South Bimini – Tampico
Flight / Schedule
South Bimini – Tampico
Aircraft
Rockwell Aero Commander 520Registration
N4178B
MSN
520-85
Year of Manufacture
1953
Operator
Oklahoma AircraftDate
March 4, 1979 at 04:30 PM
Type
CRASHFlight Type
Illegal (smuggling)
Flight Phase
Flight
Crash Site
Lake, Sea, Ocean, River
Crash Location
New Orleans Louisiana
Region
North America • United States of America
Coordinates
29.9561°, -90.0734°
Narrative Report
On March 4, 1979 at 04:30 PM, South Bimini – Tampico experienced a crash involving Rockwell Aero Commander 520, operated by Oklahoma Aircraft, with the event recorded near New Orleans Louisiana.
The flight was categorized as illegal (smuggling) and the reported phase was flight at a lake, sea, ocean, river crash site.
1 people were known to be on board, 1 fatalities were recorded, 0 survivors were identified or estimated. This corresponds to an estimated fatality rate of 100.0%.
Crew on board: 1, crew fatalities: 1, passengers on board: 0, passenger fatalities: 0, other fatalities: 0.
En route from South Bimini to Tampico, Mexico, the airplane suffered a double engine failure. The pilot ditched the aircraft off New Orleans. Seriously injured, he was rescued but apparently died a week later.
Aircraft reference details include registration N4178B, MSN 520-85, year of manufacture 1953.
Geospatial coordinates for this crash are approximately 29.9561°, -90.0734°.
Fatalities
Total
1
Crew
1
Passengers
0
Other
0
Crash Summary
En route from South Bimini to Tampico, Mexico, the airplane suffered a double engine failure. The pilot ditched the aircraft off New Orleans. Seriously injured, he was rescued but apparently died a week later.
Occupants & Outcome
Crew On Board
1
Passengers On Board
0
Estimated Survivors
0
Fatality Rate
100.0%
Known people on board: 1
Operational Details
Schedule / Flight
South Bimini – Tampico
Operator
Oklahoma AircraftFlight Type
Illegal (smuggling)
Flight Phase
Flight
Crash Site
Lake, Sea, Ocean, River
Region / Country
North America • United States of America
Aircraft Details
Similar Plane Crashes
United States Signal Corps - USSC
De Havilland DH.4
The single engine airplane departed Dayton-McCook Field for a local test flight. Shortly after takeoff, the aircraft stalled and crashed, killing both occupants. Crew: Maj Oscar Brindley, Lt Col Henry Damm.
United States Signal Corps - USSC
De Havilland DH.4
Lt. Frank Stuart Patterson, son and nephew of the co-founders of National Cash Register, is killed in the crash of his DH.4M, AS-32098, at Wilbur Wright Field during a flight test of a new mechanism for synchronizing machine gun and propeller, when a tie rod breaks during a dive from 15,000 feet (4,600 m), causing the wings to separate from the aircraft. Wishing to recognize the contributions of the Patterson family (owners of NCR) the area of Wright Field east of Huffman Dam (including Wilbur Wright Field, Fairfield Air Depot, and the Huffman Prairie) is renamed Patterson Field on 6 July 1931, in honor of Lt. Patterson.
United States Signal Corps - USSC
De Havilland DH.4
The aircraft crashed in unknown circumstances.
United States Signal Corps - USSC
De Havilland DH.4
The crew was completing a training mission. At an altitude of about 4,000 feet, the aircraft entered a spin and crashed in an open field near Everman-Barron Field Airport. A crew was killed and the second occupants was injured. The aircraft was destroyed.
U.S. Air Mail Service
De Havilland DH.4
Crashed following an engine failure. Pilot fate unknown.
United States Signal Corps - USSC
De Havilland DH.4
The accident occurred in unknown circumstances.
