Douglas DC-7

Aerochago Airlines

During the takeoff roll at Santo Domingo-Las Américas Airport, the copilot started the rotation but the aircraft failed to respond. The captain took over controls when the aircraft started to veer to the left and skidded. The crew aborted the takeoff procedure when the aircraft rolled left and right, causing the right wing to struck the ground. On impact, both right engines n°3 and 4 were torn off. Out of control, the aircraft veered off runway to the right, lost its undercarriage and came to rest, bursting into flames. All three crew members escaped uninjured while the aircraft was destroyed.

Aerochago Airlines

The crew reported over radio that the #4 engine failed shortly after takeoff, and they were attempting to dump fuel when the #2 engine overheated. They then intentionally ditched the airplane. The wreckage was recovered about 2 weeks afterward, and the airplane was about 50% corroded away. Due to massive salt water corrosion, no preimpact failure/malfunction of the #4 engine could be identified. No record of airplane/operator being granted cfr part 129 certificate authority. No substantiation of the times in service for the airplane, engines, propellers, and time change components or airworthiness directives could be determined.

United States Forest Service - USFS

Douglas DC-7B airtanker N848D had been operating from Stockton, CA (SCK) and had made several drops of retardant on the southeast edge of a fire on the El Dorado National Forest. Their first mission on October 1, 1992, had begun at 08:33. Their fourth mission had them departing the base at 11:56. Their departure was immediately followed by a Lockheed SP2H enroute to the same fire. The DC-7B arrived in the fire vicinity at an elevation of about 6,500 feet MSL at 12:20. Air attack briefed the DC-7B’s two-person flight crew for their retardant drop. Air attack was flying at approximately 7,500 feet MSL. The planned drop was to be made from north to south about one mile west of the upper dam on the reservoir. It was to be the air tanker’s first drop in this particular location. The visibility was good, in excess of ten miles, and turbulence was reported as mild, but bumpy. The area over the lake to the east of the drop pattern was experiencing reduced visibility due to smoke. According to occupants of the second airtanker, the DC-7B made a turn around the fire and was descending northbound for a drop out of a right hand pattern when the DC-7B captain indicated that he wanted to depart the pattern as he had a problem with an engine. He suggested the second airtanker perform the intended drop while he worked with his engine problem. The second airtanker then received attention from air attack and began a circle to fly a pattern similar to the pattern the DC-7B had flown. Shortly thereafter, air attack asked the DC-7B if he needed to abort (drop) his load of retardant. That captain replied that he might have to if he couldn’t solve his engine problem. All communications were normal. Air attack was operating without lead plane assistance as the lead plane had departed the scene for fuel a few minutes before, instructing air attack to perform drops on the west side of the reservoir. Another lead plane was about six minutes out. The mishap air tanker was reported to be descending at about 6,000 feet MSL heading in a north-northwesterly direction after departing the drop pattern, with no visible signs of engine problems and no indication of concern present in his radio transmissions. The DC-7B continued northbound toward gently rising terrain about two miles from the intended drop site and was next observed heading in an easterly direction and low to the ground. The airtanker was reported to be in a sharply pitched up attitude prior to dropping its retardant. Air attack reported that he observed the retardant start and stop, but did not know if a full load had been dropped. He said the load was continuous. The DC-7B was then reported to fall off on the right wing as it descended steeply toward the ground. During this sequence, the captain transmitted on the radio, "We’re going in, we’re going in." It was at this point that tree strikes occurred which removed the horizontal stabilizers and elevators from the tail of the airtanker. This entire sequence took place within the span of about 60 seconds. The airtanker then went behind a ridge and white smoke was observed rising from the site. The airtanker had impacted the ground in steep terrain at an elevation of approximately 5,100 feet MSL. Some of the wreckage was deposited in a creek bottom and the remainder was located on an adjacent south-facing slope. Both the captain and copilot were fatally injured. The aircraft was totally destroyed.

T %26 G Aviation

En route from Dakar to Agadir, while cruising at the altitude of 11,000 feet, the aircraft was hit by a SAM-7 surface-to-air missile. An engine detached and out of control, the aircraft entered a dive and crashed in a desert area near Bir Moghreïn. All five occupants were killed. They were on their way to Agadir on behalf of the United States Agency for International Development.

T %26 G Aviation

The four engine aircraft was engaged in a locust spraying mission in Senegal on behalf of the U.S. Agency for International Development. It was carrying one passenger, three crew members and a load of pesticides. Shortly after takeoff from Dakar-Yoff Airport, while in initial climb, white smoke was coming from the engine n°3 while the engine n°4 fire alarm sounded. The engine n°4 was shut down and its propeller was feathered when the aircraft lost height and crashed, bursting into flames. The passenger was seriously injured while all three crew members were killed.

Aero Services - USA

Crashed somewhere in Colombia while on a drug smuggling flight after being shot down by the Colombian Army. The exact date remains unknown (somewhere in 1980) as well as the crew's fate.

Central Air Service

Following a night takeoff from Pecos Municipal Airport, during initial climb, the crew initiated a left turn when the airplane banked left, stalled and crashed, bursting into flames. Both pilots were killed.

Butler Aircraft Company

Using the call sign Tanker 69, the aircraft was on a company business flight from Redmond to Medford with an en route stop at Klamath Falls. At Redmond, about 600 gallons of 100/130-grade fuel were added to the 1,000 gallons on board, 8 employees were enplaned, and the aircraft departed Redmond for Klamath Falls about 1945. The purpose of the flight was to transport Butler employees to an end-of-season barbecue in Medford that had started between 1930 and 2000. Tanker 69 landed at Klamath Falls at 2029. Two additional Butler employees were enplaned, and the aircraft departed runway 14 at 2040. The flightcrew did not file a flight plan and the weather was such that none was required. Witnesses saw the aircraft begin a steep right turn about one mile south of the runway and momentarily disappear from their view behind hangars and airport buildings; it then proceeded on a westerly course. A few minutes later, a pilot located 11 miles west-southwest of the airport saw the aircraft pass overheard an altitude he estimated to be 750 feet above ground level. He said that the aircraft lights were on and that engine sounds were normal. About 2047, witnesses located 25 miles west-northwest of the airport heard sounds, which they first thought to be from a car or truck with loud mufflers. Subsequently, they determined that the sounds were an approaching aircraft. They heard engine sounds become 'choppy', resembling the noise made by a helicopter blade, and saw a fireball on Surveyor Peak, about 3,5 miles south of their location. Weyerhauser Company and Oregon State Forestry Department personnel located about 12 miles from Surveyor Peak also saw the fireball on the peak. After notifying authorities, they took firefighting equipment to the scene. The aircraft crashed at night during hours of darkness at an elevation of about 6,400 feet. The aircraft was totally destroyed and all 12 occupants were killed.

Go Transportation

Just after liftoff from Barstow-Daggett Airport, both engines n°3 and 4 lost power. The crew attempted an emergency landing when the airplane lost height and crashed in flames in an open field. A pilot was killed while five other occupants were injured. The aircraft was destroyed by a post crash fire. Illegal smuggling flight.

Advance Aviation

While flying at low altitude in a limited visibility due to the night, the four engine airplane struck tree tops and crashed in a dense wooded area located 3 miles south of Farmerville, LA. The aircraft was destroyed by a post crash fire. Five occupants were injured while a passenger was killed. A load of about 10 tons of marijuana was found in the wreckage.