Douglas C-47 Skytrain (DC-3) | Bureau of Aircraft Accidents Archives

After landing at Pampulha Airport, the crew encountered difficulties to stop the airplane that overran, went down an embankment and came to rest few dozen meters further with its undercarriage torn off. All 19 occupants escaped with minor injuries while the aircraft was damaged beyond repair.

Probable cause:

It was determined that the brakes failed after touchdown for unknown reasons.

Crash of a Douglas C-47A-1-DK in Kuopio: 15 killed

Date & Time: Oct 3, 1978 at 2131 LT

Type of aircraft:

Douglas C-47 Skytrain (DC-3)

Operator:

Registration:

DO-10

Flight Phase:

Takeoff (climb)

Flight Type:

Military

Survivors:

Site:

Lake, Sea, Ocean, River

Schedule:

Kuopio - Helsinki

MSN:

12050

YOM:

1943

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

Shortly after a night takeoff from Kuopio Airport, while climbing, the right engine failed. The captain elected to return for an emergency landing and initiated a turn to the left when the airplane lost height and crashed in the Juurusvesi Lake, about one km from the airport. The aircraft was totally destroyed and all 15 occupants were killed, among them politicians and businessmen who were flying back to Helsinki after attending a National Defence Course meeting organized by the Finnish Defence Forces.
Crew:
1st Lt Kari Halmetoja, pilot,
M/Sgt Seppo Raninen, copilot,
Sgtm Heikki Mannila, flight engineer.
Passengers:
Risto K. Alanko,
Kirsti Hollming,
Aaro Kenttä,
Pekka Lahdensuu,
Olavi Majlander,
Arto Merisaari,
Antti Pohjonen,
Kari Sinisalo,
Viljo Särkkä,
Olli Varho,
Col Aarno Hukari,
Lt Col Tapio Kokkonen.

Probable cause:

The failure of the right engine was the consequence of the failure of the 5th cylinder due to fatigue cracks that could not be detected during the last maintenance check.

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

Date & Time: Sep 24, 1978

Type of aircraft:

Douglas C-47 Skytrain (DC-3)

Operator:

Warbirds of Great Britain

Registration:

G-BFPU

Flight Phase:

Flight Type:

Survivors:

Site:

Schedule:

London - Nice - Karima - Aden

MSN:

15247/26692

YOM:

1944

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

The crew was completing a flight from London-Gatwick to Aden with intermediate stops in Nice and Karima, and was supposed to deliver the airplane to Alyemda in Aden. Technical problems occurred on the leg from Gatwick to Nice and the crew was forced to divert to Toulon where spark plugs and carburetor were changed on the left engine. While flying in the region of Karima, the right engine oil pressure and cylinder head temperature exceeded the limits and the propeller oversped. In such conditions, the crew feathered the propeller when the left engine backfired shortly later. The captain decided to make a belly landing in a desert area about 11 km northeast of Karima. While both pilots escaped uninjured, the aircraft was destroyed by a post crash fire.

Probable cause:

Engine problems caused by and excessive oil pressure and cylinder head temperature.

Crash of a Douglas C-47A-65-Dl in Komakuk

Date & Time: Sep 18, 1978

Type of aircraft:

Douglas C-47 Skytrain (DC-3)

Operator:

Registration:

C-FCRW

Flight Phase:

Landing (descent or approach)

Flight Type:

Cargo

Survivors:

Yes

Site:

Airport (less than 10 km from airport)

MSN:

18958

YOM:

1943

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

On final approach to runway 27 at Komakuk Airfield, the crew was forced to increase the speed due to a 20 knots headwind. After touchdown, the pilot decided to veer off runway in order to avoid overrunning into a 7 meters embankment. The airplane went down a 1,5 meter embankment and came to rest with its both wings partially torn off. Both pilots escaped uninjured.

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

Date & Time: Aug 17, 1978

Type of aircraft:

Douglas C-47 Skytrain (DC-3)

Operator:

Registration:

G-AMSM

Flight Phase:

Takeoff (climb)

Flight Type:

Cargo

Survivors:

Yes

Site:

Airport (less than 10 km from airport)

MSN:

15764/27209

YOM:

1945

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

During the takeoff run, the airplane deviated to the left side of the runway. The copilot overcorrected, causing the aircraft to swing right, leaving the runway at an angle of 20° partially airborne. The left wing then scraped the intersecting runway 14 while maneuvering to avoid a windsock mast ahead. The aircraft touched down and skidded to a stop. An oil fire broke out in the right engine. All three occupants escaped uninjured while the aircraft was damaged beyond repair.

