Mountains

While on a patrol flight over the Philippines, the seaplane struck the slope of a mountain and was completely destroyed. All 12 crew members were killed.

The aircraft was on a scheduled international flight from Kathmandu to New Delhi. No weather forecast was available before takeoff. However, the pilot was to receive a forecast from New Delhi en route. The flight was cleared direct to New Delhi to cruise and maintain 8,500 feet and it took off from Kathmandu-Gaucher Airport with 4 crew and 6 passengers aboard at 1221LT. At 1302LT the flight reported to Calcutta FIC that it was 100 miles out at 8,500 feet. At 1315LT the flight reported to Calcutta '83° East at 8,500 feet'. No further messages were received from the flight, and attempts by ground stations to re-establish radio contact were unsuccessful. On 2 August search and rescue operations were instituted and on 9 August the wreckage of the aircraft was located on a mountain top at an altitude of 11,200 feet. All ten occupants were killed, among them the Indian ambassador in Nepal.

While approaching Sochi-Adler Airport on a flight from Simferopol, the crew was cleared to descend to 1,200 m, 600 m and then 500 meters. Once this altitude was reached, the crew encountered marginal weather conditions and the four engine aircraft went through a cloudy area when it struck tree tops and crashed in flames in a dense wooded area located 21 km southeast of the airport. The airplane was totally destroyed and the debris were scattered on a distance of 300 m by 150 m. All 81 occupants were killed.

Flight UA869 departed from Hong Kong for Bangkok, an intermediate stop, on a scheduled service to Cairo. Takeoff time was 13:30 UTC. The flight climbed to 31000 ft, the selected cruising altitude. At 15:14 UA869 advised Bangkok ATC that the flight had crossed the Bangkok FIR boundary at 15:08 and passed over Ubol NDB at 15:13 and requested to fly direct from Ubol NDB to Bangkok VOR. This request was granted by Bangkok ATC. At this time UA869 advised Bangkok ATC that the ETA for Bangkok VOR would be 15:47. At 15:27 the flight advised Bangkok ATC that it would be over the 100 mile perimeter at 15:30. After reporting that it was 90 miles out the crew requested descent clearance to a lower altitude. Bangkok control cleared the flight to descend to 4000 ft on the Bangkok VOR radial of 073 degrees and to report when commencing descent from 31000 ft. The flight was instructed to contact Bangkok approach control at 15:39. At 15:35 the flight was cleared to 3000 ft and informed that the altimeter setting was 1007.8 mb. At 15:40 the flight transferred to the Bangkok approach control. Immediately after this UA869 reported to approach control that it was descending from 13000 ft and estimating Bangkok VOR at 15:44. Approach control advised the flight to adjust the altimeter setting to 1007.8 mb and then cleared the flight to cross Bangkok VOR for final approach on runway 21R and report immediately on descending from 3000 ft. This was the last contact with the flight. The Comet flew into the side of Khao Yai Mountain, 52 nm NE of Bangkok.

The crew left Jorhat-Rowriah Airport on a cargo (supply) mission over State of Nagaland. En route, he encountered poor weather conditions and the airplane entered a narrow valley in low visibility. The pilot realized the situation and attempted a sharp turn to return when the airplane stalled, struck the ground and crashed. The aircraft was destroyed and all nine occupants were killed.

En route from Saigon to Buon Ma Thuot, the crew encountered poor weather conditions and due to low visibility, the captain decided to reduce his altitude to establish a visual contact with the ground when the airplane struck trees and crashed in a wooded area. The accident site was located three days later and all four crew members were evacuated by a US Army helicopter. The aircraft was written off.

While cruising over the Swiss Alps at an altitude of 14,000 feet, the crew encountered poor weather and icing conditions. He requested the permission to reduce his altitude when ATC advised the crew to divert to Zurich for a safe landing. This was the last radio transmission. Shortly later, the twin engine aircraft struck the southwestern slope of Mt Oberalpstock (3,328 m high) located at the border between the cantons of Uri and Graubünden. The wreckage was later found about 300 meters below the summit and all six occupants have been killed. It is believed that the crew was probably diverting to Zurich Airport at the time of the accident as the airplane struck the southwestern slope of the mountain. Among the victims were both German speedboat champions Sigrud Knubben aged 23 and Rolf Friedrich Goetze aged 43.

The crew was preparing to land at Bombay-Santa Cruz Airport runway 27 and was cleared to descend to 4,000 feet. After several errors, the pilot-in-command started the descent prematurely and while at an altitude of 3,600 feet, the airplane struck the slope of Mt Davandyachi (1,080 m high) located about eight km north of Junnar. The aircraft disintegrated on impact and all 94 occupants were killed. At the time of the accident, the airplane was off course by 9 km and its altitude was too low.

While cruising in poor weather conditions, the airplane struck Mt Puncak Jaya (4,160 meters high) located in Papua. As the airplane failed to arrive at Biak Airport, SAR operations were conducted but eventually suspended few days later as no trace of the aircraft nor the 8 crew members was found. The wreckage was located in 1969 on the south slope of the mountain.

Crashed in unknown circumstances. All 14 occupants, among them 12 police officers, were rescued while the aircraft was written off.