1969 — Jan 13, SAS Flight 933 instrument approach crash, Santa Monica Bay, CA — 15

–15 Airdisaster.com. Accident Database. “Accident Synopsis 01131969.”
–15 Aviation Safety Network. Database. Scandinavian (SAS) Flight 933, 13 Jan 1969.
–15 Kimura. World Commercial Aircraft Accidents 3rd Ed., 1946-1993, V.1. 4-11-1994, p. 2-10.
–15 NTSB AAR. Scandinavian Airlines System… Santa Monica Bay, Near LA…Jan 13, 1969.
–15 Notable California Aviation Disasters. “The 1960s.” Oct 23, 2008 update.

Narrative Information

Airdisaster.com: “The aircraft crashed into Santa Monica Bay six miles from the airport while the crew was preoccupied with a landing gear problem.” (Airdisaster.com. “Accident Synopsis 01131969.”)

ASN: Flight from Seattle/Tacoma International Airport, Washington, to Los Angeles International Airport, California, with crew of 9 and 36 passengers.

“The DC-8, named “Sverre Viking”, descended into the waters of Santa Monica Bay during an ILS approach to runway 07R. The aircraft broke into three pieces after impact; only the section with the wings, forward cabin and cockpit remained afloat for 20 hours. The section sank after being towed into shallow water.” (ASN. AD. Scandinavian (SAS) Flight 933, 13 Jan 1969; cites NTSB/AAR-70-14, July 1, 1970.)

NTSB: “The accident occurred in the waters of Santa Monica Bay while the crew was attempting an instrument approach to Runway O7R at Los Angeles International Airport. Of the 45 persons aboard the aircraft, 3 passengers and 1 cabin attendant drowned; 9 passengers and 2 cabin attendants are missing and presumed dead; 11 passengers and 6 crewmembers including the captain, the second pilot, and the systems operator, were injured in varying degrees; and 13 passengers escaped without reported injury. The aircraft was destroyed by impact. The fuselage broke into three pieces, two of which sank in approximately 350 feet of water. The third section including the wings, the forward cabin and the cockpit, floated for about 20 hours before being towed into shallow water where it sank. This section was later recovered and removed from the water.

“The Board determines that the probable cause of this accident was the lack of crew coordination and the inadequate monitoring of the aircraft position in space during a critical phase of an instrument approach which resulted in an unplanned descent into the water. Contributing to this unplanned descent was an apparent unsafe landing gear condition induced by the design of the landing gear indicator lights, and the omission of the minimum crossing altitude at an approach fix depicted on the approach chart.” (NTSB SAS… Santa Monica Bay, Near LA…Jan 13, 1969.)

Notable California Aviation Disasters:
“Date / Time: Monday, January 13, 1969 / 7:21 p.m.
“Operator / Flight No.: Scandinavian Airlines System (SAS) / Flight 933
“Location: Pacific Ocean, near Los Angeles International Airport

“Details and Probable Cause: The Scandinavian Airlines System (SAS) Douglas DC-8-62 jetliner (LN-MOO) was descending over the Pacific Ocean on approach to Los Angeles International Airport from Seattle, Washington, when it crashed into Santa Monica Bay six miles short of the runway. Upon impact, the jet’s fuselage broke into three pieces, one of which subsequently remained afloat for 20 hours. Of the 45 persons aboard, 12 passengers and three flight attendants were killed in the crash.

“The jetliner’s crew members were preoccupied with a landing-gear light problem and didn’t notice the aircraft’s gradual descent toward the sea. The accident was blamed on lack of crew coordination and their inadequate monitoring of the aircraft’s position, which resulted in an unplanned descent into the water.

“Fatalities: 15 — 12 of 36 passengers and 3 of 9 crew members.” (Notable California Aviation Disasters. “The 1960s.” Oct 23, 2008 update.)

Sources

AirDisaster.Com. Accident Database. Accident Synopsis 01131969. Accessed at: http://www.airdisaster.com/cgi-bin/view_details.cgi?date=01131969&reg=LN-MOO&airline=Scandinavian+Airlines+(SAS)

Aviation Safety Network. Accident Description. Scandinavian Airlines System (SAS) Flight 933, 13 Jan 1969. Accessed 3-2-2009 at: http://aviation-safety.net/database/record.php?id=19690113-0

Kimura, Chris Y. World Commercial Aircraft Accidents 3rd Edition, 1946-1993, Volume 1: Jet and Turboprop Aircrafts. Livermore, CA: Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, Risk Assessment and Nuclear Engineering Group. 4-11-1994.

National Transportation Safety Board. Aircraft Accident Report. Scandinavian Airlines System McDonnell-Douglas DC-B-62, LN-M00 (Norwegian Registry) in Santa Monica Bay, Near Los Angeles, California, January 13, 1969 (File No. B-0001; NTSB-AAR-70-14). Washington, DC: NTSB, July 1, 1970, 37 pages. At: http://www.airdisaster.com/reports/ntsb/AAR70-14.pdf

Notable California Aviation Disasters. “The 1960s.” Oct 23, 2008 update. Accessed 10-17-2009 at: http://www.jaydeebee1.com/crash60s.html