Crash of a Curtiss C-46A-45-CU Commando in Medellín

Date & Time: Sep 16, 1958 at 0800 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
HK-514
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Medellín – Bogotá
MSN:
30363
YOM:
1944
Country:
Crew on board:
2
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
Shortly after takeoff from Medellín-Enrique Olaya Herrera Airport runway 02, while in initial climb, the airplane suffered an engine failure. The crew attempted an emergency landing in a wasteland where the airplane crash landed. Both crew members were uninjured while the C-46 was damaged beyond repair.
Probable cause:
Engine failure.

Crash of a Noorduyn Norseman in Nakina: 1 killed

Date & Time: Sep 15, 1958
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
CF-BSJ
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Nakina – Fort Hope
MSN:
N29-25
YOM:
1946
Location:
Country:
Crew on board:
1
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
1
Circumstances:
En route from Nakina to Fort Hope on a cargo flight, weather conditions worsened and the pilot decided to return to Nakina. On approach, the left wing failed and detached, causing the airplane to crash in flames few km from the airfield. The aircraft was destroyed upon impact and the pilot was killed.
Probable cause:
Detachment of the left wing in-flight caused by the failure of several bolts located on the wing-root.

Crash of a Martin PBM-5A Mariner in Abadan: 10 killed

Date & Time: Sep 10, 1958
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
16-303
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
10
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
10
Circumstances:
The seaplane was transferred from Biak to The Netherlands when the crew encountered technical difficulties en route so a stop was made at Abadan. After two weeks maintenance, permission was given to the crew to continue to Europe but shortly after takeoff, an oil leak on engine number one forced the crew to return to Abadan Airport. On approach, the airplane went out of control and crashed in a huge explosion few km from the airfield, killing all ten crew members.
Probable cause:
A technical failure occurred on the engine number one whose thrust reversal system was accidentally triggered for reasons that investigations were unable to determine.

Crash of a Douglas SC-47 at Elmendorf AFB: 13 killed

Date & Time: Sep 9, 1958
Operator:
Registration:
43-15345
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Elmendorf – Eielson
MSN:
19811
YOM:
1944
Crew on board:
2
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
18
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
13
Circumstances:
Shortly after takeoff from Elmendorf AFB, while in initial climb, the airplane stalled and crashed in flames. Seven passengers were rescued while 13 other occupants were killed. It is believed the accident was the consequence of an engine failure shortly after rotation.

Crash of a Boeing B-52D-40-BW Stratofortress in Fairchild AFB: 5 killed

Date & Time: Sep 8, 1958 at 1920 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
56-0681
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Fairchild - Fairchild
MSN:
464052
YOM:
1956
Crew on board:
7
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
5
Circumstances:
The crew was engaged in a local training flight at Spokane AFB, consisting of visual and instruments approaches and landings. While approaching runway 23, at a distance of about three miles from the threshold, the crew cancelled his instruments approach to continue on visual mode. In the mean time, the second B-52 registered 56-0661 which was on second position must switch from visual mode to instruments approach procedures. To follow the approach procedures and as both crews were not coordinated, the approach controller instructed the first crew to gain altitude while turning to the right and instructed the second crew to reduce his altitude while turning to the left. Few seconds later, at an altitude of 900 feet, both aircraft collided and crashed. On board 56-0681, five crew members were killed while two others were seriously injured. On board 56-0661, only one crew survived, all eight others have been killed.
Probable cause:
The collision was the result of the approach procedures not being followed by the crew. The two bombers were practicing landing and takeoff maneuvers that included using instrument rules for parts of their flights and visual rules for other parts. The B-52 closer to the runway had just switched off its instrument maneuvers the B-52 farther away had not yet switched on its instruments. The control tower didn’t pick up the more distant B-52 until it was about three miles from the runway, when the closer bomber was on its final approach. The tower ordered the first plane to go up and to the right – a standard breakaway maneuver – while the closer one should have followed procedures to go down and to the left, to land. Instead, both planes pulled up and to the right, and into each other. Investigations were unable to determine the reason why the crew failed to follow the standard procedures and ATC instructions.

Crash of a Boeing B-52D-30-BW Stratofortress in Fairchild AFB: 8 killed

Date & Time: Sep 8, 1958 at 1920 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
56-0661
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Fairchild - Fairchild
MSN:
464033
YOM:
1956
Crew on board:
9
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
8
Circumstances:
The crew was engaged in a local training flight at Spokane AFB, consisting of visual and instruments approaches and landings. While approaching runway 23, at a distance of about three miles from the threshold, the crew switched from visual mode to instruments. In the mean time, another B-52 registered 56-0681 which was on first position must switch from instruments to visual mode. To follow the approach procedures and as both crews were not coordinated, the approach controller instructed the first crew to gain altitude while turning to the right and instructed the second crew to reduce his altitude while turning to the left. Few seconds later, at an altitude of 900 feet, both aircraft collided and crashed. On board 56-0681, five crew members were killed while two others were seriously injured. On board 56-0661, only one crew survived, all eight others have been killed.
Probable cause:
The collision was the result of the approach procedures not being followed by the crew. The two bombers were practicing landing and takeoff maneuvers that included using instrument rules for parts of their flights and visual rules for other parts. The B-52 closer to the runway had just switched off its instrument maneuvers the B-52 farther away had not yet switched on its instruments. The control tower didn’t pick up the more distant B-52 until it was about three miles from the runway, when the closer bomber was on its final approach. The tower ordered the first plane to go up and to the right – a standard breakaway maneuver – while the closer one should have followed procedures to go down and to the left, to land. Instead, both planes pulled up and to the right, and into each other. Investigations were unable to determine the reason why the crew failed to follow the standard procedures and ATC instructions.

