Douglas C-47 Skytrain (DC-3)

Crashed in unknown circumstances near Takhli AFB in 1982. Exact date unknown.

The airplane departed Girardot Airport bound for Mariquita on a training flight. After the crew completed nine touch-and-go at Mariquita Airport, the crew took off for a new local circuit. During initial climb, the pilot-in-command initiated a sharp turn to the left when the left wing tip struck the ground, causing the aircraft to crash near the airport. The aircraft was destroyed by impact forces and a post crash fire and all four crew members were killed as well as one people on the ground.

En route on a charter flight from Johannesburg to Skukuza under IFR mode, the crew was unable to receive the NDB signal. Due to poor visibility, the crew decided to divert to Hoedspruit Airport and started the descent when the airplane stuck a hill and crashed. All 30 occupants were injured and the aircraft was destroyed.

During the takeoff roll at Mekele-Alula Aba Nega Airport, a tire burst. The aircraft went out of control, veered off runway and came to rest. There were no casualties.

Shortly after takeoff at about 800 feet agl, the left engine oil temperature became high and reportedly there was a loss of oil pressure. The pilot reported that he then feathered the left engine and declared an emergency. On final approach, he did not get a safe gear indication. The pilot started that he attempted to go around. But at about that time, he was committed to land. While maneuvering, the aircraft crashed in the desert. There was 2,700 lbs of cargo on board. The elevation was about 3,950 feet and the temperature was reported at 72 degrees Fahrenheit. All three occupants were uninjured.

After a local maintenance flight the crew returned to St. Petersburg to practice full stop landings. Shortly after becoming airborne during the second takeoff, the right engine experienced a power loss. The aircraft was observed to climb to about 50 feet agl, then veer right and crash east of the runway. Other than a malfunctioning right fuel tank selector which allowed fuel to bypass to other fuel tanks, there was no pre-impact failure/malfunction. Both right tanks were empty and the left tanks contained about 175 gallons of fuel. However, subsequent tests showed that fluid in the right tank would bypass the right fuel selector and leak into the left tank when the aircraft sat left wing low for about 12 hours. The aircraft was not airworthy in that all the requirements of an approved 91.217 inspection program were not complied with. The pilot-in-command had 5 hours as pic of DC-3 during the last 5 months with one hour and two takeoff and landings the last 90 days. This was the first flight in a DC-3 for the copilot with no record of any training in the DC-3.

The crew was conducting an illegal flight and was attempting to land on a clandestine airstrip when the airplane crashed in unknown circumstances. Both occupants were killed. The aircraft was carrying a load of electronic equipment.

The crew started the takeoff procedure from a runway contaminated with melted snow. In snow falls, the airplane was unable to gain sufficient speed so the captain decided to abandon the takeoff and initiated an emergency braking maneuver. Unable to stop within the remaining distance, the airplane overran and came to rest few dozen meters further. There were no injuries among the occupants while the aircraft was damaged beyond repair.

The crew was engaged in an illegal flight between Colombia and the United States. While flying by night, the airplane crashed in unknown circumstances in Polonuevo, about 14 km southwest of Barranquilla-Ernesto Cortissoz Airport. Both pilots were seriously injured and the aircraft was destroyed.

While flying in marginal weather conditions from Manila to the Sicogon Island, the airplane crashed on Mt Ipao. Both pilots and a passenger were killed while 29 other occupants were injured.