight Phase:

Flight Type:

Survivors:

Site:

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

Ten minutes after its takeoff from Tuxtla Gutierrez Airport, while climbing, the twin engine aircraft hit the slop of the San Gabriel peak located near the city of Copainalá, about 40 km north of Tuxtla Gutierrez. All six occupants were killed.

Crash of a SNCASE SE.161 Languedoc in Damascus

Date & Time: Apr 24, 1954

Type of aircraft:

SNCASE SE.161 Languedoc

Operator:

Registration:

SU-AHZ

Flight Phase:

Flight Type:

Survivors:

Site:

Damascus Governorate (مُحافظة دمشق‎)

Schedule:

Cairo – Damascus

MSN:

YOM:

1945

Location:

Damascus

Country:

Syria

Region:

Asia

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

On final approach to Damascus Airport, while completing the check-list, the crew noted that the three green lights related to the undercarriage were not green. The captain requested confirmation to the controller based in the tower who confirmed that all three landing gear were down. On touchdown, the rain main gear collapsed and the airplane slid for several yards before coming to rest. There were no injuries among the 22 occupants but the aircraft was damaged beyond repair.

Probable cause:

Failure of the right main gear on landing. It appears it was down but not locked for unknown reasons.

Crash of a Douglas C-47A-5-DK near Amaná: 25 killed

Date & Time: Apr 23, 1954 at 2130 LT

Type of aircraft:

Douglas C-47 Skytrain (DC-3)

Operator:

Registration:

LV-ACX

Flight Phase:

Flight

Flight Type:

Douglas C-47 Skytrain (DC-3)

Survivors:

Site:

Mountains

Schedule:

Mendoza – Córdoba

MSN:

12387

YOM:

1944

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

The aircraft, engaged on a scheduled flight between Mendoza and Córdoba, left Mendoza-El Plumerillo Airport at 1847LT with a crew of 4 and 21 passengers on board. At 2026LT the crew reported that he was diverting to La Rioja Airport as it was impossible to approach Córdoba due to poor weather conditions with heavy turbulences. At 2125Lt the crew reported to ATC about an ETA at La Rioja at 2140LT. Shortly later, the aircraft hit the slope of a mountain located in the Sierra de Vilgo, near the village of Amaná. The wreckage was found three days later and all 25 occupants have been killed.

Probable cause:

For reasons which could not be determined the aircraft deviated from the prescribed route and followed a course which led it to crash in mountainous terrain. A contributing factor was the pilot-in-command's decision to descend below the minimum altitude specified for weather conditions requiring an instrument approach, contrary to the provisions of the Airline Operations Manual. A probable contributing factor was the probable fatigue of the aircraft crew.

Final Report:

Crash of a Douglas C-47-DL in Batuco: 14 killed

Date & Time: Apr 13, 1954 at 1310 LT

Type of aircraft:

Operator:

Registration:

956

Flight Phase:

Flight Type:

Región Metropolitana de Santiago

Survivors:

Site:

Plain, Valley

Schedule:

Santiago – Iquique

MSN:

4470

YOM:

1942

Location:

Batuco

Country:

Chile

Region:

South America

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

Shortly after takeoff from Santiago Airport, while climbing, the airplane went out of control and crashed in Batuco, about 16 km north of the airfield. All 14 occupants were killed. The airplane was performing a flight from Santiago to Iquique, carrying 9 passengers, a crew of five and 2,5 tons of meat on behalf of the national carrier LAN Chile.

Crash of a Lockheed C-60A-5-LO LodeStar in Phônsavan: 16 killed

Date & Time: Apr 13, 1954

Type of aircraft:

Lockheed 18 LodeStar

Operator:

Société Indochinoise de Liaisons Aériennes - SILA

Registration:

F-OALK

Flight Phase:

Flight Type:

Survivors:

Site: