Crash of a Douglas R5D-2 on Mt Sunol Ridge: 40 killed

Date & Time: Feb 17, 1956 at 1342 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
39116
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Site:
Schedule:
Camp Pendleton – El Toro – Alameda – Hickam
MSN:
18331
YOM:
1944
Crew on board:
5
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
35
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
40
Circumstances:
The aircraft departed El Toro Airbase at 1030LT Bound for Alameda NAS on behalf of the Marine Transport Squadron 152. On board were United States Marines from Camp Pendleton en route to Hickam Field, and five crew members. While approaching his destination, the captain was instructed to follow a 30 minutes holding circuit. At 1342LT, while descending at an altitude of 3,500 feet in marginal weather conditions, the pilot started the approach when the aircraft hit the slope of Mt Sunol Ridge located about 21 miles southeast of Alameda Airbase. The aircraft was destroyed upon impact and all 40 occupants have been killed. It was reported that the airplane hit the mountain about 200 feet below the summit.
Crew:
Maj Alexander Watson, pilot,
1st Lt Thomas E. Straughan, copilot,
M/Sgt Donald J. Down, navigator,
S/Sgt Terrell M. Young, flight engineer,
S/Sgt Harry E. Knight, radio operator.
Probable cause:
It was determined that the collision with the mountain was the consequence of several errors and omissions on part of the flying crew who neglected approach procedures and wrongly interpreted some signals transmitted by local beacons. This caused the crew to start the descent prematurely and the aircraft to drift off course by six miles to the northeast at the time of the accident. Low visibility due to clouds was considered as a contributing factor.

Crash of a Douglas C-47-DL near Fort Chimo: 2 killed

Date & Time: Feb 14, 1956
Operator:
Registration:
CF-BZH
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Schedule:
Frobisher Bay – Fort Chimo
MSN:
6079
YOM:
1942
Country:
Crew on board:
3
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
2
Circumstances:
While approaching Fort Chimo on a cargo flight from Frobisher Bay, the crew encountered poor weather conditions and failed to realize his altitude was too low when the airplane struck a hill located 40 km from Fort Chimo Airport. A crew member was rescued while both other occupants were killed. For undetermined reason, the crew started the descent prematurely.

Crash of a Douglas C-47 on Mt Dirfi: 17 killed

Date & Time: Feb 12, 1956
Operator:
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Site:
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
4
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
13
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
17
Circumstances:
The crew left Elefsis AFB in Athens with military personnel, taking part to an evacuation mission following heavy snow falls. While cruising over the Skopelos Island, the crew reported unexpected problems and elected to return to his base. Few minutes later, the airplane hit the slope of Mt Dirfi (1,743 meters high) located in the center of the Evia Island. All 17 occupants have been killed.

Crash of an Avro 652A Anson in King Leopold Ranges: 5 killed

Date & Time: Feb 4, 1956 at 1900 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
VH-MMG
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Site:
Schedule:
Tablelands – Derby
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
1
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
4
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
5
Circumstances:
The aircraft was performing an ambulance flight from Tablelands to Derby, carrying a young ill child, his father, two nurses and one pilot on behalf of the Royal Flying Doctor Service. Enroute, weather conditions worsened and the pilot encountered thunderstorm activity with turbulences when control was lost. The aircraft crashed on the Hawkstone Peak located in the King Leopold Ranges. As the airplane failed to arrive in Derby, SAR operations were conducted but the wreckage was found three weeks later only. All five occupants were killed.
Crew:
Cpt Pieter van Emmerick.
Passengers:
Sister Frances Day, nurse,
Sister Helen Newman, nurse,
one patient and his father.

Crash of a De Havilland UC-1 in Antarctica

Date & Time: Feb 3, 1956
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
144260
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Schedule:
Little America V - Mile 38
MSN:
62
YOM:
1954
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
2
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
While on a supply mission from Little American V Station to Mile 38 Station, the crew encountered severe icing conditions. The aircraft crash landed on a snowed and icy hill. Unhurt, both pilot decided to return to their base located 110 miles away and walked for 40 miles before being rescued by the crew of an helicopter.

Crash of a Beechcraft AT-11 Kansan near Capaya: 10 killed

Date & Time: Jan 28, 1956
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
YV-C-LBK
Flight Phase:
Survivors:
No
Site:
MSN:
3438
YOM:
1942
Location:
Country:
Crew on board:
2
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
8
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
10
Circumstances:
Crashed in a mountainous area located near Capaya, killing all ten occupants.

Crash of a Douglas C-47A-20-DL near Torysky: 22 killed

Date & Time: Jan 18, 1956 at 1449 LT
Operator:
Registration:
OK-WDZ
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Schedule:
Prague – Bratislava – Košice
MSN:
9385
YOM:
1943
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
4
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
22
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
22
Circumstances:
On the leg from Bratislava to Košice, the crew encountered poor weather conditions and was contacted by ATC and diverted to Poprad. Few minutes before its ETA in Poprad, while cruising in bad weather conditions at an altitude of 1,300 meters, the aircraft hit trees and crashed in a snow covered and wooded area located in the Tatra Mountain Range. Four passengers were injured and rescued while all 22 other occupants were killed.
Probable cause:
It was determined that the crew started the descent to Poprad prematurely following a wrong altimeter setting, causing the aircraft to hit obstacles and to crash. Poor visibility caused by snow falls and heavy winds blowing up to 100 km/h were considered as contributing factors.

Crash of a Douglas C-54M Skymaster near Ketama: 8 killed

Date & Time: Dec 11, 1955
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
44-9094
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Site:
Schedule:
Tripoli – Kenitra
MSN:
27320
YOM:
1945
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
8
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
8
Circumstances:
While cruising in poor weather conditions, the four engine aircraft hit the slope of a mountain located 8 km southeast of Ketama. All eight crew members were killed.

Crash of a Lisunov LI-2 on Mt Tordoki-Yani: 21 killed

Date & Time: Dec 9, 1955 at 1207 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
CCCP-L4993
Flight Phase:
Survivors:
No
Site:
Schedule:
Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk – Sovietskaya Gavan – Elabuga – Khabarovsk
MSN:
2 34 433 06
YOM:
0
Flight number:
SU976
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
5
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
16
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
21
Aircraft flight hours:
4021
Circumstances:
After his departure from Sovietskaya Gavan Airport, the crew obtained the permission to continue at the assigned altitude of 2,700 meters. Weather conditions deteriorated enroute with clouds, turbulences and high winds blowing from the north up to 90 km/h. While overflying the Sikhote-Alin Mountain Range, the aircraft encountered downdrafts and lost altitude. The crew increased engine power and elected to gain height but the aircraft continued to descent until it struck the slope of Mt Tordoki-Yani (1,750 meters high). The wreckage was found on December 21, 1955 and all 21 occupants have been killed. It was reported that the aircraft struck the mountain 20 meters below the summit.
Probable cause:
Severe downdraft in altitude caused the aircraft to lose height and to struck the mountain.