FlightGlobal.com
Home
Premium
Archive
Video
Images
Forum
Atlas
Blogs
Jobs
Shop
RSS
Email Newsletters
You are in:
Home
Aviation History
1964
1964 - 0064.PDF
FUCHT international, 9 January 1964 47 UNEXPLAINED JET ACCIDENTS AS this issue appears, a sub-committee of the US House of Repre- sentatives is due to be discussing the present state of knowledge about the effects of lightning arid turbulence on the safety of air transport. Mr Kenneth Roberts, the committee's chairman, has said that the recent PAA 707 crash at Elkton, Maryland played a part in the decision to hold the enquiry. Perhaps, too, there is dis- quiet about the growing number of unsolved or only partly explained jet accidents and serious incidents—some 21 to date, costing 1,067 lives. CAB investigators have found that the PAA 707 was struck by lightning, but they have so far not reached a firm conclusion as to whether it was the cause. Mr Roberts has said: "We have no reason to feel alarm about the continued safety of airline operations or of the attention being given to the design and maintenance of aircraft, but we do feel that we wish to be informed as to whether there is anything more than coincidence in some of these problems which have occurred during the past several years in jet operations under adverse weather conditions." Although many of the accidents falling into the "unexplained" category, including the one in Maryland, happened too recently for the investigators to have completed their report, other authorities concerned with civil aviation safety, both within the US and else- where, are believed to be already reviewing unexplaneid civil jet accidents. The investigators are presumably looking for patterns of evidence in an effort to discover any faults not only in the aircraft but in operating and navigating procedures (see also CCJ's column in last week's issue). The following table summarizes most of the as-yet unexplained or only partially solved accidents and incidents since jet opera- tions began in October 1958. Date Aug27, 1959 Feb 15, 1961 May 30, 1961 Nov23, 1961 Dec 4, 1961 June 3, 1962 June 22, 1962 July 7, 1962 July 19, 1962 Aug 8, 1962 Nov 27, 1962 Feb 12, 1963 Mar 20, 1963 July 28, 1963 Sept 4, 1963 Nov 6, 1963 Nov 9, 1963 Nov 12, 1963 Nov 29, 1963 Dec 8, 1963 Dec 30, 1963 Operator Aerolineas Argentinas Sabena KLM/VIASA Aerolineas Argentina Lufthansa Air France Air France Alitalia UAA Panair do Brasil Varig Northwest King Saud UAA Swissair TCA Eastern Air-India TCA PAA JAL Aircraft Comet 4 707 DC-8 Comet 4 720B 707 707 DC-8 Comet 4C DC-8 707 720B Comet 4C Comet 4C Caravelle DC-8F DC-8 707 DC-8F 707 DC-8 Location Asuncion Paraguay Brussels En-route Lisbon- Azores Virocopas Near Ebersheim Orly, Paris Guadeloupe Near Bombay Near Bangkok Rio de Janeiro Near Lima Near Miami En route Geneva-Nice Bombay Near Zurich London En route Mexico City- New York Vienna Montreal Elkton, Maryland Near Okinawa Fatalities Pass. 1 61 48 40 — 123 102 85 18 14 80 35 9 54 74 Crew 1 II 14 12 3 8 10 9 8 1 17 8 9 8 6 None No No III 72 ne ne 7 8 None Circumstances Crashed 5j miles from threshold on instrument approach. No report. Crashed on approach after unusual manoeuvres suggesting loss of control- Investigation made difficult by almost complete destruction. A report stated that the cause was probably mechanical failure of the roll spoiler control system Crashed into sea off Portuguese coast. Eyewitnesses said the aircraft exploded in mid-air during a thunderstorm Crashed about 1 mile from airport after take-off. No report Dived into the ground Smin after take-off on a training flight. No final report Overran end of runway. No final report; various reports have spoken of incorrect flap settings, runaway elevator trim and other causes Hit high ground during night let-down in a heavy rainstorm. No final report Hit high ground during let-down. The Indian report blamed the pilot for incorrectly following the procedure, but this has been strongly rejected by the Italian authorities Hit high ground during let-down in a heavy rainstorm. No final report Plunged into the sea after an abandoned take-off. No final report Hit high ground during the let-down. No final report Broke up while climbing through thunderstorms and severe turbulence. Final report not yet issued Hit mountain during let-down. Wreckage in snow for many months. Italian investigation under way Crashed into sea during a bad-weather let-down Mid-air explosion, thought to have followed a fire in the hydraulic system caused by overheated wheels during extensive taxiing Overshot the end of the runway; extensively damaged Following loss of control in severe turbulence the aircraft fell 13.000ft before recovery was executed. During the incident a complete powerplant pod was lost. The aircraft made an emergency landing with only minor injuries amongst the passengers The aircraft struck a high mast while attempting an approach in fog. Aircraft landed safely at Frankfurt Crashed some 20 miles from take-off. Unconfirmed reports say that the aircraft covered the distance at low altitude The aircraft was reported by eyewitnesses to have broken-up in mid-air following a fire. The aircraft was letting down to Philadelphia and severe thunderstorms were active in the area The aircraft appears to have been on a training flight, and fell 5,000ft from 12,000ft shedding two engines in the process NORTH ATLANTIC COMMODITY RATES CUT IATA may not have been able to agree on transatlantic passenger fares, but unanimity seems to have been achieved in the cargo rate arena. The outcome of the IATA cargo rates conference in Miami from December 2-30, in the course of which sessions went on day and night, was "complete agreement." The old rates were not due to expire until March 31,1965, but the new rates are effective from April 1, 1964, subject to the usual Government approval. There are to be no cuts in general rates; emphasis has been put on reducing rates for particular commodities, and on the introduction of new kinds of goods into the commodity rate schedule—for example machines and tools, which previously were carried at the general cargo rates. These can now be carried at 40 cents a pound up to 1001b, and for 21 cents a pound for shipments of over 2,2001b. In the case of motor car parts and office machinery the "weight break," i.e., the weight of a consignment eligible for bulk discounts, is 4401b. Many other commodities are also eligible not only for reduced rates but for the new minimum rates. All in all, the reductions are of the order of 15-20 per cent. General cargo rates continue unchanged at $1.14 per pound up to 1001b to 39 cents a pound for shipments weighing more than 1,1001b. Minimum charter rates for cargo work have been estab- lished, for the first time, as specified rates varying from 12 to 16 cents per ton-mile depending on the aircraft type.
Sign up to
Flight Digital Magazine
Flight Print Magazine
Airline Business Magazine
E-newsletters
RSS
Events
