Aviation Accident Summary Archive

Queen Charlotte Airlines Flight 102 struck the vertical rock face of Mount Benson during a night flight in heavy rain and low clouds. The pilot, who was not qualified for instrument flight, was operating under Visual Flight Rules (VFR) despite the deteriorating weather and darkness. Due to a significant navigational error, the crew mistook the lights of Nanaimo for their destination of Vancouver. While attempting to maneuver relative to what they believed was Vancouver, the aircraft flew into the mountain at approximately 1,600 feet ASL, killing all 23 people on board.

Controlled Flight Into Terrain (CFIT)

United Airlines Flight 615, a Douglas DC-6B named Mainliner Omaha, crashed into Tolman Peak during an instrument approach to Oakland Municipal Airport. The aircraft was approximately three miles off course and significantly below the required minimum altitude when it struck rising terrain in foggy conditions. All 50 occupants were killed in the impact and subsequent fire.

Pilot Error

United Air Lines Flight 610, a Douglas DC-6 named 'Mainliner Overland Trail', crashed into Crystal Mountain while en route from Salt Lake City to Denver. The aircraft deviated from its prescribed airway after passing Cheyenne, Wyoming, maintaining an intercept heading of 210 degrees instead of turning to the required 168 degree course. All 50 people on board were killed when the aircraft struck the mountainside at approximately 8,600 feet. Investigators believe the crew likely misidentified their position due to selecting the wrong audio navigation signals in a darkened cockpit.

Controlled Flight Into Terrain (CFIT)

Pan Am Flight 151, a Lockheed L-049 Constellation named 'Clipper Great Republic', crashed into a hill in Liberia during a pre-dawn approach to Robertsfield Airport. The aircraft was on the Accra to Monrovia leg of a long-haul journey from Johannesburg to New York. After reporting radio interference from a distant beacon in Dakar, the crew lost situational awareness and descended below the minimum safe altitude. The aircraft struck a hill at an elevation of 1,050 feet MSL approximately 54 miles northeast of the airport, killing all 40 people on board. The wreckage was not located until a local messenger reached authorities more than a day later.

Controlled Flight Into Terrain (CFIT)

A Cubana de Aviación Douglas DC-4 and a U.S. Navy Beechcraft SNB-1 collided at 4,000 feet over the Naval Air Station at Key West. Both aircraft were operating under Visual Flight Rules (VFR) in clear weather. The DC-4 was on a scheduled flight from Miami to Havana, while the Navy aircraft was conducting a simulated instrument training flight. Following the collision, the Beechcraft disintegrated and fell into the sea, while the DC-4 remained airborne for several seconds before diving into the water. There were no survivors from either aircraft.

Human Factors (Operational) · Multi-aircraft

A Douglas Dakota cargo flight carrying mail and newspapers crashed shortly after takeoff from Manchester-Ringway Airport when the engines lost power due to carburetor icing. The aircraft struggled to become airborne and failed to climb, striking a tree 800 meters past the runway end. Investigators determined that the captain failed to engage carburetor heat controls despite heavy snow and freezing conditions. The presence of snow on the wings and an extended undercarriage were cited as contributory factors in the aircraft's inability to maintain flight.

Pilot Error

A Douglas C-124A Globemaster II carrying high-ranking military personnel ditched in the North Atlantic after reporting a cargo fire. The flight had originated at Walker Air Force Base, New Mexico, and made stopovers at Barksdale Air Force Base, Louisiana, and Limestone Air Force Base, Maine, before heading toward RAF Lakenheath. Although a B-29 Superfortress located the survivors in life rafts shortly after the ditching, all 53 occupants vanished before rescue ships could reach the site. Only charred plywood and a briefcase were ever recovered.

Unknown

National Airlines Flight 83 overran the runway while attempting to land on an icy runway at Philadelphia International Airport. The aircraft touched down too far beyond the threshold, failed to stop, and crashed into a ditch at the airport boundary, resulting in a post-crash fire. Seven occupants, including the sole flight attendant and two infants, were killed. Flight attendant Mary Frances "Frankie" Housley was hailed as a hero for returning to the burning cabin to rescue a baby after already leading ten passengers to safety; she was found dead with the infant in her arms.

