No fatalities

1977-06-13: Douglas DC-3 (N38AP) — Hall Mining Company — Newton, United States of America

Newton, United States of AmericaLanding (descent or approach)

On June 13, 1977, a Douglas DC-3 (registration N38AP) operated by Hall Mining Company was involved in an aviation accident near Newton, United States of America during landing or approach. No fatalities were reported. Investigators recorded the probable cause as: Gear collapsed on landing after the pilot selected an unsuitable terrain. This summary draws on records from the Bureau of Aircraft Accidents Archives (B3A).

Sourcesthe Bureau of Aircraft Accidents Archives (B3A)Primary reportUpdated 1781227892Data APIEditorial standards

A pilot attempting a night landing on unsuitable terrain near Newton crashed after the landing gear collapsed. The pilot was seriously wounded, and a passenger sustained minor injuries. The aircraft was destroyed.

Incident Overview

A pilot attempted to land an aircraft at night on an unsuitable terrain near Newton. The landing area was illuminated by flashlights. During the landing, the landing gear collapsed, and the aircraft crashed. The pilot sustained serious wounds, while a passenger received minor injuries. The aircraft was written off.

Contributing Factors

The official investigation identified several contributing factors to the accident: misjudged distance and speed, failure to align with the intended landing area, an intentional ground loop, overload failure, and the use of flashlights to light the landing area.

Probable Cause

The probable cause of the accident was the collapse of the landing gear upon landing after the pilot selected an unsuitable terrain.

Additional Information

The source notes that this was probably a drug smuggling flight, though no further details are provided.