Homestead - Homestead
Flight / Schedule
Homestead - Homestead
Aircraft
Rockwell Aero Commander 560Registration
N4385
MSN
560-1213-47
Year of Manufacture
1962
Operator
Private AmericanDate
January 23, 1981 at 01:45 PM
Type
CRASHFlight Type
Test
Flight Phase
Flight
Crash Site
Lake, Sea, Ocean, River
Crash Location
Gulf of Mexico All World
Region
World • World
Crash Cause
Technical failure
Narrative Report
On January 23, 1981 at 01:45 PM, Homestead - Homestead experienced a crash involving Rockwell Aero Commander 560, operated by Private American, with the event recorded near Gulf of Mexico All World.
The flight was categorized as test and the reported phase was flight at a lake, sea, ocean, river crash site.
2 people were known to be on board, 0 fatalities were recorded, 2 survivors were identified or estimated. This corresponds to an estimated fatality rate of 0.0%.
Crew on board: 1, crew fatalities: 0, passengers on board: 1, passenger fatalities: 0, other fatalities: 0.
The listed crash cause is technical failure. The aircraft departed Homestead, Florida, on a test flight. While flying over the Gulf of Mexico, the pilot reported severe electrical storm. He became lost and disoriented so he decided to ditch the airplane about 375 miles southeast of Brownsville, Texas. The aircraft sank and was lost while both occupants were rescued.
Aircraft reference details include registration N4385, MSN 560-1213-47, year of manufacture 1962.
Fatalities
Total
0
Crew
0
Passengers
0
Other
0
Crash Summary
The aircraft departed Homestead, Florida, on a test flight. While flying over the Gulf of Mexico, the pilot reported severe electrical storm. He became lost and disoriented so he decided to ditch the airplane about 375 miles southeast of Brownsville, Texas. The aircraft sank and was lost while both occupants were rescued.
Cause: Technical failure
Occupants & Outcome
Crew On Board
1
Passengers On Board
1
Estimated Survivors
2
Fatality Rate
0.0%
Known people on board: 2
Operational Details
Schedule / Flight
Homestead - Homestead
Operator
Private AmericanFlight Type
Test
Flight Phase
Flight
Crash Site
Lake, Sea, Ocean, River
Region / Country
World • World
Aircraft Details
Similar Plane Crashes
Compagnie Générale Transaérienne - CGT
Nieuport-Delage NiD-30
The pilot, sole on board, departed Paris-Le Bourget on a mail flight to Hounslow Heath, London. While cruising over The Channel, he encountered thick fog when the airplane crashed in the sea in unknown circumstances. The pilot was killed.
KLM Royal Dutch Airlines - Koninklijke Luchtvaart Maatschappij
Fokker F3
The aircraft departed Croydon Airport at 1043LT on a regular schedule service to Amsterdam with an intermediate stop in Rotterdam, carrying two passengers and one pilot. En route, the pilot encountered technical problems and diverted to Lympne Airport, Kent. After several repairs were made, he continued the flight with an unserviceable radio. While cruising over the North Sea (between The Channel and the North Sea), the pilot encountered foggy conditions when the aircraft crashed in unknown circumstances in the sea. As the aircraft failed to arrive in Rotterdam, SAR operations were initiated but no trace of the aircraft nor the three occupants was found. Crew: Adriaan Pijl, pilot. Passengers: Mr. W. J. van Hien, Mr. C. Modderman.
Regia Aeronautica
Dornier Do J Wal
The crew departed Pisa, Italy, last 25 July to perform a transatlantic flight to Canada on behalf of the 'Commissariato Aeronautica', the ancient name of the Italian Air Force. The seaplane made stops in Saint-Raphaël, south of France, Lausanne (quai of Ouchy on Lake of Geneva), Strasbourg, Rotterdam, Hull, Stromness (Orkneys Islands), Feroe Islands and Reykjavik. While flying over the Sea of Labrador, some 180 km south of Cape Farewell, Greenland, the crew encountered engine problems and elected to make an emergency landing. The twin engine seaplane landed safely and the crew sent several mayday message. All five occupants were later rescued and evacuated by the crew of 'USS Richmond' which deviated from his route to the accident site. In a rough sea, the seaplane sank later and was lost and not recovered. Crew: Lt Antonio Locatelli, pilot, Lt Crosio, Lt Marescalchi, Mr. Braccini, flight engineer, Mr. Falcinelli, flight engineer.
Compagnie Générale d'Entreprises Aéronautiques - CGEA
Lioré-et-Olivier LeO H-13
En route from Oran to Alicante, the crew was forced to make an emergency landing following an engine failure. The crew was rescued few hours later and the aircraft sank and was lost.
Compagnie Générale d'Entreprises Aéronautiques - CGEA
Lioré-et-Olivier LeO H-13
En route from Alicante to Oran, a structural failure occurred on the buckle, forcing the crew to ditch the aircraft. The aircraft sank and both crew members (who were slightly injured) were rescued by the crew of the British boat named 'Egyptian'. Crew: Léon Givon, pilot, François Urvoy, mechanic.
Compagnie Générale d'Entreprises Aéronautiques - CGEA
Lioré-et-Olivier LeO H-13
The crew was performing a mail flight from Oran to Alicante when an engine failed while overflying the Mediterranean Sea. The crew ditch the aircraft in the sea. Both pilots were rescued 15 hours later by a the crew of a Spanish speedboat. The aircraft sank and was lost.
