Kunming | Bureau of Aircraft Accidents Archives

En route to Chongqing, the captain was informed that the destination airport was closed to traffic due to poor weather conditions. He decided to divert to Guilin Airport but this one was closed as well as all others in the region. The crew flew over the mountainous region for several hours to burn fuel. Eventually, when the fuel reserve was low, the captain decided to attempt an emergency landing on a mountain slope. He placed the aircraft in a slightly nose up position and hit the mountain at a speed of 80 knots. The aircraft slid for several yards before coming to rest. A passenger, a US Marine Officer, was killed, while all 13 other occupants were unhurt.

Crash of a Consolidated C-87 Liberator Express near Tezpur: 4 killed

Date & Time: Jun 14, 1944

Type of aircraft:

Consolidated C-87 Liberator Express

Operator:

Registration:

43-30556

Flight Phase:

Flight

Flight Type:

Military

Survivors:

Site:

Mountains

Schedule:

Tezpur – Kunming

MSN:

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

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Circumstances:

The aircraft was lost without trace (maybe in the region of Tezpur) while performing a flight from Tezpur to Kunming. No trace of the aircraft nor the crew was found.

Crash of a Douglas C-47A-65-DL near Kunming: 6 killed

Date & Time: Jun 8, 1944 at 1200 LT

Type of aircraft:

Douglas C-47 Skytrain (DC-3)

Operator:

Registration:

Flight Phase:

Landing (descent or approach)

Flight Type:

Cargo

Survivors:

Site:

Airport (less than 10 km from airport)

Schedule:

Dinjan - Kunming

MSN:

18902

YOM:

1943

Location:

Country:

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Circumstances:

While approaching Kunming-Wujiaba Airport, the aircraft descended from 16,000 to 6,000 feet when it went out of control, dove into the ground and crashed in flames few km from the airport. All six occupants were killed.
Source: www.cnac.org

Probable cause:

The jack pad had been removed from the right wing root. This left 4 large holes directly under the fuel tanks and directly in line with the exhaust. When the pilot cut the throttles to descend, the flame only went as far back as the holes. There the flames went up around the fuel tank, igniting the fumes and blew the wing off.

Crash of a Douglas C-47 in Dinjan

Date & Time: May 18, 1944 at 1200 LT

Type of aircraft:

Douglas C-47 Skytrain (DC-3)

Operator:

Registration:

Flight Phase:

Landing (descent or approach)

Flight Type:

Cargo

Survivors:

Yes

Site:

Airport (less than 10 km from airport)

Schedule:

Kunming-Dinjan

MSN:

19620

YOM:

1944

Location:

Country:

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Crew on board:

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Crash of a Douglas C-47A-75-DL in China: 3 killed

Date & Time: May 15, 1944

Type of aircraft:

Douglas C-47 Skytrain (DC-3)

Operator:

Registration:

Flight Phase:

Flight

Flight Type:

Cargo

Survivors:

Site:

Mountains

Schedule:

Dinjan - Kunming

MSN:

19314

YOM:

1943

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

While cruising at an altitude of 10,000 feet in poor weather conditions, the aircraft encountered turbulence, lost at least 1,000 feet, hit a mountain slope and was wrecked. All three crew members were killed.

Probable cause:

It is believed the aircraft lost 1,000 feet while cruising in turbulence and poor weather conditions, resulting in a controlled flight into terrain (CFIT). The pilot was completing this flight for the first time as a captain.

Crash of Douglas C-47-DL in Lanping: 7 killed

Date & Time: May 8, 1944

Type of aircraft:

Douglas C-47 Skytrain (DC-3)

Operator:

Registration:

41-19468

Flight Phase:

Flight

Flight Type:

Cargo

Survivors:

Site:

Mountains

Schedule:

Kunming – Dibrugarh

MSN:

6111

Location:

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Region:

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Circumstances:

Crashed in unknown circumstances in a mountainous region located north of Nujiang. All seven occupants were killed.

Crash of a Curtiss C-46A-20-CU Commando in Kunming

Date & Time: Apr 23, 1944

Type of aircraft:

Curtiss C-46 Commando

Operator:

Registration:

41-24688

Flight Phase:

Landing (descent or approach)

Flight Type:

Cargo

Survivors:

Yes

Site:

Airport (less than 10 km from airport)

MSN:

26609

YOM:

1943

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

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Circumstances:

For unknown reason, the aircraft belly landed and was damaged beyond repair. All four crew members were unhurt.

Crash of a Douglas C-53 near Kunming

Date & Time: Mar 24, 1944

Type of aircraft:

Douglas C-53 Skytrooper (DC-3)

Operator:

Registration:

Flight Phase:

Flight Type:

Survivors:

Site:

Schedule:

Dinjan - Kunming

MSN:

4879

YOM:

1942

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

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Circumstances:

The crew left Dinjan on a cargo flight to Kunming. While cruising some 100 miles from his destination, the crew torn off all communication systems so the Japanese forces based in the region were unable to catch any message. One hour later, while flying in poor weather conditions, the crew torn on the communication systems but the aircraft was off course. Crew tried to localize his position but after a flight of 11 hours and 25 minutes, was unable to locate the airport of Kunming so he decided to abandon the aircraft and bailed out. While the aircraft dove into the ground and crashed, all three crew were rescued.