Pilot Error

Two United States Air Force B-29 Superfortresses collided in mid-air over the hills of South Texas while flying on instruments in poor visibility. The collision resulted in the deaths of all 16 crew members across both aircraft. One bomber shattered upon impact, scattering debris and bodies over a five-mile radius, while the second aircraft glided for several miles before exploding and burning upon ground contact.

Mid-air Collision · Multi-aircraft

A Royal Australian Air Force CAC Wirraway crashed into a crowded beach at Maroochydore while performing a routine shark patrol. The aircraft was circling between Maroochydore and Alexandra Headland when it banked steeply and plunged into the sand in front of the Maroochydore Surf Life Saving Club. While both the pilot and observer survived the impact, the aircraft struck numerous beachgoers, killing three children and seriously injuring 14 others. A 2013 coronial review attributed the accident to pilot error, citing the use of an aircraft prone to low-speed stalls for surf patrol duties without adequate specialized training.

Pilot Error

A Douglas C-54 Skymaster carrying Canadian pilgrims from Rome to Montreal struck the Tête de l'Obiou mountain in the French Alps. The aircraft was approximately 80 kilometers (50 miles) east of its intended flight path due to strong westerly winds and navigational errors. All 58 occupants were killed when the aircraft impacted the mountain just below the summit in poor visibility and falling night.

Controlled Flight Into Terrain (CFIT)

A United States Air Force B-50 Superfortress was forced to jettison a Mark 4 nuclear weapon over the St. Lawrence River after experiencing severe engine trouble. The aircraft was part of a secret mission to return nuclear weapons from CFB Goose Bay to the United States. Following standard military protocol, which prohibited landing with a nuclear device during an emergency, the crew released the weapon at 10,500 feet. The bomb's conventional high explosives detonated, either by a timed fuse at 2,500 feet or upon impact with the water, destroying the weapon and scattering approximately 100 pounds of radioactive uranium tamper material into the river. The aircraft successfully diverted to Loring Air Force Base in Maine with no injuries to the crew.

Engine Failure

Air India Flight 245, a Lockheed L-749A Constellation named Malabar Princess, crashed into the Rocher de la Tournette on the French side of Mont Blanc during its approach to Geneva. The aircraft was operating a multi-leg flight from Bombay to London. All 48 people on board were killed when the plane struck the mountain at an altitude of approximately 15,344 feet in stormy weather. The accident is noted for occurring in nearly the same location as the crash of Air India Flight 101 sixteen years later.

Controlled Flight Into Terrain (CFIT)

A British European Airways Vickers Viking crashed at London Heathrow Airport during an attempted landing in thick fog. The pilot descended below the mandatory break-off height of 140 feet despite being informed of extremely low visibility. Upon entering a dense fog bank at approximately 100 feet, the pilot attempted to overshoot, but the aircraft struck the runway with its undercarriage retracted, skidded, and burst into flames. Only two people, a passenger and a flight hostess, survived the accident.

Pilot Error

A Loftleiðir Douglas C-54 Skymaster, named Geysir, crash-landed on the Bárðarbunga glacial plateau after drifting significantly off course during a freight flight from Luxembourg to Reykjavík. Loftleiðir, which later merged with Flugfélag Íslands to form Icelandair, was operating the aircraft for Seaboard and Western Airlines at the time. Despite the aircraft being destroyed, all six crew members survived the impact and were stranded on the glacier for several days. A complex rescue operation involving a U.S. Air Force C-47 and a land-based expedition from Akureyri eventually brought the survivors to safety. The accident is notable for leading to the creation of specialized air rescue units in Iceland.

Pilot Error

TWA Flight 903, the 'Star of Maryland', crashed in the Egyptian desert following a catastrophic failure of the number three engine. During a climb to 14,500 feet, the rear master rod bearing failed, leading to an uncontrollable fire that eventually caused the engine to separate from the wing. While attempting an emergency night landing in the desert, the aircraft disintegrated, killing all 55 people on board.

