Country
Canada

Crash of a Boeing B-50A-30-BO Superfortress near Goose Bay

Date & Time: Sep 22, 1950
Type of aircraft:
Boeing B-50 Superfortress
Operator:
Registration:
47-105
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Military
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Plain, Valley
Schedule:
Goose Bay – Davis-Monthan
MSN:
15789
YOM:
1947
Location:
Goose Bay
Newfoundland & Labrador
Country:
Canada
Region:
North America
Crew on board:
16
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
One hour after departure from Goose Bay bound for Davis-Monthan AFB, the carburetor of the engine number 2 suffered icing and the engine failed. The captain decided to return to Goose Bay for a safe landing when the same engine caught fire shortly later. As the crew was trying to extinguish the fire, the engine number four caught fire as well. In such conditions, the captain ordered his crew to abandon the aircraft. After all 16 crew members bailed out, the aircraft continued a while to the east and eventually crashed in a wooded area located about 94 miles east of Goose Bay. The aircraft disintegrated on impact and all 16 occupants were later rescued and evacuated.
Probable cause:
Carburetor icing, engine failure and engine fire.

Crash of a Noorduyn Norseman IV in Gander Lake: 2 killed

Date & Time: Aug 18, 1950
Type of aircraft:
Noorduyn Norseman
Operator:
Newfoundland Airways
Registration:
CF-GPG
Flight Phase:
Takeoff (climb)
Flight Type:
Scheduled Revenue Flight
Survivors:
No
Site:
Lake, Sea, Ocean, River
MSN:
627
YOM:
1944
Location:
Gander
Newfoundland & Labrador
Country:
Canada
Region:
North America
Crew on board:
1
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
1
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
2
Captain / Total flying hours:
3000
Circumstances:
The float quipped aircraft taxied out to take-off position on Gander Lake, Newfoundland, with a pilot and one passenger on board Several people watched the take-off and, according to one witness, the aircraft never did get on the step but was pulled off the water in a nose high attitude and in semi-stalled conditions. At a height of roughly 10 to 15 feet above the surface, the left wing went down and the aircraft began to sideslip, continuing to lose height until the wing tip struck the water, causing the aircraft to cartwheel and partially submerge. The pilot and the passenger died as a result of drowning. Weather was suitable for the flight. Although ,the aircraft did not take off directly into wind according to the Gander Airways Weather report, the wind velocity was only 7 MPH.
Probable cause:
Inspection of the aircraft, and evidence of witnesses, failed to disclose any indication of malfunctioning of the aircraft, engine or controls prior to the crash. The immediate cause of the accident would appear to be that the left wing
tip of the aircraft came into contact with the water following which the aircraft crashed and partially submerged. The major contributing factors would appear to be:
1) poor judgment on the part of the pilot in attempting a turn at approximately 15 feet above the water; and
2) poor technique on the part of the pilot in permitting the aircraft to stall.
Final Report:

Crash of a Douglas C-47D in Stephenville

Date & Time: Mar 28, 1950
Type of aircraft:
Douglas C-47 Skytrain (DC-3)
Operator:
Registration:
44-77292
Flight Phase:
Landing (descent or approach)
Flight Type:
Military
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Airport (less than 10 km from airport)
MSN:
16876/33624
YOM:
1945
Location:
Stephenville
Newfoundland & Labrador
Country:
Canada
Region:
North America
Crew on board:
7
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
After touchdown, the aircraft went out of control and came to rest, damaged beyond repair. All seven crew members were unhurt.

Crash of a Douglas R5D-4 in Stephenville

Date & Time: Jun 24, 1949
Type of aircraft:
Douglas C-54 Skymaster
Operator:
Registration:
90400
Flight Phase:
Landing (descent or approach)
Flight Type:
Military
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Airport (less than 10 km from airport)
MSN:
27306
YOM:
1945
Location:
Stephenville
Newfoundland & Labrador
Country:
Canada
Region:
North America
Crew on board:
0
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
Crash landed in unknown circumstances. There were no casualties.

Crash of a Douglas R4D-3 in Stephenville

Date & Time: May 30, 1949
Type of aircraft:
Douglas C-54 Skymaster
Operator:
Registration:
56532
Flight Phase:
Landing (descent or approach)
Flight Type:
Military
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Airport (less than 10 km from airport)
MSN:
22152
YOM:
1945
Location:
Stephenville
Newfoundland & Labrador
Country:
Canada
Region:
North America
Crew on board:
0
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
Crash landed in Stephenville-Ernest Harmon Airport, apparently following technical problems. There were no injuries but the aircraft was damaged beyond repair.

Crash of an Avro 652A Anson V in Corner Brook

Date & Time: Feb 14, 1949
Type of aircraft:
Avro 652 Anson
Operator:
Newfoundland Airways
Registration:
VO-ABP
Flight Phase:
Landing (descent or approach)
Flight Type:
Scheduled Revenue Flight
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Airport (less than 10 km from airport)
Schedule:
Deer Lake – Corner Brook
MSN:
MDF-258
Location:
Corner Brook
Newfoundland & Labrador
Country:
Canada
Region:
North America
Crew on board:
2
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
2
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
Crash landed in Corner Brook while on a flight from Deer Lake. All four occupants were unhurt while the aircraft was damaged beyond repair.

