De Havilland DHC-4 Caribou | Bureau of Aircraft Accidents Archives

En route on a positioning flight from Algiers to Basel, the crew encountered technical problems with the right engine that failed following a loss of hydraulic pressure. The decision to divert to Valence-Chabeuil Airport for an emergency landing was taken. Eventually, the crew was forced to make a belly landing in an open field located few km from the airfield. Both pilots escaped uninjured while the aircraft was damaged beyond repair.

Probable cause:

Engine failure following a loss of hydraulic pressure.

Crash of a De Havilland DHC-4A Caribou in Tawi Atair

Date & Time: Dec 3, 1973

Type of aircraft:

De Havilland DHC-4 Caribou

Operator:

Registration:

803

Flight Type:

Military

Site:

Desert

MSN:

295

YOM:

1970

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

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Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

Crashed in unknown circumstances.

Crash of a De Havilland C-7 Caribou off Phú Quốc: 15 killed

Date & Time: Jul 7, 1973

Type of aircraft:

De Havilland DHC-4 Caribou

Operator:

Flight Phase:

Takeoff (climb)

Flight Type:

Military

Survivors:

Site:

Lake, Sea, Ocean, River

Location:

Country:

Region:

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Circumstances:

Shortly after takeoff from Phú Quốc Island Airport, while climbing, the airplane stalled and crashed into the sea few dozen meters offshore. 15 people were killed while 21 others were rescued. Most of the passengers were prisoners.

Probable cause:

Engine failure during initial climb.

Crash of a De Havilland DHC-4 Caribou in Oman

Date & Time: May 15, 1973

Type of aircraft:

De Havilland DHC-4 Caribou

Operator:

Registration:

802

Flight Phase:

Flight

Flight Type:

Military

Site:

Airport (less than 10 km from airport)

MSN:

294

YOM:

1970

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

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Circumstances:

The airplane crashed in unknown circumstances somewhere in Oman during May 1973, exact date unknown.

Crash of a De Havilland C-7A Caribou in Salavan: 4 killed

Date & Time: Nov 23, 1972

Type of aircraft:

De Havilland DHC-4 Caribou

Operator:

Registration:

401

Flight Phase:

Flight

Flight Type:

Supply

Survivors:

Site:

Plain, Valley

Schedule:

Pakse - Pakse

MSN:

YOM:

1962

Location:

Country:

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Circumstances:

While on a supply mission from Pakse and flying at low height, the airplane was struck by ground fire and crashed in flames in the region of Salavan. All four occupants were killed.

Probable cause:

Shot down by ground fire.

Crash of a De Havilland DHC-4 Caribou inKudjeru Gap: 25 killed

Date & Time: Aug 28, 1972 at 1430 LT

Type of aircraft:

De Havilland DHC-4 Caribou

Operator:

Registration:

A4-233

Flight Phase:

Flight Type:

Survivors:

Site:

Schedule:

Lae - Port Moresby

MSN:

233

YOM:

1965

Location:

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Circumstances:

The aircraft was completing a flight from Lae to Port Moresby, carrying three crew members and 26 cadets of the PNG Army. After passing over Wau in good weather conditions, the pilot decided to enter the Kudjeru Gap Valley when the weather conditions worsened rapidly with clouds up to 10,500 feet. At an altitude of 5,000 feet while trying to gain height, the right wing struck trees and the aircraft crashed on the slope of a mountain, about 50 meters below the summit. The wreckage was found three days later. Five injured passengers were evacuated but one of them died from his injuries.

Probable cause:

The pilot entered an area of low visibility and the accident was the consequence of a controlled flight into terrain.

Crash of a De Havilland C-7A Caribou in Pha Khao: 1 killed

Date & Time: Feb 4, 1972

Type of aircraft:

De Havilland DHC-4 Caribou

Operator:

Registration:

393

Flight Phase:

Landing (descent or approach)

Flight Type:

Charter/Taxi (Non Scheduled Revenue Flight)

Survivors:

Yes

Site:

Airport (less than 10 km from airport)

Schedule:

Ban Xon - Pha Khao

MSN:

YOM:

1962

Location:

Country:

Region:

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Circumstances:

On final approach to Pha Khao Airstrip (LS-14), obstruction was sighted on the runway and the captain decided to make a go-around. For unknown reason, the left engine failed to respond and the aircraft stalled and struck the runway surface. It bounced heavily, went out of control and veered off runway. It lost its undercarriage and its right wing before coming to rest. All 34 passengers, Laotian military personnel, were evacuated while all a crew member was killed, three other being injured.
Crew:
Gordon V. Smith, pilot,
D. M. Houston, copilot,
M. S. Bailey, flight engineer,
Khamouth Sousadalay, kicker. †

Crash of a De Havilland C-7A Caribou off Farallon Islands

Date & Time: Dec 19, 1971

Type of aircraft:

De Havilland DHC-4 Caribou

Operator:

Registration:

62-4173

Flight Phase:

Flight

Flight Type:

Military

Survivors:

Yes

Site:

Lake, Sea, Ocean, River

MSN:

112

YOM:

1963

Location:

Farallon Islands

California

Country:

United States of America

Region:

North America

Crew on board:

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Circumstances:

En route to McClellan AFB near Sacramento, the crew encountered unknown technical problems. The captain decided to ditch the aircraft near the Farallon Islands, some 30 miles west of San Francisco. All three crew members were rescued while the aircraft sank and was lost.

Probable cause:

Unknown technical problems.