Historical Aviation Accident Archive Galleries

November 4, 1940 United Air Lines Douglas DC-3 near Centerville, UT :

November 4, 1940 United Air Lines Douglas DC-3 near Centerville, UT

Updated: Dec 06, 2008 5:02pm PST

November 25, 1948 Transcontinental & Western Air Lockheed L-049 Los Angeles, CA : November 25, 1948: TWA Flight 211. a Lockheed L-049 Constellation (NC90824) originated in Washington, D C, and was scheduled for stops, en route to Los Angeles, at Kansas City, Albuquerque, and Phoenix. Weather information available to Flight 211 prior to departure from Phoenix at 03:58 indicated that at the time of arrival in Los Angeles, ground fog conditions would prevail. As Flight 211 approached Los Angeles, clearance was given to pass over the airport, and the tower there relayed to the crew information received from a previous flight to the effect that ground fog conditions in the area. A shallow left turn was made over the airport, after which the prelanding check list was accomplished. A procedure turn was then executed east of the field and a landing approach was made to Runway 25L. According to the pilot the runway approach lights remained clearly visible, though small puffs of clouds were encountered during the approach. Flaps were fully extended when the airplane passed over the boundary of the field. Before touching down on the runway, a thick formation of ground fog was encountered. Visibility was reduced to practically zero. Contact with the runway, 2,300 feet from the approach end, was made with sufficient impact force to deform the wing structure and deflect the No. 4 engine nacelle downward to the extent that the No. 4 propeller struck the runway. Following the landing fire was observed in the area of the No. 4 engine nacelle. Brakes were vigorously applied. The aircraft rolled forward in a slight left turn, coming to rest 1,500 feet from the point of landing, and 197 feet from the left edge of Runway 25L. Flames rapidly engulfed the right wing and fuselage but all passengers were deplaned without serious injury.

November 25, 1948 Transcontinental & Western Air Lockheed L-049 Los Angeles, CA

November 25, 1948: TWA Flight 211. a Lockheed L-049 Constellation ( ...

Updated: Nov 05, 2008 4:48pm PST

June 6, 1951 / April 9, 1952 Sikorsky S-51 / S-55 Los Angeles Airways Accidents Los Angeles, CA :

June 6, 1951 / April 9, 1952 Sikorsky S-51 / S-55 Los Angeles Airways Accidents Los Angeles, CA

Updated: Nov 05, 2008 1:31pm PST

July 17, 1952 Stinson 108-3 Voyager Hawthorne, CA : July 17, 1952: Four vactioners from Oregon were killed as their Stinson Voyager (NC6008M) dived into a quiet Hawthorne, California residential street about 7:15 AM. The accident occurred on the 5300 Block of West 127th Place. Loss of control due to poor visibility and overcast conditions contributed to the pilot failing to retain the control of the aircraft. Witnesses reported that the aircraft fell from the overcast before crashing into the roofs of two homes. Killed in the accident were newlyweds Dale Edwin Baker age 42 and his wife Mrs. Muriel Joanne Jones Baker age 21. Also killed were the bride's father Jackson Floyd Jones age 62 and the bride's mother Mrs. Florence Joyce Jones age 60.

July 17, 1952 Stinson 108-3 Voyager Hawthorne, CA

July 17, 1952: Four vactioners from Oregon were killed as their Sti ...

Updated: Nov 09, 2008 8:20pm PST

July 17, 1955 Braniff Airlines Convair 340 Chicago, IL :

July 17, 1955 Braniff Airlines Convair 340 Chicago, IL

Updated: Dec 07, 2008 12:17am PST

October 26, 1955 Aeronca 7AC Champion Bank of America Los Angeles, CA (WARNING: GRAPHIC IMAGES) : The 1950s were not immune to deliberate acts of airborne terrorism. On October 26, 1955 a small plane with a suicidal pilot crashed through the side of a Bank of America branch office located at the busy Los Angeles International Airport. Fortunately, no one other than the pilot were killed.

