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

Date & Time: Dec 8, 1968 at 1055 LT
Type of aircraft:
Rockwell Aero Commander 560
Operator:
Northwest Moon Services
Registration:
N6257X
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Charter/Taxi (Non Scheduled Revenue Flight)
Survivors:
No
Site:
Plain, Valley
Schedule:
Great Falls - Missoula
MSN:
560-1115-33
YOM:
1961
Location:
Wolf Creek
Montana
Country:
United States of America
Region:
North America
Crew on board:
1
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
2
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
3
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 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:
No
Site:
Plain, Valley
Schedule:
Anchorage – Iliamna – Big Mountain – King Salmon – Dillingham
MSN:
49
YOM:
1959
Flight number:
WC055
Location:
Pedro Bay
Alaska
Country:
United States of America
Region:
North America
Crew on board:
3
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
36
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
39
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 Douglas C-47 in Lloa: 2 killed

Date & Time: Nov 29, 1968
Type of aircraft:
Douglas C-47 Skytrain (DC-3)
Operator:
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Military
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Plain, Valley
Schedule:
Quito – Salinas
Location:
Lloa
Pichincha
Country:
Ecuador
Region:
South America
Crew on board:
2
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
10
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
2
Circumstances:
Few minutes after takeoff from Quito-Mariscal Sucre Airport, both engines failed. The crew reduced his altitude and attempted an emergency landing when the aircraft crashed in an open field and came to rest, broken in two. The wreckage was found near Lloa, some 28 km southwest of Quito Airport. While all 10 passengers were injured, both pilots were killed.
Crew:
Cpt César Egas, pilot,
Lt Galo Molina Hidalgo, pilot.
Probable cause:
Double engine failure for unknown reason.

Crash of a Pilatus PC-6/B1-H2 Turbo Porter in Qacha's Nek

Date & Time: Nov 25, 1968
Type of aircraft:
Pilatus PC-6 (Porter & Turbo Porter)
Operator:
Registration:
7P-FDG
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Ambulance
Site:
Airport (less than 10 km from airport)
MSN:
682
YOM:
1968
Location:
Qacha's Nek
Qacha's Nek
Country:
Lesotho
Region:
Africa
Crew on board:
0
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
Crashed in unknown circumstances. The occupant fate remains unknown.

Crash of a De Havilland DHC-2 Beaver near San Lorenzo: 5 killed

Date & Time: Nov 23, 1968 at 1315 LT
Type of aircraft:
De Havilland DHC-2 Beaver
Operator:
Registration:
HK-248
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Scheduled Revenue Flight
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Mountains
Schedule:
Popayán – Pasto
MSN:
978
YOM:
1956
Location:
San Lorenzo
Nariño
Country:
Colombia
Region:
South America
Crew on board:
1
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
5
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
5
Circumstances:
En route from Popayán to Pasto, the single engine struck the slope of Mt El Calvario located about 3 km northeast of San Lorenzo. A passenger was seriously injured while five other occupants were killed.

Crash of a Noorduyn Norseman near Dryden

Date & Time: Nov 22, 1968
Type of aircraft:
Noorduyn Norseman
Operator:
Drydenair
Registration:
CF-CRU
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Scheduled Revenue Flight
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Plain, Valley
MSN:
8
YOM:
1937
Location:
Dryden
Ontario
Country:
Canada
Region:
North America
Crew on board:
0
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
En route, the pilot encountered icing conditions when the engine failed. He reduced his altitude in an attempt to make an emergency landing. The aircraft crash landed in the bush and was damaged beyond repair. All occupants escaped without injuries.
Probable cause:
Engine failure in flight caused by the carburetor icing while flying in freezing rain.

Crash of a Grumman C-1A Trader near Chania: 3 killed

Date & Time: Nov 15, 1968
Type of aircraft:
Grumman C-1A Trader
Operator:
Registration:
136764
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Military
Survivors:
No
Site:
Mountains
Schedule:
Chania - USS Wasp
MSN:
17
YOM:
1957
Location:
Chania
Crete / Κρήτη
Country:
Greece
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
3
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
3
Circumstances:
The crew was engaged in a short flight from Chania to the USS Wasp that was cruising offshore. Shortly after takeoff from the Souda Bay, while climbing, the airplane struck the slope of a mountain located south of the city. The wreckage was found at an altitude of 2,048 meters and all three crew members were killed.

Crash of a Beechcraft D18S near Tapijulapa: 6 killed

Date & Time: Nov 11, 1968
Type of aircraft:
Beechcraft D18
Operator:
Compañía Tabasqueña de Aviación
Registration:
XA-POJ
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Scheduled Revenue Flight
Survivors:
No
Site:
Mountains
Schedule:
Tapachula – Tuxtla Gutiérrez – Villahermosa
MSN:
A-134
YOM:
1946
Location:
Tapijulapa
Tabasco
Country:
Mexico
Region:
Central America
Crew on board:
2
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
4
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
6
Circumstances:
On the leg from Tuxtla Gutiérrez to Villahermosa, the weather conditions deteriorated and the crew elected to divert to an alternate terrain for a safe landing when the airplane struck the slope of a mountain shrouded in clouds and located near Tapijulapa. All six occupants were killed.

Crash of a North American B-25J Mitchell in Recreio dos Bandeirantes: 17 killed

Date & Time: Oct 31, 1968
Type of aircraft:
North American B-25 Mitchell
Operator:
Registration:
5143
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Military
Survivors:
No
Site:
Mountains
Location:
Recreio dos Bandeirantes
Rio de Janeiro
Country:
Brazil
Region:
South America
Crew on board:
2
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
15
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
17
Circumstances:
The twin engine aircraft departed Guaratinguetá Airport on a liaison flight with two pilots and 15 passengers on board. While approaching Rio de Janeiro from the southwest, the crew encountered poor weather conditions when the airplane struck the slope of Morro da Prainha mountain located near Recreio dos Bandeirantes. The airplane exploded on impact and all 17 occupants have been killed.
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