Crash of a Douglas DC-3-232 in Mount Macedon: 3 killed

Date & Time: Nov 8, 1948 at 0740 LT
Operator:
Registration:
VH-UZK
Flight Phase:
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Schedule:
Melbourne – Deniliquin
MSN:
2003
YOM:
1937
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
4
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
19
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
3
Circumstances:
The aircraft christened 'Kurana' left Melbourne-Essendon at 0726LT bound for Deniliquin. Fourteen minutes later, the crew encountered low visibility due to clouds. At an altitude of 3,000 feet, the crew increased power on both engines to gain height but the aircraft hit trees and crashed in flames in a wooded area. All 19 passengers and the stewardess were injured while all three crew members were killed as the cockpit was destroyed.
Probable cause:
The cause of the aircraft striking high ground whilst flying in cloud at a height of approximately 3,000 feet was that:
a) The pilot failed to follow the track specified in his flight plan and deviated about nine miles to port of the correct track. This deviation was either deliberate or due to an error in navigation.
b) The pilot failed to comply with the visual flight rules' requirements, thus violating the conditions of his flight clearance.

Crash of a Douglas C-47 in Caro: 3 killed

Date & Time: Nov 8, 1948
Operator:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
9
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
3
Circumstances:
Crashed on final approach to Cairo-Almaza Airport, killing three crew members and injured six others.

Crash of a Douglas C-47A-DK off Cape Spencer: 17 killed

Date & Time: Nov 4, 1948 at 0445 LT
Registration:
N66637
Flight Phase:
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Anchorage – Homer – Yakutat – Annette Island – Seattle
MSN:
11800
YOM:
1943
Crew on board:
2
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
15
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
17
Aircraft flight hours:
4320
Circumstances:
At approximately 2226, November 3, 1948. the flight departed Anchorage for Seattle, Washington, via Homer, Yakutat, and Annette Island, Alaska, with a crew consisting of A R. Kinnear, pilot, and R A Wilson, copilot. The flight arrived at Yakutat, Alaska, at 0257, November 4, 1948, without incident. At Yakutat an instrument flight plan was filed specifying a cruising altitude of 10,000 feet to Annette Island, the next intended stop. At 0407, the flight took off from Yakutat with the same crew, 15 passengers, 800 gallons of fuel, and no cargo. Total airplane weight was within the certified limit and the airplane was properly loaded. A position report was received from the flight by Gustavus Radio at 0510 to the effect that the flight was cruising at 10,000 feet, 146 miles southeast of Yakutat, and that it estimated arriving over Sitka, Alaska, 240 miles southeast of Yakutat, at 0544. This was the last communication received from the flight. Approximately one hour after the flight's estimated arrival time over Sitka, an emergency warning was issued by CAA Communications to all radio stations between Anchorage and Seattle. Also alerted was the Civil Aeronautics Board, the 10th Air and Sea Rescue Squadron, and the Coast Guard Air Facility. At 0700 the Coast Guard dispatched a search plane to the area over which the flight had last reported, but no trace of the airplane or its occupants was found.
Probable cause:
As the aircraft was not found, there is not sufficient evidence for the Board to make any determination as to the probable cause for this accident

Crash of a Douglas C-47B-25-DK in Wiesbaden AFB: 5 killed

Date & Time: Nov 2, 1948
Operator:
Registration:
44-76491
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Northolt – Wiesbaden
MSN:
16075/32823
YOM:
1945
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
3
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
2
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
5
Circumstances:
Crashed in unknown circumstances while approaching Wiesbaden-Erbenheim AFB. All five occupants were killed.

Crash of a Douglas TC-47D near Stilwell: 11 killed

Date & Time: Nov 1, 1948
Operator:
Registration:
44-76618
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Washington DC – Wichita Falls
MSN:
16202/32950
YOM:
1945
Crew on board:
11
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
11
Circumstances:
Crash in unknown circumstances in a prairie located near Stilwell, east Oklahoma. All 11 crew members were killed.

Crash of a Douglas C-47 off Sumatra Island

Date & Time: Oct 25, 1948
Registration:
HS-PC103
Flight Phase:
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
0
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
Crashed into the sea off Sumatra Island apparently after being shot down by the pilot of a Dutch Air Force fighter.

Crash of a Douglas C-47A-50-DL in Ekron AFB: 5 killed

Date & Time: Oct 24, 1948
Operator:
Registration:
S-83/83U
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
MSN:
10142
YOM:
1943
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
3
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
2
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
5
Circumstances:
On final approach to Ekron-Tel Nof AFB, the aircraft went out of control and crashed short of runway threshold. All five occupants were killed.
Probable cause:
Loss of control on final approach caused by an engine fire.

Crash of a Douglas C-47D in Chanute AFB: 3 killed

Date & Time: Oct 24, 1948
Operator:
Registration:
43-49416
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
MSN:
15232/26677
YOM:
1944
Crew on board:
3
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
19
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
3
Circumstances:
The approach to Chanute AFB was completed by night and very limited visibility due to foggy conditions. On final, the aircraft hit the roof's corner of a barrack, stalled and crashed on a second barrack. All 19 passengers were injured while all three crew members were killed as the cockpit was destroyed on impact.

Crash of a Douglas C-47B-30-DK in Bückeburg AFB

Date & Time: Oct 12, 1948
Operator:
Registration:
KN523
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
MSN:
16320/33068
YOM:
1945
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
0
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
While taxiing at Bückeburg AFB, the aircraft hit a hole in the taxiway with its tail wheel. The aircraft came to rest and was considered as damaged beyond repair. There were no casualties.

Crash of a Douglas C-47-DL near Wadi Halfa

Date & Time: Oct 12, 1948
Operator:
Registration:
ZS-BWZ
Flight Phase:
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Schedule:
Paris – Wadi Halfa – Khartoum – Johannesburg
MSN:
9145
YOM:
1943
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
5
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
21
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
Shortly after takeoff from Wadi Halfa, a fire erupted in the cockpit. The crew was unable to extinguish the fire so the captain was forced to attempt an emergency landing in a desert area located few km from the airport. The aircraft written off while all 26 occupants escaped uninjured.
Probable cause:
The opinion was formed that the fire started in the left hand side of the pilot's compartment because of an electric short in the extension lamp, producing sufficient heat to ignite propeller deicing fluid, which, in the absence of evidence to the contrary, the Committee was of opinion must have leaked from the tank behind the Commander's seat. On available evidence, the crew made all possible efforts to extinguish the fire, but the effectiveness of their actions was nullified by the restricted area of operations and the inaccessibility of the seat of the fire. In view of the direct evidence of a blue flame at the time of the conflagration, there would appear to have been a high percentage of methyl spirits in the deicing fluid. This is confirmed by tests made of deicing fluid taken from other aircraft serviced by the same maintenance organisation which did not conform with specification An-F-13.