Lake, Sea, Ocean, River | Bureau of Aircraft Accidents Archives

One minute after takeoff from Faleolo Airport, while climbing, the airplane entered a low pressure area with thunderstorm activity, rain falls, turbulences and windshear. The airplane went out of control and crashed into the sea few hundred yards offshore. It exploded while contacting the water surface and all 32 occupants were killed.

Probable cause:

Loss of control caused by severe turbulences and probable windshear.

Crash of a Boeing KC-135A-BN Stratotanker off Ching Chuan Kang AFB: 4 killed

Date & Time: Dec 19, 1969

Type of aircraft:

Boeing KC-135 Stratotanker

Operator:

Registration:

56-3629

Flight Phase:

Takeoff (climb)

Flight Type:

Refuelling

Survivors:

Site:

Lake, Sea, Ocean, River

Schedule:

Ching Chuan Kang - Ching Chuan Kang

MSN:

17378

YOM:

1958

Location:

Ching Chuan Kang AFB (Taichung)

Taichung City (臺中市)

Country:

Taiwan

Region:

Asia

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Aircraft flight hours:

6794

Circumstances:

The aircraft was part of a formation of four Boeing KC-135A-BN Stratotanker engaged in a refuelling mission over South China Sea. Shortly after takeoff from Ching Chuan Kang AFB in Taichung, while in initial climb, the airplane encountered difficulties to gain height then stalled and crashed into the sea few miles offshore. The aircraft was destroyed upon impact and all four crew members were killed.
Crew:
Maj Gene Thomas Wright, pilots +3.

Probable cause:

It was determined that the loss of control was the consequence of windshear.

Crash of a Curtiss C-46D-10-CU Commando into the Gulf of Mexico

Date & Time: Dec 15, 1969

Type of aircraft:

Curtiss C-46 Commando

Operator:

Albany Industrial Corporation

Registration:

N10416

Flight Phase:

Flight

Flight Type:

Private

Site:

Lake, Sea, Ocean, River

MSN:

33264

YOM:

1945

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

Crashed in unknown circumstances into the Gulf of Mexico somewhere during December 1969 (exact date unknown). Crew fate remains unknown.

Crash of a Canadian Vickers PBV-1A Canso A off Gilleleje: 1 killed

Date & Time: Dec 11, 1969 at 1348 LT

Type of aircraft:

Canadian Vickers PBV-1 Canso (OA-10 Canso)

Operator:

Registration:

L-853

Flight Phase:

Landing (descent or approach)

Flight Type:

Training

Survivors:

Yes

Site:

Lake, Sea, Ocean, River

Schedule:

Værløse - Værløse

MSN:

CV-316

YOM:

1944

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

The seaplane aircraft departed Værløse AFB on a training flight with three passengers and a crew of five on board. After completing landings into the sea off Gilleleje, the crew prepared for a second landing when the airplane struck the water surface in a nose-down attitude, plunged into the sea and sank by a depth of 12 meters, some 4,6 km offshore. A crew member was killed while seven other occupants were rescued.

Crash of an Avia 14P off Makhachkala: 17 killed

Date & Time: Dec 10, 1969 at 1833 LT

Type of aircraft:

Avia 14

Operator:

Registration:

CCCP-52010

Flight Phase:

Takeoff (climb)

Flight Type:

Scheduled Revenue Flight

Survivors:

Site:

Lake, Sea, Ocean, River

Schedule:

Makhachkala - Astrakhan

MSN:

023 703 101

YOM:

1957

Flight number:

SU2953

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Aircraft flight hours:

20481

Aircraft flight cycles:

18670

Circumstances:

The aircraft departed Makhachkala Airport at 1829LT and climbed over the sea. Less than two minutes later, the crew was cleared to climb to 2,100 meters when the pilot reported to ATC the presence of clouds over the sea that were not mentioned in the weather bulletin transmitted to him prior to the flight. Suddenly, the aircraft nosed down and plunged into the sea about 3,5 km offshore. The wreckage was found in a depth of 10 meters and all 17 occupants have been killed.

Probable cause:

It was determined that, at an altitude of 400 meters while climbing, the airplane struck a flock of migratory birds that struck the windshield that broke instantly, killing both pilots. It was reported that many birds were migrating in this region, at any time during this period of the year.

Crash of a Boeing 707-328B off Maiquetía: 62 killed

Date & Time: Dec 3, 1969 at 1805 LT

Type of aircraft:

Boeing 707

Operator:

Registration:

F-BHSZ

Flight Phase:

Takeoff (climb)

Flight Type:

Scheduled Revenue Flight

Survivors:

Site:

Lake, Sea, Ocean, River

Schedule:

Santiago de Chile – Caracas – Pointe-à-Pitre – Lisbon – Paris

MSN:

18459/335

YOM:

1963

Flight number:

AF212

Location:

Caracas-Maiquetía-Simón Bolívar

Vargas

Country:

Venezuela

Region:

South America

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

Three minutes after takeoff from Maiquetía-Simon Bolivar Airport, while climbing to a height of 3,000 feet at night, the aircraft went out of control, nosed down and plunged into the sea about 5 km offshore. The wreckage sank by a depth of 50 metres and all 62 occupants were killed.