October 26, 1955 Aeronca 7AC Champion Bank of America Los Angeles, CA (WARNING: GRAPHIC IMAGES)

The 1950s were not immune to deliberate acts of airborne terrorism. On ...

Updated: Nov 05, 2008 6:10pm PST

February 3, 1959 Beechcraft Model 35 Bonanza Mason City, IA (WARNING: GRAPHIC IMAGES) : This 1959 accident is world famous and is simply known as "The Day the Music Died". The cause of the accident is not a new one and continues to be repeated after fifty years. When a pilot decides to fly in weather beyond his/her capabilities or the aircraft it's quite often a recipe for disaster.

February 3, 1959 Beechcraft Model 35 Bonanza Mason City, IA (WARNING: GRAPHIC IMAGES)

This 1959 accident is world famous and is simply known as "The Day the ...

Updated: Nov 09, 2008 4:49pm PST

September 25, 1978 Mid-Air Collision Pacific Southwest Airlines / Cessna 172 San Diego, CA :

September 25, 1978 Mid-Air Collision Pacific Southwest Airlines / Cessna 172 San Diego, CA

Updated: Nov 05, 2008 9:04pm PST

August 2, 1985 Delta Air Lines Flight 191 Dallas/Ft. Worth, TX : Possible scattered thunderstorms (TSTMS) were FORCAST & DRG ARRIVAL, SVRL CELLS WERE DEVELOPING IN THE AREA. DELTA FLT 191 WAS VECTORED ARND A LARGE CELL, THEN WAS SEQUENCED BHND OTHER ACFT & CLRD FOR AN ILS RWY 17L APCH. THE FLT CREW & SVRL PRECEEDING CREWS SAW LIGHTNING IN A CELL NORTH OF THE ARPT, BUT CONTD W/O RPRTG IT. ON THE APCH, FLT 191 ENCOUNTERED A MICROBURST WHILE PASSING UNDER THE CELL. INITIALLY, THE 1ST OFFICER, WHO WAS FLYING THE ACFT, RETARDED THE THROTTLES IN A HEADWIND. THE ACFT THEN ENCOUNTERED APRX 73 KTS OF WINDSHEAR, UP/DWNDFTS, VORTEX FLOW & A TAILWIND. GO-AROUND PWR WAS APPLIED, BUT THE ACFT STRUCK THE GND APRX 6300' NORTH OF RWY 17L, HIT A CAR & 2 WATER TANKS, BROKE APART & BURNED. INV REVEALED THAT BTN 1752 & 1800 CDT, THE TSTM CELL GREW FM VIP LVL 1 TO VIP LVL 4. A CENTER WX SVC UNIT METEOROLOGIST WAS ON DUTY, BUT NOT AT THE RADAR PSN AT THAT TIME & DIDN'T OBSV THE CELL GROWTH. CAPT'S DECISION TO CONT APCH DIDN'T COMPLYWITH DELTA'S WX AVOIDANCE PROC; THERE WAS A LACK OF SPECIFIC GUIDANCE & TRAINING FOR AVOIDING/ESCAPING LOW ALT WNDSHEAR.

August 2, 1985 Delta Air Lines Flight 191 Dallas/Ft. Worth, TX

Possible scattered thunderstorms (TSTMS) were FORCAST & DRG ARRIVAL, S ...

Updated: Feb 04, 2009 12:40am PST

August 17, 1985 Cessna 172P near Cedar City, UT (WARNING: GRAPHIC IMAGES) :

August 17, 1985 Cessna 172P near Cedar City, UT (WARNING: GRAPHIC IMAGES)