Crash of a Douglas R4D-5 off Guam Island: 2 killed

Date & Time: Aug 14, 1978 at 1141 LT

Type of aircraft:

Douglas C-47 Skytrain (DC-3)

Operator:

Registration:

17152

Flight Phase:

Flight

Flight Type:

Military

Survivors:

Yes

Site:

Lake, Sea, Ocean, River

Schedule:

Agana - Ulithi Atoll

MSN:

12342

YOM:

1942

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Captain / Total flying hours:

4500

Captain / Total hours on type:

50.00

Circumstances:

The airplane departed Agana at 0949LT to Ulithi Atoll with a crew of five and 25 passengers, among them officers and musicians with their instruments. About 10 minutes after takeoff, while cruising to the southwest at an altitude of 6,000 feet and a speed of 180 knots, the crew reported an oil leak on the right engine but the situation seemed to be under control. About an hour later, at 1046LT, oil pressure fluctuated and the captain decided to return to Andersen Airbase. About 15 minutes later, the right engine was shut down and its propeller was feathered. Unable to maintain a safe altitude, the crew asked the passengers to jettison the cargo but the airplane continued to lost height. Eventually, the captain decided to ditch the airplane about 13 km southwest of the Guam Island coast. The aircraft landed at 1141LT and came to rest on water. The occupants evacuated the cabin and took refuge in dinghies, the airplane sank about 10 minutes later. 28 people, most of them injured, were evacuated about an hour later. Unfortunately, one passenger and the flight engineer drowned.
Source: Seth P. Washburne
Report: http://thirsty13th.com/Images/Guam_Airplane_Crash_1978.pdf

Probable cause:

The starboard engine developed an oil leak or other malfunction, from an undetermined source, of such severity that it caused cockpit indications of low oil pressure, illuminated the oil pressure warning light, and ultimately resulted in a propeller overspeed.

Final Report:

Crash of a Douglas C-47A-50-DL off Flores

Date & Time: Jul 20, 1978

Type of aircraft:

Douglas C-47 Skytrain (DC-3)

Operator:

Aero Express - Guatemala

Registration:

TG-PAW

Flight Phase:

Landing (descent or approach)

Flight Type:

Cargo

Survivors:

Yes

Site:

Lake, Sea, Ocean, River

Schedule:

Dos Lagunas - Flores

MSN:

10127

YOM:

1943

Location:

Flores-Mundo Maya (Santa Elena)

Petén

Country:

Guatemala

Region:

Central America

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

The crew was completing a cargo flight from Dos Lagunas to Flores, Petén. On approach to Flores-Santa Elena Airport, the airplane crashed in unknown circumstances into Lake Petén Itzá. All three occupants were rescued while the aircraft was damaged beyond repair.

Crash of a Douglas C-47 on Mt Kennedy: 8 killed

Date & Time: Jul 16, 1978 at 1655 LT

Type of aircraft:

Douglas C-47 Skytrain (DC-3)

Operator:

Registration:

FAC-680

Flight Phase:

Flight

Flight Type:

Military

Survivors:

Site:

Mountains

Schedule:

Riohacha – Santa Marta – Barranquilla – Bogotá

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

The C-47 departed Riohacha Airport at 1615LT on a flight to Bogotá with intermediate stops in Santa Marta and Barranquilla. About five minutes before ETA, while cruising in low clouds, the airplane struck the slope of Mt Kennedy located about 22 km east of Santa Marta-Simon Bolivár Airport. The wreckage was found in an isolated area three days later and all eight occupants were killed.
Crew:
Cpt Jaime Sánchez Tocarruncho, pilot,
Lt Ramon Villanueva Rodriguez, copilot,
Cpt Jose Orlando Moscoso Valencia, navigator,
Cpt Edra Rincón TAvera, navigator,
Ezequiel Prada Rueda, mechanic,
Omar Hernán Linares Rifaldo, mechanic.
Passengers:
1st Lt Guillermo Leon Valencia Obando,
Sgt Ramiro Waldo Giraldo Ramirez.

Probable cause:

Controlled flight into terrain.

Crash of a Douglas C-47A-10-DK in Richmond

Date & Time: Jul 9, 1978 at 1415 LT

Type of aircraft:

Douglas C-47 Skytrain (DC-3)

Operator:

Registration:

N45873

Flight Phase:

Takeoff (climb)

Flight Type:

Skydiving / Paratroopers

Survivors:

Yes

Site:

Airport (less than 10 km from airport)

Schedule:

Richmond - Richmond

MSN:

12458

YOM:

1944

Location:

Richmond

Indiana

Country:

United States of America

Region:

North America

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Captain / Total flying hours:

1008

Captain / Total hours on type:

145.00

Circumstances:

After takeoff from runway 23 at Richmond Municipal Airport, while climbing to a speed of 48 knots, the airplane nosed up then banked left and crashed in a corn field. All 42 occupants were rescued, among them three were injured. The aircrasft was written off.

Probable cause:

Stall during initial climb due to the failure of the elevator tab control system. It was determined that the elevator swage fitting was binding on bulkhead raceway station 63.

Final Report: