Douglas C-47 Skytrain (DC-3)

Operator:

Registration:

44-77261

Flight Phase:

Flight

Flight Type:

Survivors:

Site:

Plain, Valley

MSN:

16845/33593

YOM:

1945

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

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Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

The aircraft was engaged in a leaflet dropping mission along the Seoul - Wonsan highway when it was shot down by enemy antiaircraft fire and crashed in the region of Pyonggang. All six crew members were killed.
Crew:
T/Sgt Robert F. Gross,
1st Lt Wilbert E. Habakangas,
Cpt John S. Maniatty,
Cpl Joseph C. Ratti,
S/Sgt Robert L. Seese,
M/Sgt Ok Sok Yang.

Probable cause:

Shot down by enemy fire.

Crash of a Douglas C-47 at Tres Esquinas: 3 killed

Date & Time: Apr 21, 1951

Type of aircraft:

Operator:

Registration:

FAC-671

Flight Phase:

Takeoff (climb)

Flight Type:

Survivors:

Site:

Location:

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Circumstances:

Crashed apparently shortly after takeoff, killing all three crew members.

Crash of a Douglas C-47B-15-DK near Fairfield

Date & Time: Apr 15, 1951 at 2300 LT

Type of aircraft:

Operator:

Registration:

43-49527

Flight Phase:

Flight Type:

Survivors:

Site:

Schedule:

March - Hamilton

MSN:

15343/26788

YOM:

1944

Location:

Fairfield

California

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

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Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

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Circumstances:

While cruising by night at an insufficient height, the airplane hit the slope of a hill located in the region of Fairfiled, Solano County. The aircraft was destroyed and all three crew members were injured, one of them seriously.

Crash of a Douglas C-47B-20-DK in Seoul

Date & Time: Apr 12, 1951

Type of aircraft:

Operator:

Registration:

43-49751

Flight Phase:

Flight Type:

Survivors:

Yes

Site:

MSN:

15567/27012

YOM:

1944

Location:

Country:

Region:

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Circumstances:

Crashed on landing at Gimpo Airport. There were no casualties.

Crash of a Douglas C-47B-1-DK in Charleston: 21 killed

Date & Time: Apr 8, 1951 at 1156 LT

Type of aircraft:

Operator:

Registration:

43-48298

Flight Phase:

Flight Type:

Survivors:

Site:

Schedule:

Godman – Charleston

MSN:

14114/25559

YOM:

1944

Location:

Charleston-Intl

West Virginia

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

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Pax on board:

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Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

The aircraft departed Godman AFB in Louisville in the morning, bound for Charleston-Kanawha Airport, where all 21 occupants were flying to take part to funerals of US soldiers who died recently in another plane crash. The approach was completed in poor weather conditions. While descending to Kanawha Airfield at an insufficient height, the aircraft hit tree tops and crashed in flames in a wooded area located 8 miles short of runway 23. A passenger was seriously injured while 20 other occupants were killed. Nine days later, the only survivor died from his injuries. It is reported that the ceiling was down to 150 feet and that several instruments were out of order at the time of the accident.

Crash of a Douglas C-47A-90-DL near Santa Barbara: 22 killed

Date & Time: Apr 6, 1951 at 2030 LT

Type of aircraft:

Operator:

Registration:

N63439

Flight Phase:

Flight Type:

Scheduled Revenue Flight

Survivors:

Site:

Mountains

Schedule:

San Francisco – San Jose – Watsonville – Monterrey – Paso Robles – San Luis Obispo – Santa Maria – Santa Barbara – Oxnard – Los Angeles

MSN:

20229

YOM:

1944

Flight number:

SA007

Location:

Santa Barbara

California

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

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Total fatalities:

Captain / Total flying hours:

9317

Captain / Total hours on type:

340.00

Copilot / Total flying hours:

4850

Copilot / Total hours on type:

154

Aircraft flight hours:

8132

Circumstances:

The crew encountered low visibility due to the night and marginal weather conditions when he started the descent to Santa Barbara Airport. At an altitude of 2,740 feet, the aircraft hit the slope of Mt Santa Ynez located near the Refugio Pass. The aircraft disintegrated on impact and all 22 occupants were killed.

Probable cause:

The Board determines that the probable cause of this accident was the failure of the flight, for undetermined reasons, to maintain the specified minimum en route night altitude of 4,000 feet for the route in being flown. The following findings were pointed out:
- The flight plan called for a VFR operation at 4,000 feet altitude between Santa Maria and Santa Barbara and a course of 123 degrees,
- The aircraft crashed at an altitude of approximately 2,740 feet while on a course of approximately 117 degrees in instrument weather conditions.

Final Report:

Crash of a Douglas C-47A-90-DL in Stockholm

Date & Time: Apr 1, 1951

Type of aircraft:

Operator:

Registration:

SE-BBM

Flight Phase:

Flight Type:

Scheduled Revenue Flight

Survivors:

Yes

Site:

Schedule:

Copenhagen – Stockholm

MSN:

20128

YOM:

1944

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

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Pax on board:

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Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

On final approach to Bromma Airport, an engine caught fire. The crew decided to attempt an emergency landing in a field located short of runway. The aircraft crash landed and came to rest in flames. All 22 occupants were able to evacuate the airplane and were unhurt. Unfortunately, the aircraft was totally destroyed by fire.

Probable cause:

Engine fire on final approach.

Crash of a Douglas C-47A-90-DL off Matagorda Island AFB

Date & Time: Mar 27, 1951

Type of aircraft:

Operator:

Registration:

43-15691

Flight Phase:

Flight Type:

Survivors:

Yes

Site:

Lake, Sea, Ocean, River

MSN:

20157

YOM:

1944

Location:

Matagorda Island AFB

Texas

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

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Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

On final approach to Matagorda Island AFB, the airplane crashed into the Espiritu Santo Bay, about 1,8 mile north of the airfield. There were no casualties.

Crash of a Douglas C-47A-5-DK in Camden

Date & Time: Mar 27, 1951

Type of aircraft: