Crash of a Beechcraft 80 Queen Air in Republic: 1 killed

Date & Time: Dec 21, 1969 at 1825 LT
Type of aircraft:
Registration:
N1539S
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Boca Raton - Republic - Springfield
MSN:
LD-20
YOM:
1962
Crew on board:
1
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
1
Captain / Total flying hours:
6577
Captain / Total hours on type:
105.00
Circumstances:
Following an uneventful flight from Boca Raton, the pilot was approaching Republic when he was informed by ATC about icing conditions in the area. While descending in poor weather conditions, the pilot lost control of the airplane that crashed few miles from the airfield. The aircraft was destroyed and the pilot, sole on board, was killed.
Probable cause:
Uncontrolled descent and collision with ground during initial approach caused by icing conditions. The following factors were reported:
- Low ceiling,
- Fog,
- Icing conditions including sleet and freezing rain,
- Airframe ice,
- Ice propeller,
- Weather slightly worse than forecast,
- Approach control advised icing conditions in clouds,
- Pilot reported heavy icing,
- Full deicing equipment activated.
Final Report:

Crash of a Beechcraft D18S in Kansas City

Date & Time: Feb 1, 1969 at 0204 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
N44634
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Kansas City – Little Rock
MSN:
A-41
YOM:
1946
Crew on board:
2
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Captain / Total flying hours:
1188
Captain / Total hours on type:
991.00
Circumstances:
After a night takeoff from Kansas City Airport, while on a mail flight, the airplane encountered difficulties to gain height when it stalled and crashed near the runway end. Both pilots were seriously injured and the aircraft was destroyed by a post crash fire.
Probable cause:
Stall during initial climb caused by an inadequate preflight preparation on part of the flying crew. The following contributing factors were reported:
- Airframe ice,
- Icing conditions including sleet, freezing rain,
- Improperly loaded aircraft-weight and CofG,
- Frost on wings,
- Aircraft overt gross takeoff weight.
Final Report:

Crash of a Mitsubishi MU-2B-10 Marquise near Pleasant Hope: 5 killed

Date & Time: Dec 21, 1968 at 1010 LT
Type of aircraft:
Registration:
N3550X
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Joplin – Tallahassee
MSN:
18
YOM:
1967
Crew on board:
1
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
4
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
5
Captain / Total flying hours:
2910
Captain / Total hours on type:
100.00
Circumstances:
While in cruising altitude, the twin engine aircraft went out of control, entered a dive and crashed in a near vertical attitude in a field located five miles south of Pleasant Hope. The aircraft was destroyed and all five occupants were killed.
Probable cause:
Loss of control for undetermined reason. It was reported that the pilot attempted operation with known deficiencies in equipment. Malfunction of the artificial horizon and turn needle.
Final Report:

Ground accident of a Rockwell Sabreliner 40 in Perryville

Date & Time: Dec 21, 1967
Type of aircraft:
Registration:
N30W
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
MSN:
282-5
YOM:
1964
Crew on board:
0
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
Suffered a ground accident at Perryville Airport. No casualties.

Crash of a Douglas C-124C Globemaster II at Whiteman AFB

Date & Time: Jun 24, 1967
Operator:
Registration:
50-0086
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
MSN:
43224
YOM:
1950
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
On final approach to Whiteman AFB, the pilot-in-command decided to make a go-around for undetermined reason when the airplane stalled and crashed short of runway threshold. There were no casualties but the aircraft was written off.

Crash of a Beechcraft King Air 90 in Greencastle: 5 killed

Date & Time: Mar 11, 1966 at 1220 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
N529N
Flight Phase:
Survivors:
Yes
MSN:
LJ-112
YOM:
1966
Crew on board:
2
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
6
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
5
Captain / Total flying hours:
11000
Captain / Total hours on type:
34.00
Circumstances:
While in cruising altitude, the crew informed ATC about a double engine failure and was cleared to divert to the nearest airport for an emergency landing. Unable to maintain a safe altitude, the pilot-in-command attempted to land in a field when the airplane struck trees and crashed. Four passengers and a pilot were killed while three other occupants were injured.
Probable cause:
Double engine failure in flight for undetermined reason. Powerplant/engines would not airstart for unknown reason.
Final Report:

Crash of a Convair CV-880-22-1 in Kansas City

Date & Time: Sep 13, 1965 at 1240 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
N820TW
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Kansas City - Kansas City
MSN:
22-00-26
YOM:
1961
Crew on board:
4
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Captain / Total flying hours:
17410
Captain / Total hours on type:
1300.00
Aircraft flight hours:
12324
Circumstances:
The crew was completing a local training flight at Kansas City-Mid-Continent Airport, Missouri, consisting of touch and go manoeuvres. During the takeoff roll, when the aircraft reached the speed of 146 knots, the pilot-in-command started the rotation when the airplane banked right to an angle of 25° then struck the runway surface. It went out of control, veered of runway and came to rest in flames. All four crew members were evacuated while the aircraft was damaged beyond repair.
Probable cause:
It was determined that the crew decided to attempt to takeoff with the engine number four voluntarily shut down to simulate its failure. Improper operation of flight controls and supervision on part of the pilot-in-command.
Final Report:

