Crash of a Douglas C-47A-85-DL into the Caribbean Sea: 3 killed

Date & Time: Aug 20, 1948
Type of aircraft:
Douglas C-47 Skytrain (DC-3)
Operator:
Registration:
YV-C-AVN
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Cargo
Survivors:
No
Site:
Lake, Sea, Ocean, River
Schedule:
Maiquetía – Las Piedras – Maracaibo
MSN:
19984
YOM:
1944
Location:
Caribbean Sea
All World
Country:
World
Region:
World
Crew on board:
3
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
3
Circumstances:
On the leg from Maiquetía to Las Piedras, while on a cargo flight to Maracaibo, the aircraft crashed in unknown circumstances into the Caribbean Sea, off the Venezuelan coast. No trace of the aircraft nor the crew was found.

Crash of a Douglas C-47 Dakota C.4 in Batu Melintang: 5 killed

Date & Time: Aug 19, 1948
Type of aircraft:
Douglas C-47 Skytrain (DC-3)
Operator:
Registration:
KJ962
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Training
Survivors:
No
Site:
Plain, Valley
MSN:
14809/25254
YOM:
1944
Location:
Batu Melintang
Negeri Sembilan
Country:
Malaysia
Region:
Asia
Crew on board:
5
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
5
Circumstances:
The crew was involved in a training mission and was in charge to locate an appropriate dropping zone for paratroopers. While flying at an estimated height of few hundred yards, the crew realized that smoke was coming out from the right engine. Few seconds later, the aircraft banked right, dove into the ground and crashed in a prairie. All five crew members were killed.

Crash of a Douglas C-47B-30-DK in Rununder Point: 2 killed

Date & Time: Aug 9, 1948 at 0845 LT
Type of aircraft:
Douglas C-47 Skytrain (DC-3)
Operator:
Registration:
ZK-AOE
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Cargo
Survivors:
No
Site:
Mountains
Schedule:
Blenheim – Paraparaumu
MSN:
16383/33131
YOM:
1945
Location:
Port Underwood
Marlborough District Council
Country:
New Zealand
Region:
Oceania
Crew on board:
2
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
2
Circumstances:
About 15 minutes after takeoff from Blenheim-Woodbourne Airport, while on a cargo flight to Paraparaumu, the crew encountered poor weather conditions. The aircraft hit the slope of a mountain located in Rununder Point, near Port Underwood, 32 km northeast of Blenheim. Both pilots were killed.
Crew:
Murdo McLeod,
R. J. R. H. Makgill.
Probable cause:
Controlled flight into terrain.

Crash of a Douglas C-47B-20-DK Dakota C.4 in Berlin

Date & Time: Aug 1, 1948
Type of aircraft:
Douglas C-47 Skytrain (DC-3)
Operator:
Registration:
KN238
Flight Phase:
Landing (descent or approach)
Flight Type:
Cargo
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Airport (less than 10 km from airport)
Schedule:
Berlin – London
MSN:
15662/27107
YOM:
1945
Location:
Berlin-Gatow
Berlin
Country:
Germany
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
3
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
Shortly after takeoff from Berlin-Gatow Airport, the crew reported technical problems and received the permission to return for an emergency landing. On touchdown, the undercarriage collapsed. The aircraft slid for several yards and came to rest. All three crew members were unhurt while the aircraft was considered as damaged beyond repair.

Crash of a Douglas C-47A-1-DK Dakota C.3 in Sywell

Date & Time: Jul 30, 1948 at 2100 LT
Type of aircraft:
Douglas C-47 Skytrain (DC-3)
Operator:
Registration:
G-AGIX
Flight Phase:
Landing (descent or approach)
Flight Type:
Scheduled Revenue Flight
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Airport (less than 10 km from airport)
Schedule:
Edinburgh – Northolt
MSN:
12053
YOM:
1943
Location:
Sywell
Northamptonshire
Country:
United Kingdom
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
5
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
14
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
En route to RAF Northolt, the crew encountered technical problem with the right engine and was forced to shut it down and to feather its propeller. As the aircraft was unable to maintain the prescribed altitude, the crew decided to divert to Sywell. On final approach, the aircraft was misaligned and overflew the runway at low height before colliding with power cables. Out of control, it crashed in a field and came to rest. All 19 occupants were slightly injured while the aircraft was damaged beyond repair.
Probable cause:
The accident was caused by an error of judgement on the part of the pilot whilst attempting a single engine landing in dusk conditions. The malfunctioning of the starboard engine constant speed unit was due to the failure if the filter gauze in fatigue. The subsequent surging and over speeding was due to restriction to free movement of the control valve, occasioned by the passage of pieces of filter wire through the unit.