Updated: Nov 10, 2008 12:34am PST

August 31, 1986 Mid-Air Collision Aeromexico / Piper PA-28 Cerritos, CA. (WARNING: GRAPHIC IMAGES) : Aeroméxico Flight 498, registration XA-JED, was a Douglas DC-9-32 en route from Mexico City, Mexico to Los Angeles International Airport, Los Angeles, California (with stops in Guadalajara, Loreto, and Tijuana. On August 31, 1986. N4891F, callsign Piper 4891 Foxtrot, was a privately-operated Piper PA-28-181 Archer owned by the Kramer family en route from Torrance to Big Bear City, California. The two aircraft collided in mid-air over Cerritos, California, killing all 67 aboard both aircraft and 15 people on the ground. In addition, 8 persons on the ground sustained minor injuries from the crash. At approximately 11:46 AM, Flight 498 began its descent into Los Angeles with 58 passengers and six crew members aboard. Minutes earlier, N4891F, carrying a pilot and two passengers, had departed Torrance. At 11:52 AM, the Piper's engine collided with the left horizontal stabilizer of the DC-9; this sheared off the top of the Piper's cockpit, killing the pilot and two passengers. The DC-9 inverted and fell to the earth in a residential neighborhood at Holmes Avenue and Reva Circle in Cerritos, killing 15 on the ground and all 64 passengers and crew. The impact and fire destroyed five houses and damaged seven more. A fire sparked by the crash contributed significantly to the damage. The heavily damaged Piper fell into Cerritos Elementary School's playground. When the air traffic controller assigned to Flight 498 could not find the flight, he called American Airlines Flight 333, incoming into Los Angeles, for assistance. The pilot on AA333 replied said that he saw a smokescreen, indicating that 498 had crashed.

August 31, 1986 Mid-Air Collision Aeromexico / Piper PA-28 Cerritos, CA. (WARNING: GRAPHIC IMAGES)

Aeroméxico Flight 498, registration XA-JED, was a Douglas DC-9-32 en ...

Updated: Oct 05, 2008 2:44am PST

April 5, 1989 Murphy Vari-Eze Parker, AZ (WARNING: GRAPHIC IMAGES) :

April 5, 1989 Murphy Vari-Eze Parker, AZ (WARNING: GRAPHIC IMAGES)

Updated: Nov 10, 2008 12:35am PST

October 10, 1989 Cessna T207A Lake Powell Air Grand Canyon, AZ : October 10, 1989: The airplane, a Cessna T207A (N7602U) was flying a scenic tour with two passengers when there was a loss of engine power. The pilot switched fuel tanks to the fullest tank and power was regained momentarily. Suddenly the engine stopped and the propeller did not windmill. The pilot accomplished an off airport landing within the Grand Canyon. An internal examination of the engine revealed that the crankshaft had sheared do to a metalurgical fracture. Examination of the fracture revealed sub-surface metal fatigue.

October 10, 1989 Cessna T207A Lake Powell Air Grand Canyon, AZ

October 10, 1989: The airplane, a Cessna T207A (N7602U) was flying ...

Updated: Nov 09, 2008 10:56pm PST

October 8, 1997 Scenic Airlines Cessna 208B Caravan near Montrose, CO (WARNING: GRAPHIC IMAGES) : The flight was an on-demand air charter on behalf of the U.S. Department of the Interior (DOI). The Cessna Caravan (N12022) was to carry out a return flight from Page (PGA) to Montrose County (MTJ). The return flight to Page was scheduled to depart Montrose at 17:00 on October 7, but was delayed to the next day because of bad weather en route. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed upon takeoff and a company visual flight rules (VFR) flight plan was used. The flight took off at 07:05 from runway 17 of the Montrose Airport which is located at an elevation of 5,759 feet msl (1762 m). While climbing tjhrough an altitude of 10,000 feet, the target airplane's course changed from southwest to northwest, back to southwest, and then made a sharp turn to the right. At an altitude of 15,400 ft msl the airplane entered an uncontrolled descent. It descended in a steep flight path angle (about -65 degrees) at an approximate flat pitch attitude, and little indication of forward speed. The Caravan struck terrain among 60-foot-high pine trees at the 9,900 foot (3030 m) level on the Uncompahgre Plateau.

