Flight | Bureau of Aircraft Accidents Archives

While cruising in marginal weather conditions, the airplane struck the slope of a mountain located west of Soto la Marina. The wreckage was found few hours later in the El Diablo canyon. All 26 occupants have been killed.

Crash of a Douglas DC-3 near Ensenada: 12 killed

Date & Time: Dec 26, 1968 at 2320 LT

Type of aircraft:

Douglas DC-3

Operator:

Exportada de Sal SA - ESSA

Flight Phase:

Flight

Flight Type:

Charter/Taxi (Non Scheduled Revenue Flight)

Survivors:

Site:

Mountains

Schedule:

Tijuana – Guerrero Negro

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

While cruising in limited visibility by night, the airplane crashed on a mountain located 40 km east of Ensenada, killing all 12 occupants.

Crash of a Mitsubishi MU-2B-10 Marquise near Pleasant Hope: 5 killed

Date & Time: Dec 21, 1968 at 1010 LT

Type of aircraft:

Mitsubishi MU-2 Marquise

Operator:

Metropolitan Mooney

Registration:

N3550X

Flight Phase:

Flight

Flight Type:

Private

Survivors:

Site:

Plain, Valley

Schedule:

Joplin – Tallahassee

MSN:

YOM:

1967

Location:

Pleasant Hope

Missouri

Country:

United States of America

Region:

North America

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Captain / Total flying hours:

2910

Captain / Total hours on type:

100.00

Circumstances:

While in cruising altitude, the twin engine aircraft went out of control, entered a dive and crashed in a near vertical attitude in a field located five miles south of Pleasant Hope. The aircraft was destroyed and all five occupants were killed.

Probable cause:

Loss of control for undetermined reason. It was reported that the pilot attempted operation with known deficiencies in equipment. Malfunction of the artificial horizon and turn needle.

Final Report:

Crash of a Casa 352 in Gran Tarajal

Date & Time: Dec 19, 1968

Type of aircraft:

Casa 352

Operator:

Registration:

T.2B-235

Flight Phase:

Flight Type:

Survivors:

Site:

MSN:

126

Location:

Gran Tarajal (Fuerteventura)

Canary Islands

Country:

Spain

Region:

Europe

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

The central engine failed in flight, forcing the crew to attempt an emergency landing. The airplane crash landed near Gran Tarajal, in the south of Fuerteventura Island. All three crew members were unhurt while the airplane was considered as damaged beyond repair.

Probable cause:

Engine failure in flight.

Crash of a Rockwell Aero Commander 500B near Imnaha: 1 killed

Date & Time: Dec 18, 1968 at 0254 LT

Type of aircraft:

Rockwell Aero Commander 500

Operator:

Registration:

N5080

Flight Phase:

Flight

Flight Type:

Postal (mail)

Survivors:

Site:

Mountains

MSN:

500-1537

YOM:

1965

Location:

Imnaha

Oregon

Country:

United States of America

Region:

North America

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 Fairchild C-123B-11-FA Provider near Chu Lai: 3 killed

Date & Time: Dec 17, 1968

Type of aircraft:

Fairchild C-123 Provider

Operator:

Registration:

54-0708

Flight Phase:

Flight Type:

Survivors:

Site:

Schedule:

Chu Lai – Đà Nẵng

MSN:

20157

YOM:

1954

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

Few minutes after takeoff from Chu Lai Airbase, the crew encountered technical difficulties with the fuel transfer system. When engine developed problems, the pilot loss of control of the aircraft that crashed. Three crew members were killed while a fourth occupant was rescued.
Crew:
Ltc Richard A. Brown,
1st Lt Roger Henry Strout,
S/Sgt Jesse John Bradshaw.

Probable cause:

Engine problems caused by fuel transfer issue.

Crash of a Fairchild C-119G Flying Boxcar on Mt Pico del Este: 8 killed

Date & Time: Dec 14, 1968

Type of aircraft:

Fairchild C-119 Flying Boxcar

Operator:

Registration:

51-2667

Flight Phase:

Flight

Flight Type:

Military

Survivors:

Site:

Mountains

Schedule:

Roosevelt Roads - Homestead

MSN:

10656

YOM:

1951

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

The crew departed Roosevelt Roads NAS on a routine flight to Homestead AFB, south Florida. Few minutes after takeoff, the radio communication systems apparently failed and the crew decided to return to his departure point for a safe landing. While cruising in poor visibility at an altitude of 3,400 feet, the airplane struck tree tops and crashed in a wooded area located on the slope of the Pico del Este (1,036 meters high) located in the El Yunque National Park. As the airplane failed to return, SAR operations were conducted and the wreckage was found a day later some 12 km west of Ceiba. All eight crew members were killed.

Crash of a Fairchild C-123K Provider in Ban Hai: 6 killed

Date & Time: Dec 13, 1968 at 0330 LT

Type of aircraft:

Fairchild C-123 Provider

Operator:

Registration:

54-0600

Flight Phase:

Flight Type:

Survivors:

Site:

Schedule:

Nakhon Phanom - Nakhon Phanom

MSN:

20049

YOM:

1954

Location:

Ban Hai

Xieng Khouang Province

Country:

Laos

Region:

Asia

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

The crew departed Nakhon Phanom on a flare dropping mission over Laos. While cruising by night, the airplane collided with a USAF artin B-57E Canberra registered 55-4284. Both aircraft dove into the ground and crashed in a dense jungle area. Both pilots on board the Canberra were killed as well a six crew members of the Provider. The captain was able to bail out and survived.
Crew:
Lt T. M. Turner,
1st Lt Joseph Peter Fanning, †
1st Lt John Scott Albright, †
1st Lt Douglas Vincent Dailey, †
1st Lt Morgan Jefferson Donahue, †
S/Sgt Samuel Franklin Walker, †
T/Sgt Frederick Lee Clarke. †

Crash of a De Havilland DHC-3 Otter in The Pas

Date & Time: Dec 9, 1968

Type of aircraft:

De Havilland DHC-3 Otter

Operator:

Registration:

CF-XJM

Flight Phase:

Flight

Flight Type:

Scheduled Revenue Flight

Survivors:

Yes

Site:

Plain, Valley

MSN:

YOM:

1953

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

En route, a fire erupted on board and the pilot reduced his altitude to make an emergency landing. The aircraft crash landed near The Pas and was destroyed by a post crash fire. There were no casualties.