Mechanical Failure

The Douglas DC-4 Amana crashed into a heavily timbered area near York, Western Australia, after suffering a total loss of engine power on at least one occasion shortly after takeoff. The aircraft had departed Perth for Adelaide when the crew shut down the number four engine, followed by intermittent power failures on the remaining three engines. While attempting to return to Perth, the aircraft struck gum trees at approximately 250 miles per hour and burst into flames. All 29 occupants were killed, including one passenger who initially survived the impact but died six days later.

Unknown

Northwest Orient Airlines Flight 2501 disappeared over Lake Michigan during a severe midnight thunderstorm while en route from New York to Minneapolis. Despite the recovery of light debris and human remains, the main wreckage was never located. At the time, it was the deadliest commercial aviation accident in United States history. The flight's last communication was a request to descend to 2,500 feet, which was denied due to other traffic. The cause remains undetermined due to the lack of wreckage, though severe turbulence and a squall line are considered primary factors.

Unknown

An Avro Tudor V carrying rugby supporters back from a Triple Crown match in Ireland stalled and crashed during its final approach to Llandow. The aircraft had been modified with additional seating, and the investigation determined that improper loading had shifted the center of gravity too far aft. This rendered the elevator control insufficient when the pilot applied full power to correct a low approach, causing the aircraft to pitch up steeply, stall, and plummet into a field.

Human Factors (Operational)

Northwest Orient Airlines Flight 307 crashed into a residential neighborhood in Minneapolis after striking a flagpole during a landing approach in a blinding snowstorm. The aircraft clipped the 70 foot flagpole at Fort Snelling National Cemetery, which severely damaged the left wing. The crew attempted to go around and climb, but a 24.5 foot section of the damaged wing detached several miles later, causing the aircraft to dive vertically into a house at 1116 West Minnehaha Parkway. All 13 occupants of the plane were killed, along with two children on the ground, bringing the total fatalities to 15.

Pilot Error

A United States Air Force Convair B-36B crashed into Mount Kologet after suffering multiple engine failures caused by carburetor icing during a simulated nuclear strike mission. The incident is historically significant as the first Broken Arrow event, involving the loss and mid-air detonation of a Mark 4 nuclear bomb's conventional explosive components. While the aircraft was carrying a dummy lead capsule rather than a plutonium core, the jettisoned weapon's 5,000 pounds of high explosives were detonated over the Inside Passage before the crew abandoned the spiraling bomber.

Engine Failure

A Soviet Air Force Lisunov Li-2 transport aircraft crashed during a heavy snowstorm while attempting to land at Koltsovo Airport, killing all 19 people on board. The flight was transporting the VVS Moscow ice hockey team to a match in Chelyabinsk, but poor weather at the destination forced a diversion to Sverdlovsk. The crew struggled with deteriorating visibility and strong winds, reportedly attempting several approaches before the aircraft struck terrain near the runway. The disaster resulted in the loss of almost the entire VVS Moscow team, including 11 players and support staff.

Weather

A Douglas DC-3 operated by California Arrow Airlines crashed into a hillside east of Vallejo during a flight from Oakland to Sacramento. After holding for seven minutes to receive IFR clearance, the aircraft proceeded on course and confirmed it was at its assigned altitude of 4,000 feet at 17:08. However, the flight subsequently descended for unknown reasons and struck a hill at an elevation of 782 feet. All nine occupants, including the wife and child of the airline's owner, were killed. Investigators ruled out mechanical failure of the altimeter, concluding the cause was the flight's failure to maintain its assigned altitude while in instrument conditions.

Controlled Flight Into Terrain (CFIT)

American Airlines Flight 157 crashed during an engine-out approach to Dallas Love Field after the crew lost control during a low-altitude corrective maneuver. The aircraft was operating with the No. 1 engine feathered due to a mechanical malfunction earlier in the flight. During the final approach, the captain attempted an S-turn to align with the runway, which led to a loss of airspeed and a sudden drop of the left wing. Compounding the situation, the No. 4 engine suffered a temporary fuel pressure drop, leading the first officer to feather it without the captain's knowledge. The aircraft stalled, struck airport structures, and burst into flames. While all three cockpit crew members survived the impact and fire, 26 passengers and two flight attendants were killed, totaling 28 fatalities out of 46 on board.

Pilot Error