Probable cause:

The exact cause of the accident could not be determined. It was suspected that the loss of control was the consequence of a spatial disorientation on part of the pilot-in-command. No official investigation report was published either by the Venezuelan Authorities or by the French Government. All official documents referring to this tragedy are classified 'secret-defense' by the French Authorities until 2029. Nevertheless, in a classified document dated August 7, 1970, the French Bureau of Investigations (BEA-Bureau Enquêtes-Accidents) asked the French government to make a contact through the diplomatic way with the Venezuelan Authorities, to establish any evidence relating to suspicious traces found on clothes and some debris, some of them coming from the left main gear. On 17 November 1970, the Central Armament Laboratory of Paris confirmed that acetone washes were carried out on certain parts such as the fuselage, the bottom floor of the landing hatch and the landing gear. On the neighboring parts of the left main gear, it has been possible to demonstrate the presence of nitrocellulose, nitroglycerine and a nitro derivative in the form of traces that could come from the decomposition of dinitrotoluene or possibly trinitrotoluene. Consequently, in a letter dated November 27, 1970, the Chief of the General Inspectorate of the French Civil Aviation confirms in an official letter that the technical analysis carried out by the various laboratories highlighted a high probability that the destruction in flight of the aircraft should be attributable to an act of malicious intent. Indeed, the chemical and metallurgical analysis showed that a powerful explosive device may have been placed in the well zone of the left main gear.

Crash of a Beechcraft 65-A90 King Air off Galveston: 3 killed

Date & Time: Nov 26, 1969 at 1355 LT

Type of aircraft:

Beechcraft 90 King Air

Operator:

Registration:

N500X

Flight Phase:

Landing (descent or approach)

Flight Type:

Training

Survivors:

Site:

Lake, Sea, Ocean, River

Schedule:

Galveston - Galveston

MSN:

LJ-199

YOM:

1967

Location:

Galveston

Texas

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:

11367

Captain / Total hours on type:

253.00

Circumstances:

The crew was completing a local training flight at Galveston-Scholes Airport, Texas. Following several approached, the twin engine aircraft was again approaching the airport when it stalled and crashed into the Galveston Bay, about a mile from the runway threshold. The aircraft was destroyed and all three occupants were killed.

Probable cause:

Loss of control on approach as the pilot-in-command failed to maintain flying speed.

Final Report:

Crash of a Casa 2.111 off Las Palmas

Date & Time: Nov 25, 1969

Type of aircraft:

Casa 2.111

Operator:

Flight Phase:

Flight

Flight Type:

Military

Survivors:

Yes

Site:

Lake, Sea, Ocean, River

Location:

Las Palmas-Gando (Gran Canaria)

Canary Islands

Country:

Spain

Region:

Europe

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

The crew encountered an unexpected situation and was forced to ditch the aircraft off Las Palmas-Gando Airport. All three occupants were rescued by the crew of a boat while the aircraft sank and was lost.

Crash of a Rockwell T-39A-1-NA Sabreliner off Eglin AFB

Date & Time: Nov 13, 1969

Type of aircraft:

Rockwell T-39 Sabreliner

Operator:

Registration:

59-2871

Flight Phase:

Landing (descent or approach)

Flight Type:

Test

Survivors:

Yes

Site:

Lake, Sea, Ocean, River

Schedule:

Eglin - Eglin

MSN:

265-4

YOM:

1959

Location:

Eglin AFB (Valparaiso)

Florida

Country:

United States of America

Region:

North America

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

The crew departed Eglin AFB on a local test flight on board this aircraft that was fitted with radiological test equipment for Project "Have Doughnut". Following an uneventful mission, the crew was approaching the airbase when he encountered foggy conditions. On final, the airplane crashed into the Choctawhatchee, about 2,5 miles short of runway threshold. Both crew members were rescued while the aircraft sank.

Crash of a Learjet 23 off Racine: 7 killed

Date & Time: Nov 6, 1969 at 1107 LT

Type of aircraft:

Learjet 23

Operator:

Registration:

N1021B

Flight Phase:

Landing (descent or approach)

Flight Type:

Executive/Corporate/Business

Survivors:

Site:

Lake, Sea, Ocean, River

Schedule:

Benton Harbor - Racine

MSN:

23-086

YOM:

1966

Location:

Racine

Wisconsin

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:

7076

Captain / Total hours on type:

625.00

Circumstances:

On approach to Racine-Batten Airport, the crew failed to realize his altitude was insufficient when the airplane struck the water surface and crashed into Lake Michigan, few miles offshore. The floating wreckage was recovered but all seven occupants were killed.

Probable cause:

Investigations were unable to determined the exact cause of the accident and the reason why the crew was approaching the airport below the minimum safe altitude.

Final Report:

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