Crash of a Douglas C-54A-DO Skymaster in Chennai

Date & Time: Sep 8, 1958
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
VT-DIA
Survivors:
Yes
MSN:
3094
YOM:
1943
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
4
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
27
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
En route to Madras, the primary hydraulic system failed. The crew failed to identify the failure properly and after touchdown at Madras Airport, the brake systems were partially inoperative. Unable to stop within the remaining distance, the airplane overran, struck obstacles, lost its undercarriage and came to a halt. All 31 occupants were evacuated safely while the aircraft was considered as damaged beyond repair.
Probable cause:
Failure of the primary hydraulic system in flight due a wrong installed gasket.

Crash of a Curtiss C-46A-45-CU Commando in Campina Grande: 14 killed

Date & Time: Sep 5, 1958 at 1730 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
PP-LDX
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Recife – Campina Grande
MSN:
30288
YOM:
1944
Flight number:
LDE652
Country:
Crew on board:
4
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
14
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
14
Circumstances:
Clearance was given for the route segment PPRF - PPKG at the approved altitude of 1 800 metres. Upon reaching the position Nazaré, the pilot descended without clearance to 1 200 metres and passed over the PPKG facility at 1000 metres, or 200 metres below the minimum altitude provided for initiating the procedure as prescribed by the Directorate of Air Routes. Having passed over the facility, the pilot consulted the procedure for PPKG and replaced it in the file. When the copilot asked him whether it should not be kept out, he said no, as he already knew it by heart. The procedure was initiated normally, the aircraft returning on a heading unknown to the Investigating Commission until it was at 520 metres (critical altitude 647 metres), when vertical visual contact with the runway was established; but it was not possible to come in, the aircraft having passed the critical point and being over the runway. The pilot tried to enter the traffic visual, so as not to lose sight of the runway, but this proved impossible on reaching final approach, with the result that the landing starting the return, on heading 200 degrees, he began to descend, turning on the aircraft lights. After a few moments of flight, the copilot tried unsuccessfully to obtain visual reference by looking outside. At this time he felt a violent impact and heard the pilot shout that he was "hitting". Two crew and eleven passengers were killed, and two crew and three passengers were seriously injured in the accident. The inbound heading of 200 degrees observed by the copilot and checked by the Investigating Commission showed that the procedure carried out by the pilot was not in accordance with that indicated in the approach chart approved by the Directorate of Air Routes. It was also found that at the time vertical visual contact with the runway was established, the aircraft was at most 40 metres from the ground, despite the fact that the meteorological information supplied by the Loide station at PPKG was ceiling 130 metres with visibility 6 km.
Probable cause:
The accident was due to pilot error - improper procedure during an authorized instrument flight. A contributing cause was an error on the part of other personnel - the meteorological forecast was incorrect.
Final Report:

Crash of an Avia 14P in Jõhvi: 1 killed

Date & Time: Sep 5, 1958 at 1252 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
CCCP-L2048
Flight Phase:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Leningrad – Tallinn
MSN:
058 705 101
YOM:
30
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
6
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
11
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
1
Aircraft flight hours:
1195
Circumstances:
While cruising on a flight from Leningrad to Tallinn, a passenger gave a message to the stewardess to be transmitted to the flying crew. The claims remains unclear and unable to enter the cockpit, the hijacker set on an artisanal bomb and a fire erupted in the cabin. From an altitude of 900 meters, the crew started a steep descent and completed an emergency landing at Jõhvi Airport. All crew members and passengers were able to evacuate the cabin and were uninjured while the hijacker was killed when the airplane was destroyed by fire.
Probable cause:
Hijacked and set on fire.

Crash of a Caudron C.282/8 Phalène in Grand-Lemps: 4 killed

Date & Time: Aug 31, 1958 at 1530 LT
Type of aircraft:
Registration:
F-AMVR
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Grenoble - Grenoble
MSN:
6903.74
YOM:
1934
Location:
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
1
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
3
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
4
Circumstances:
An airshow was organised at Grenoble-Saint-Geoirs Airport on this sunny Sunday. Three passengers won their first flight by a lottery and embarked on this Caudron Phalène owned by the Aéroclub de Saint Etienne de Saint Geoirs. While flying around the airport, the aircraft went out of control, dove into the ground and crashed in Grand-Lemps, few km west of the airport. All four occupants were killed.