Crash of a Douglas DC-6A at Whiteman AFB

Date & Time: May 10, 1965 at 0601 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
N6579C
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Oklahoma City – Whiteman
MSN:
45480/980
YOM:
1958
Flight number:
AAX1416B
Crew on board:
3
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Captain / Total flying hours:
15498
Captain / Total hours on type:
2389.00
Copilot / Total flying hours:
4481
Copilot / Total hours on type:
2113
Aircraft flight hours:
20557
Circumstances:
AAXICO Airlines, Inc., Douglas DC-6A, N6579C, operating as AAXICO Flight No. 1416B, a regularly scheduled Civil Air Movement (CAN) cargo flight, crashed during an approach to a landing at Whiteman Air Force Base (AFB), Knob Noster, Missouri, at approximately 0601 c.s.t., on May 18, 1965. The crew of three, the only persons on board, escaped uninjured. The flight scheduled from Hill AFB, Ogden, Utah, to Offutt AFB, Omaha, Nebraska, with several scheduled stops at various Air Force Bases en route, departed Tinker AFB, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, on an Instrument Flight Rules (IFR) flight plan at 0446 c.s.t., for Whiteman AFB. Shortly after departure the flight canceled IFR and continued in accordance with Visual Flight Rules (VFR). The flight approached Whiteman AFB from the south and was cleared for a straight-in visual approach to runway 36. At this time a line of thunderstorms was located to the west of the field, portions of which were moving across the approach end of the runway obstructing the crew's sighting of the base and runway. The flight continued the approach, encountering heavy rain which reduced visibility to the point that visual contact with the ground was lost. The aircraft struck the trees 4,204 feet short of the runway threshold and 740 feet to the right of the extended runway center-line while on a magnetic heading of 020 degrees. The aircraft continued to the ground, shearing the landing gear, the No. 4 engine and right outer wing panel, and slid approximately 1,200 feet on the bottom fuselage surface. Ground impact ruptured the right wing fuel tanks spilling fuel along the wreckage path which resulted in a ground fire of short duration. The left inboard tanks ruptured causing a fire which destroyed the fuselage interior.
Probable cause:
The Board determines that the probable cause of this accident was an improperly executed landing approach into an area of adverse weather, during which the aircraft was allowed to descend to an altitude too low to avoid striking trees.
Final Report:

Crash of a Boeing 707-124 near Unionville: 45 killed

Date & Time: May 22, 1962 at 2117 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
N70775
Flight Phase:
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Chicago – Kansas City – Los Angeles
MSN:
17611
YOM:
1959
Flight number:
CO011
Crew on board:
8
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
37
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
45
Captain / Total flying hours:
25000
Captain / Total hours on type:
2600.00
Copilot / Total flying hours:
14500
Copilot / Total hours on type:
600
Aircraft flight hours:
11945
Circumstances:
On the night of May 22, 1962, a Continental Air Lines Boeing 707-124, N70775, operating as Flight 11 en route from O’Hare Airport, Chicago, Illinois, to Kansas City, Missouri, was flying via Jet Route 26V at an altitude of 39,000 feet. A few minutes after Flight 11 had made a northerly deviation from course to circumnavigate a thunderstorm, in the vicinity of Centerville, Iowa, the radar image of the aircraft disappeared from the scope of the Waverly, Iowa, Flight Following Service. At approximately 2117 an explosion occurred in the right rear lavatory resulting in separation of the tail section from the fuselage. The aircraft broke up and the main part of the fuselage struck the ground about 6 miles north-northwest of Unionville, Missouri. All 37 passengers and crew of 8 sustained fatal injuries. The aircraft was totally destroyed.
Probable cause:
The Board determines that the probable cause of this accident was the disintegrating force of a dynamite explosion which occurred in the right rear lavatory resulting in destruction of the aircraft.
Final Report:

Crash of a Douglas C-124A Globemaster II at Richards-Gebaur AFB: 7 killed

Date & Time: Dec 19, 1961
Operator:
Registration:
49-0239
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Richards-Gebaur - Charleston
MSN:
43168
YOM:
1949
Crew on board:
7
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
7
Circumstances:
Shortly after takeoff from Richards-Gebaur AFB, while climbing, the crew declared an emergency and informed ground about an engine failure. The pilot obtained the permission to return for an emergency landing when the airplane went out of control and crashed in Belton, about 2 miles southeast of the airfield. The airplane was destroyed and all seven crew members were killed.
Probable cause:
Engine failure.