Azores Islands | Bureau of Aircraft Accidents Archives

About 150 nm from his destination, the crew informed ground about the ETA in Santa Maria-Vila do Porto Airport at 0245LT. Few minutes later, the captain changed this ETA to 0255LT. During the final approach completed by night but in good weather conditions, while at an altitude of 3,000 feet, the captain confirmed to ATC that he had the runway in sight and was approaching in VFR mode. Shortly later, the aircraft hit the slope of Mt Redondo (about 900 meters high) located few km from the airport. The aircraft was destroyed by impact forces and a post crash fire and all 48 occupants were killed. Among them were the French boxer Marcel Cerdan, the French violinist Ginette Neveu and her brother Jean Neveu, pianist, and Kay Kamen, artistic director by Walt Disney Studios.
Crew:
Jean de la Noue, pilot,
Charles Wolfer, copilot,
Camille Fidency, copilot,
André Villet, mechanic,
Marcel Sarrazin, mechanic,
Roger Pierre, radio operator,
Paul Giraud, radio operator,
Jean Salvatori, navigator,
Raymond Redon, steward,
Albert Brucker, steward,
Suzanne Ruig, stewardess.

Probable cause:

Without rejecting with an absolute certainty the possibility of a misinterpretation, the Commission of Inquiry believes that the inaccurate navigation of the aircraft is due to a sudden failure, at the end of the flight and unsuspected by the crew, of some elements from the receiving direction finding system, abnormal radio propagation operation or become defective. This cause combined with overconfidence due to good weather conditions in the arrival zone, conditions which have not prompted the captain to check his radio point as it would have done under unfavorable weather conditions. A visual confusion in darkness finally resulted.
Final report:
http://aviatechno.net/constellation/rapport_f-bazn.php

Crash of a Douglas C-54A-15-DC Skymaster in Santa Maria

Date & Time: Sep 22, 1948

Type of aircraft:

Douglas C-54 Skymaster

Operator:

Registration:

XA-GUU

Flight Phase:

Takeoff (climb)

Flight Type:

Scheduled Revenue Flight

Survivors:

Yes

Site:

Airport (less than 10 km from airport)

Schedule:

Madrid – Santa Maria – Mexico City

MSN:

10390

YOM:

1944

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

Just after liftoff from Vila do Porto Airport (Santa Maria Island), while in initial climb, the aircraft suffered a loss of power on one engine. It stalled, hit the runway surface and came to rest. There were no injuries among the 44 occupants but the aircraft was considered as damaged beyond repair. The four engine aircraft was performing a flight from Madrid to Mexico City with an intermediate stop in Vila do Porto.

Probable cause:

Loss of engine power on takeoff.

Crash of a Boeing B-17G-95-DL Flying Fortress in Lajes

Date & Time: Apr 1, 1948

Type of aircraft:

Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress

Operator:

Registration:

276

Flight Phase:

Landing (descent or approach)

Flight Type:

Military

Survivors:

Yes

Site:

Airport (less than 10 km from airport)

MSN:

32353

YOM:

1944

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

After touchdown, the four engine aircraft overran and collided with a rocky wall. There were no casualties but the aircraft was written off.

Crash of a Beechcraft C-45 Expeditor off Ponta Delgada: 6 killed

Date & Time: Aug 5, 1947 at 1020 LT

Type of aircraft:

Beechcraft C-45 Expeditor

Operator:

Registration:

CS-TAA

Flight Phase:

Takeoff (climb)

Flight Type:

Scheduled Revenue Flight

Survivors:

Site:

Lake, Sea, Ocean, River

Schedule:

Ponta Delgada - Santa Maria

MSN:

6076

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Aircraft flight hours:

600

Circumstances:

Shortly after takeoff from Ponta Delgada Airport, while in initial climb, the twin engine aircraft went out of control and crashed into the sea few km off shore. Few debris were found on water surface but all six occupants were killed.

Probable cause:

The exact cause of the accident could not be determined with certainty as the wreckage was not found.

Final Report:

Crash of a Beechcraft D18S in Santa Maria: 2 killed

Date & Time: Mar 24, 1947

Type of aircraft:

Beechcraft D18

Operator:

Registration:

SU-AED

Flight Phase:

Landing (descent or approach)

Flight Type:

Delivery

Survivors:

Site:

Mountains

Schedule:

Wichita – Montreal – Gander – Santa Maria – Cairo

MSN:

A-368

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

While approaching Santa Maria Airport, the twin engine aircraft hit the slope of a mountain and crashed. Both occupants were killed. The crew was performing a delivery flight from Wichita to Cairo with intermediate stops in Montreal, Gander and Santa Maria.

Crash of a Douglas C-54D-10-DC Skymaster in Vila do Porto: 4 killed

Date & Time: Jul 3, 1945

Type of aircraft:

Douglas C-54 Skymaster

Operator:

Registration:

42-72680

Flight Phase:

Landing (descent or approach)

Flight Type:

Military

Survivors:

Site:

Mountains

MSN:

10785

YOM:

1945

Location:

Vila do Porto (Santa Maria Island)

Azores Islands

Country:

Portugal

Region:

Europe

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

Hit a mountain slope and crash 6,5 km from the airfield while on approach to Vila do Porto Airport, Santa Maria Island. The aircraft was destroyed and all four crew members were killed.
Crew:
Cpt David L. Satz 3.

Crash of a Consolidated LB-30 Liberator VIII in Lajes: 19 killed

Date & Time: Mar 14, 1945

Type of aircraft:

Consolidated LB-30 Liberator

Operator:

Registration:

EW626

Flight Phase:

Takeoff (climb)

Flight Type:

Military

Survivors:

Site:

Airport (less than 10 km from airport)

Schedule:

Lajes – Lisbon

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

Shortly after takeoff from Lajes Airbase, while in initial climb, the aircraft banked right, dove into the ground and crashed in a huge explosion. All 19 occupants were killed.