Crash of a Douglas C-47B-15-DK in Berlin: 2 killed

Date & Time: Jul 25, 1948 at 0100 LT
Type of aircraft:
Douglas C-47 Skytrain (DC-3)
Operator:
Registration:
43-49534
Flight Phase:
Landing (descent or approach)
Flight Type:
Cargo
Survivors:
No
Site:
City
Schedule:
Wiesbaden – Berlin
MSN:
15350/26795
YOM:
1944
Location:
Berlin-Tempelhof
Berlin
Country:
Germany
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
2
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
2
Circumstances:
On final approach to Berlin-Tempelhof Airport, taking part to the Berlin Airlift, the twin engine aircraft hit the roof of a building and crashed in flames in the adjacent street located in the suburb of Friedenau. Both crewmen were killed while three people on the ground were injured. The aircraft was destroyed by impact forces and a post crash fire.

Crash of a Douglas C-47-DL in Cap-des-Rosiers: 29 killed

Date & Time: Jul 24, 1948 at 1730 LT
Type of aircraft:
Douglas C-47 Skytrain (DC-3)
Operator:
Rimouski Airlines
Registration:
CF-FKY
Flight Phase:
Landing (descent or approach)
Flight Type:
Charter/Taxi (Non Scheduled Revenue Flight)
Survivors:
No
Site:
Plain, Valley
Schedule:
Port-Menier – Gaspé
MSN:
6246
YOM:
1943
Location:
Cap-des-Rosiers
Quebec
Country:
Canada
Region:
North America
Crew on board:
2
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
27
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
29
Circumstances:
The aircraft left Port-Menier, Anticosti Island, on a charter flight to Gaspé, carrying two pilots and 27 people, most of them employees of the Consolidated Paper Company. The approach to Gaspé Airport was started from the east in foggy conditions. While flying too low, the aircraft hit some trees, stalled and crashed in a wooded area located near Cap-des-Rosiers, about 20 km east of Gaspé Airport. Rescuers arrived on the scene few hours later and all 29 occupants were killed.
Crew:
Emerson Mills, pilot,
Ross Miles, copilot.
Passengers:
Germain Jean,
Elle Godin,
Camille Furgesson,
Jean Laflamme,
Lawrence Travers,
Mathias Cote,
Henri Tardif,
Rolland Denis,
Alphonse Veer,
René Blais,
Alfred Desjardins,
Rodolphe Gendreau,
Roger Gendreau,
Hughes Prouix,
James Travers,
Gérard Després,
Harris Gleeton,
Eddy Bouchard,
Julien Fynott,
Mr. and Mrs. Berth McCallum and son,
Joseph Gauvin,
Romuald Dufresne,
Clarimond Fournier,
Mr. and Mrs. Emmett Maloney.
Probable cause:
It was determined that the crew started the approach visually in low visibility and was unable to locate ground obstacles.

Crash of a Douglas C-47B-20-DK Dakota C.4 in Fassberg AFB

Date & Time: Jul 24, 1948
Type of aircraft:
Douglas C-47 Skytrain (DC-3)
Operator:
Registration:
KN252
Flight Phase:
Landing (descent or approach)
Flight Type:
Cargo
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Airport (less than 10 km from airport)
Schedule:
Berlin – Fassberg
MSN:
15733/27178
YOM:
1945
Location:
Fassberg AFB
Lower Saxony
Country:
Germany
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
3
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
On approach to Fassberg AFB, an engine caught fire. On landing, an undercarriage collapsed and the aircraft veered off runway and came to rest in flames. While all three crew members were unhurt, the aircraft was destroyed by fire.
Probable cause:
Failure of a hydraulic line, causing the fluid to spill into the engine and to ignite in contact with element who temperature was high.

Crash of a Douglas C-47A-75-DL in Gore

Date & Time: Jul 22, 1948
Type of aircraft:
Douglas C-47 Skytrain (DC-3)
Operator:
Registration:
ET-T-5
Flight Phase:
Landing (descent or approach)
Flight Type:
Scheduled Revenue Flight
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Airport (less than 10 km from airport)
MSN:
19416
YOM:
1944
Location:
Gore
Oromia
Country:
Ethiopia
Region:
Africa
Crew on board:
0
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
After landing, the aircraft failed to stop within the remaining runway, overran and hit some rocks. While there were no casualties, the aircraft was damaged beyond repair. For unknown reason, the aircraft landed too far down the runway.

Crash of a Douglas C-47B-30-DK into the Mediterranean Sea

Date & Time: Jul 20, 1948
Type of aircraft:
Douglas C-47 Skytrain (DC-3)
Operator:
Registration:
476561
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Military
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Lake, Sea, Ocean, River
Schedule:
Algiers – Istres
MSN:
16145/32893
YOM:
1945
Location:
Mediterranean Sea
All World
Country:
World
Region:
World
Crew on board:
2
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
18
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
The crew was forced to ditch the aircraft into the Mediterranean Sea some 130 km south of Marseille. All twenty occupants were rescued while the aircraft sank and was lost.
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