Crash of an Antonov AN-2 near Yerevan

Date & Time: May 4, 1970
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
CCCP-05631
Flight Phase:
Survivors:
Yes
MSN:
1 53 473 07
YOM:
1955
Location:
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
0
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
Damaged beyond repair when made a hard landing near Yerevan due to a pilot error. There were no casualties.
Probable cause:
Pilot error.

Crash of a Fairchild C-123B Provider at Santa Bernardina AFB: 17 killed

Date & Time: Apr 30, 1970 at 1230 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Santa Bernardina - Santa Bernardina
Country:
Crew on board:
4
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
13
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
17
Circumstances:
The airplane arrived in the morning from Montevideo-Carrasco and its crew already completed several sortie in the morning. Around noon, 13 officers of the Uruguayan Army embarked the airplane and the crew was supposed to make a demonstration flight, proving the manoeuvrability of the airplane. While flying at low height, the airplane struck a tree and crashed in a huge explosion near the runway 27 threshold. A passenger was seriously injured (burned) while 16 other occupants were killed. Few hours later, the only survivor died from his injuries. Among the passengers was Col Américo Gonzalez, Chief of the Santa Bernardina Airbase.
Crew:
Maj William Kern, pilot,
Cpt Richard Morris, copilot,
S/Sgt José Rivera,
Sgt Alfred Ford.
Passengers:
Col Américo Gonzalez,
Maj Roberto Dego,
Maj Ibes Tinetti,
Cpt Heráclio Abelleira,
1st lt Manuel Villamil,
2nd Lt Rolando Paller,
2nd Lt Dámaso Sosa,
2nd Lt Mario Scarzella,
Ens Ricardo Rodríguez,
Ens Héctor Angellini,
Ens Rubén Spinelli,
Ens José Suárez,
Ens Rubén Feria.

Crash of an Antonov AN-2SKh in Natalinka: 2 killed

Date & Time: Apr 28, 1970 at 1739 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
CCCP-15935
Flight Phase:
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Natalinka - Natalinka
MSN:
1149 473 05
YOM:
1960
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
2
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
2
Aircraft flight hours:
6700
Aircraft flight cycles:
12160
Circumstances:
On a crop-spraying flight for the sovkhoz (state farm) 'Nekrasovo' in the Mikhailov district of the Ryazan region, the pilot-in-command initiated a steep left turn at a height of some 20-30 metres in order to avoid collision with a high-voltage powerline. The aircraft lost height, crashed in a field 340 metres from Natalinka, came to rest upside down and caught fire. Both pilots were killed.
Probable cause:
Loss of control while performing a sharp turn at an altitude below 50 meters.

Crash of a Douglas EC-47P near Huế: 2 killed

Date & Time: Apr 22, 1970
Operator:
Registration:
43-48402
Flight Phase:
Survivors:
Yes
MSN:
14218/25663
YOM:
1944
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
3
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
6
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
2
Circumstances:
While in a mission in the A Shau Valley at an altitude of 5,500 feet, the aircraft was hit by enemy fire. An engine was losing oil and the crew decided to return to Huế Airport. Unable to maintain the minimum prescribed altitude, the captain elected to make an emergency landing when the airplane crashed 32 km southwest of Huế. The captain and the flight engineer were killed while seven other occupants were injured.
Those killed were:
1st Lt George M. Wall,
S/Sgt Michael R. Conner.
Probable cause:
Shot down by enemy fire.

Crash of a Lockheed AC-130A Spectre near Ban Tan Lo: 10 killed

Date & Time: Apr 22, 1970
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
54-1625
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Ubon Ratchathani - Ubon Ratchathani
MSN:
3012
YOM:
1957
Flight number:
Adlib 1
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
11
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
10
Circumstances:
While in a commando mission along the Ho Chi Minh Trail, the airplane was hit by enemy fire. A fire erupted on the left wing root and the crew was unable to extinguish the fire. A crew member (S/Sgt Eugene Fields) was able to bail out and was later recovered uninjured while the aircraft dove into the ground and crashed, killing all 10 other occupants.
Crew:
Maj William Leslie Brooks, †
1st Lt John Cline Towle, †
Lt Col Charlie Brown Davis, †
Lt Col Charles Stoddard Rowley, †
Maj Donald Garth Fisher, †
M/Sgt Robert Newell Ireland, †
S/Sgt Thomas Yuji Adachi, †
S/Sgt Eugene Fields,
S/Sgt Stephen Warren Harris, †
S/Sgt Ronnie Lee Hensley, †
A1C Donald Michael Lint. †
Probable cause:
Shot down by enemy fire.