October 8, 1997 Scenic Airlines Cessna 208B Caravan near Montrose, CO (WARNING: GRAPHIC IMAGES)

The flight was an on-demand air charter on behalf of the U.S. Departme ...

Updated: Dec 06, 2008 5:43pm PST

October 3, 2001 West Isle Air Cessna 172N Decatur Island, WA :

October 3, 2001 West Isle Air Cessna 172N Decatur Island, WA

Updated: Dec 16, 2008 9:08am PST

July 24, 2007 Taquan Air DHC-2 Beaver near Ketchikan, AK : On July 24, 2007, Joe Campbell departed Ketchikan Harbor with two couples that had been on a week-long cruise ship tour of Alaska's inside passage. The float equipped DeHavilland DHC-2 Beaver (N995WA) was the second of three airplanes on the air tour flight. All three aircraft were operated by Taquan Air. As the flight of three airplanes flew into mountainous terrain, the first pilot reported low clouds, with rain and fog, which required him to descend to 700 feet msl to maintain VFR flight conditions. The pilot of the third tour airplane, which was about 5 minutes behind the accident airplane, stated that as he approached the mountain pass, he encountered "a wall of weather" which blocked his intended flight route, and he turned around. Joe Campbell and his unknowing victims continued to fly into the weather and finally into a 2,500 foot tree covered granite wall. The Dehavilland's fragmented wreckage was discovered a few hours later in the area where the third airplane had turned around. ************************************************************ Having been terminated from his grand canyon air tour flying job, Joe was unemployed for about seven months when he obtained another flying job. This time with Taquan Air of Ketchikan, Alaska. Joe was with Taquan only three months before he learned the hard way that Alaska's weather has no tolerance for stupidity and carelessness. On August 13, 2008 the NTSB released the probable cause for Joe's "Accident". The National Transportation Safety Board determines the probable cause(s) of this accident as follows: The pilot's decision to continue under visual flight rules into an area of instrument metrological conditions. Contributing to the accident was the pilot's inadequate weather evaluation, and the FAA's inadequate surveillance of the commercial air tour operator. In addition, a review of the pilot's medical records by the NTSB's medical officer revealed a history of depression and suicidal tendencies. In addition, Joe was prescribed and taking anti-depressant medications at the time of the accident. The FAA's guide for Aviation Medical Examiners states, in part: "The use of a psychotropic drug is considered disqualifying. This includes all sedatives, tranquilizers, antipsychotic drugs, antidepressant drugs, analeptics, anxiolytics, and hallucinogens." So how did Joe get around this annoying snag and keep flying passengers for not only for his previous company but also Taquan Air? He simply lied on his FAA medical applications. I wonder if Joe's four trusting passengers on that July afternoon would have flown with him had they known that? Somehow I doubt it.

July 24, 2007 Taquan Air DHC-2 Beaver near Ketchikan, AK

On July 24, 2007, Joe Campbell departed Ketchikan Harbor with two coup ...

Updated: Oct 09, 2008 2:07am PST

October 10, 2007 Cessna 172L Prescott, AZ : On October 10, 2007, at 1014 mountain standard time, a Cessna 172L, N9897G, experienced a loss of engine power and made a forced landing on Williamson Valley Road mile marker 6 near Prescott, Arizona. The pilot/owner operated the airplane under the provision of 14 CFR Part 91. The airplane sustained substantial damage. The pilot, the sole occupant, received serious injuries. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and no flight plan had been filed. The flight departed the Ernest A. Love Field Airport (PRC), Prescott, at an undetermined time. A responding Yavapai County sheriff's deputy reported that the pilot told him that the engine lost power, and he turned back for the airport. He knew he wasn't going to make the airport, so he made a forced landing on Williamson Valley Road. The airplane struck a fence and flipped over.

October 10, 2007 Cessna 172L Prescott, AZ

On October 10, 2007, at 1014 mountain standard time, a Cessna 172L, N9 ...

Updated: Oct 16, 2008 8:26am PST