Crash of a Douglas C-54D-5-DC Skymaster in Goose Bay: 23 killed

Date & Time: Dec 10, 1947 at 0020 LT
Type of aircraft:
Douglas C-54 Skymaster
Operator:
Registration:
42-72572
Flight Phase:
Takeoff (climb)
Flight Type:
Military
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Airport (less than 10 km from airport)
Schedule:
Goose Bay – Westover
MSN:
10677
YOM:
1945
Location:
Goose Bay
Newfoundland & Labrador
Country:
Canada
Region:
North America
Crew on board:
4
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
25
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
23
Circumstances:
One minute after a night takeoff from Goose Bay, while in initial climb, the pilot encountered serious difficulties to gain height, informed ground and elected to return. Shortly later, the four engine aircraft stalled and crashed in flames in a wooded area located 13,5 km north of the airport. Six occupants were seriously injured while 23 others were killed.
Probable cause:
It was snowing in Goose Bay when the crew made his technical stop. For unknown reason, the crew failed to request for a deice operation prior to departure and the takeoff procedure was started with 12 mm of snow on both wings and stabs. In such conditions, the aircraft was unable to gain sufficient height after liftoff due to heavy weight, too much drag and loss of lift.

Crash of a Noorduyn UC-64A Norseman in Hall's Bay

Date & Time: Jun 20, 1947
Type of aircraft:
Noorduyn Norseman
Operator:
Buchan's Mining Company
Registration:
VO-ABL
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Executive/Corporate/Business
Site:
Plain, Valley
MSN:
571
YOM:
1944
Location:
Hall's Bay
Newfoundland & Labrador
Country:
Canada
Region:
North America
Crew on board:
0
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
Crashed in unknown circumstances.

Crash of a Douglas C-54D-10-DC Skymaster near Stephenville

Date & Time: Mar 23, 1947
Type of aircraft:
Douglas C-54 Skymaster
Operator:
Registration:
42-72670
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Military
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Mountains
Schedule:
Westover - Stephenville
MSN:
10775
YOM:
1945
Location:
Stephenville
Newfoundland & Labrador
Country:
Canada
Region:
North America
Crew on board:
9
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
While descending to Stephenville from the southwest, the four engine aircraft hit the slope of a mountain and crashed in the Anguille Mountain Range, about 60 km southwest of Stephenville. The aircraft was written off while all nine occupants were rescued.

Crash of a Douglas C-54E-5-DO Skymaster near Stephenville: 39 killed

Date & Time: Oct 3, 1946 at 0503 LT
Type of aircraft:
Douglas C-54 Skymaster
Operator:
Registration:
N90904
Flight Phase:
Takeoff (climb)
Flight Type:
Scheduled Revenue Flight
Survivors:
No
Site:
Mountains
Schedule:
New York – Gander – Shannon – London – Berlin
MSN:
27290
YOM:
1945
Location:
Stephenville
Newfoundland & Labrador
Country:
Canada
Region:
North America
Crew on board:
8
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
31
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
39
Captain / Total flying hours:
3926
Captain / Total hours on type:
1561.00
Copilot / Total flying hours:
1707
Copilot / Total hours on type:
805
Aircraft flight hours:
3731
Circumstances:
The four engine aircraft left New York-La Guardia Airport at 1214LT bound for Berlin, Germany, with intermediate stops in Gander, Shannon and London. While descending over Newfoundland, the crew encountered poor weather conditions and was forced to divert to Stephenville-Ernest Harmon Airport where he landed at 1630LT. For operation reasons, the crew should have a 12 hours rest time and the next departure was then scheduled at 0445LT the following morning. By night, the crew started the takeoff roll from runway 07 and after rotation, continued straight ahead when few minutes later, at an altitude of 1,160 feet, the aircraft hit the slope of a mountain and crashed in a dense wooded area located 7 miles northeast of the airfield. The aircraft christened 'Flagship New England' disintegrated on impact and all 39 occupants were killed. At the time of accident, weather conditions were considered as good with a ceiling at 5,000 feet (overcast) and a visibility above 10 miles.
Crew:
William A. Westerfield, pilot,
Robert Beckman Lehr, copilot,
John B. Tierney Jr., navigator,
James M. Barry, radio officer,
Mark Spelar, flight engineer,
Herbert B. Ewing, purser,
Jerome Lewis, navigator,
Margaret Ann Burleigh, stewardess.
Probable cause:
It was determined that the pilot in command continued in a straight ahead direction after rotation instead of turning to the right to avoid the rising terrain. Unfortunately, it was not possible to ascertain the reason why the crew decided to follow such wrong procedure. In conclusion, on the basic of the foregoing, the Board determined that the probable cause of this accident was the action of the pilot in maintaining the direction of takeoff toward higher terrain over which adequate clearance could not be gained.
Final Report:
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