Crash of an Avro 748-2-209 in Cabanatuan: 36 killed

Date & Time: Apr 21, 1970 at 1130 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
PI-C1022
Flight Phase:
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Cauayan - Manila
MSN:
1643
YOM:
1968
Flight number:
PR215
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
4
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
32
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
36
Circumstances:
While cruising at an altitude of 10,500 feet, the airplane suffered an explosion. It went out of control, entered a dive and crashed in a field located near Cabanatuan. All 36 occupants have been killed.
Probable cause:
It was determined that an explosion occurred in the rear lavatory during flight. The exact cause of the explosion could not be established.

Crash of a PZL-Mielec AN-2R in Kuban: 2 killed

Date & Time: Apr 20, 1970 at 1015 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
CCCP-06333
Flight Phase:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Kuban - Kuban
MSN:
1G69-07
YOM:
1966
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
2
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
2
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
2
Copilot / Total flying hours:
422
Aircraft flight hours:
2681
Aircraft flight cycles:
6430
Circumstances:
The crew was engaged in a crop spraying flight on behalf of the sovkhoz of Kuban. Following six successful mission in the morning, the crew embarked two passengers, a member of the farm and an employee of the pesticide company. While cruising at low height, the copilot-in-command initiated a turn to the right when the airplane banked right to 45° then stalled and crashed in a field. The copilot and a passenger were killed while both other occupants were injured.
Probable cause:
The copilot made wrong manoeuvres at low height and lost control of the airplane. It was reported he was relatively inexperienced with a total of 422 flying hours. Also, the crew decided to embark two passengers which was against the published procedures.

Crash of a Lockheed 10A Electra in Eldon

Date & Time: Apr 18, 1970 at 0930 LT
Type of aircraft:
Registration:
N94N
Flight Phase:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Fort Leonard Wood – Omaha
MSN:
1101
YOM:
1937
Location:
Crew on board:
2
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
10
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
While in cruising altitude, the right engine lost power. Unable to maintain the assigned altitude, the crew decided to attempt an emergency landing. The airplane belly landed in a prairie and slid for dozen yards before coming to rest. All 12 occupants were uninjured while the aircraft was damaged beyond repair.
Probable cause:
Engine failure in flight caused by a contaminated fuel by water. The following contributing factors were reported:
- Inadequate preflight preparation,
- Water in fuel,
- Intentional wheels-up landing,
- The pilot-in-command failed to follow the approved procedures,
- Improper emergency procedures,
- Partial loss of power on one engine,
- Water and rust found in the right engine carburetor,
- Improper single engine procedures.
Final Report:

Crash of a Rockwell T-39A-1-NA Sabreliner in Weldon: 4 killed

Date & Time: Apr 16, 1970 at 1000 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
61-0640
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
MacDill - Shaw - Langley
MSN:
265-43
YOM:
1962
Crew on board:
4
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
4
Circumstances:
The airplane departed McDill AFB, Florida, on a flight to Langley AFB. After a technical stop at Shaw AFB located in Sumter, the crew continued bound to the north. About 20 minutes prior to its arrival at Langley AFB, while in cruising level, the airplane collided with a USAF Douglas TA-4F Skyhawk. Both aircraft went out of control, entered a dive and crashed in the region of Weldon. All six crew members on both aircraft were killed.

Crash of a Cessna 340 in Kingman: 1 killed

Date & Time: Apr 10, 1970 at 1437 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
N2340C
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Kingman - Kingman
MSN:
340-0672
YOM:
1970
Crew on board:
1
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
1
Captain / Total flying hours:
1649
Captain / Total hours on type:
1.00
Circumstances:
The pilot, sole on board, departed Kingman-Clyde Cessna Field on a local test flight on this first Cessna 340 prototype. While flying in the vicinity of the airfield, he lost control of the airplane that crashed in an open field. The aircraft was destroyed and the pilot was killed.
Probable cause:
Uncontrolled descent caused by the failure of the elevator tab control system. The following factors were reported:
- Elevator tab control system improperly installed,
- Improper maintenance,
- Inadequate preflight preparation,
- Separation in flight,
- Bolt improperly secured in elevator trim push-pull rod came out and caused the loss of the horizontal stab assembly.
Final Report: