Crash of a Douglas C-47A-45-DL in Badkhalsa: 8 killed

Date & Time: May 19, 1978 at 1212 LT
Type of aircraft:
Douglas C-47 Skytrain (DC-3)
Operator:
Indian Government
Registration:
VT-DEU
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Calibration
Survivors:
No
Site:
Plain, Valley
Schedule:
New Delhi - New Delhi
MSN:
9952
YOM:
1943
Location:
Badkhalsa
Haryana
Country:
India
Region:
Asia
Crew on board:
3
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
5
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
8
Circumstances:
The airplane was engaged in a calibration flight at New Delhi-Palam Airport on behalf of the Indian Civil Aviation Authority. While cruising at a relative low altitude, the airplane suffered an engine failure. It banked left, lost height and crashed in flames about 40 km north of Palam Airport. All eight occupants were killed.
Probable cause:
In-flight failure of the left engine due to the dysfunction of the fuel pump at a critical stage of flight.

Crash of a Douglas C-47A-75-DL in Surat Thani

Date & Time: Mar 15, 1978
Type of aircraft:
Douglas C-47 Skytrain (DC-3)
Operator:
Registration:
L2-48/18
Flight Phase:
Landing (descent or approach)
Flight Type:
Military
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Airport (less than 10 km from airport)
MSN:
19400
YOM:
1944
Location:
Surat Thani
Surat Thani (สุราษฎร์ธานี)
Country:
Thailand
Region:
Asia
Crew on board:
2
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
8
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
En route, the left engine failed. The crew was cleared to divert to Surat Thani Airport for an emergency landing. Upon touchdown, the airplane went out of control, veered off runway and came to rest. All 10 occupants escaped with minor injuries while the aircraft was written off.
Probable cause:
Failure of the left engine in flight for unknown reasons.

Crash of a Douglas C-47 on Mt San Vicente: 5 killed

Date & Time: Feb 21, 1978
Type of aircraft:
Douglas C-47 Skytrain (DC-3)
Operator:
Registration:
FAC-668
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Military
Survivors:
No
Site:
Mountains
Schedule:
Cimitarra – Bucaramanga
Location:
Mt San Vicente (Serranía de Los Cobardes)
Santander
Country:
Colombia
Region:
South America
Crew on board:
5
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
5
Circumstances:
The crew was returning to Bucaramanga-Palonegro Airport after military personnel have been dropped off in Cimitarra for the upcoming elections. En route, the airplane struck the slope of Mt San Vicente located in the Cordillera de los Cobardes (Serranía Los Cobardes). The aircraft was destroyed upon impact and all five occupants were killed.
Crew:
Cpt José Francisco López Rodriguez, pilot,
Lt Hernán Bravo Bustamante, copilot,
Fernando Hincapié Gómez, technician,
Euledonio Roa Bautista, technician,
Luis Gerardo Maffia Benavides, technician.

Crash of a Douglas C-47A-75-DL in Artigas: 44 killed

Date & Time: Feb 10, 1978 at 1120 LT
Type of aircraft:
Douglas C-47 Skytrain (DC-3)
Operator:
Registration:
T-511
Flight Phase:
Landing (descent or approach)
Flight Type:
Scheduled Revenue Flight
Survivors:
No
Site:
Airport (less than 10 km from airport)
Schedule:
Artigas - Montevideo
MSN:
19301
YOM:
1943
Flight number:
Uruguay 511
Location:
Artigas
Artigas
Country:
Uruguay
Region:
South America
Crew on board:
4
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
40
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
44
Circumstances:
After takeoff from Artigas, while on a flight to Montevideo with 40 civilian passengers on board, the pilot contacted ATC and reported engine problems. He was cleared to complete a turn to join the approach path when the airplane stalled and crashed in flames. All 44 occupants were killed. The exact cause of the engine problem remains unknown. The airplane had dual military (T-511) and civil (CX-BJH) registrations.

Crash of a Douglas C-47B-30-DK in Bogotá

Date & Time: Nov 20, 1977
Type of aircraft:
Douglas C-47 Skytrain (DC-3)
Operator:
Registration:
FAC-1127
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Military
Site:
Airport (less than 10 km from airport)
MSN:
16290/33038
YOM:
1945
Location:
Bogotá
Bogotá Capital District
Country:
Colombia
Region:
South America
Crew on board:
0
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
Crashed in unknown circumstances. Crew fate unknown.

Crash of a Douglas C-47-DL near Manidar: 3 killed

Date & Time: Oct 23, 1977
Type of aircraft:
Douglas C-47 Skytrain (DC-3)
Operator:
Registration:
C-FSAW
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Geographical / Geophysical / Scientific
Survivors:
No
Site:
Mountains
MSN:
4644
YOM:
1942
Location:
Manidar
Razavi Khorasan
Country:
Iran
Region:
Asia
Crew on board:
3
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
3
Circumstances:
The crew was engaged in a geo-survey mission, searching for uranium. While cruising in a valley, the crew encountered limited visibility with low clouds when, facing a mountain, the pilot-in-command made a 180 turn. The aircraft struck the mountain and crashed. The airplane was destroyed and all three occupants were killed.

Crash of a Douglas C-47A-85-DL near Villavicencio

Date & Time: Oct 2, 1977
Type of aircraft:
Douglas C-47 Skytrain (DC-3)
Operator:
Jack Lenhardt
Registration:
N98H
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Illegal (smuggling)
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Plain, Valley
MSN:
20061
YOM:
1944
Location:
Villavicencio
Meta
Country:
Colombia
Region:
South America
Crew on board:
2
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
The crew was completing a drug smuggling flight when he was forced down by Colombian Air Force. The aircraft crash landed near Villavicencio. Both pilots were arrested and the airplane was damaged beyond repair.
Probable cause:
Forced down by Colombian Air Force during an illegal flight.

Crash of a Douglas C-47A-25-DK in Santa Elena: 1 killed

Date & Time: Sep 30, 1977
Type of aircraft:
Douglas C-47 Skytrain (DC-3)
Operator:
Registration:
TG-AKA
Flight Phase:
Landing (descent or approach)
Flight Type:
Cargo
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Airport (less than 10 km from airport)
MSN:
13327
YOM:
1944
Location:
Flores-Mundo Maya (Santa Elena)
Petén
Country:
Guatemala
Region:
Central America
Crew on board:
4
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
1
Circumstances:
After touchdown on a gravel runway, the left tire burst. Control was lost and the airplane veered off runway to the left. The left engine struck the ground, causing a propeller blade to detach and to struck the cockpit. The airplane rolled for few meters then came to a halt. Three occupants escaped with minor injuries while the captain was killed after being struck by the propeller blade.

Crash of a Douglas C-47-DL in Narsarsuaq

Date & Time: Sep 21, 1977
Type of aircraft:
Douglas C-47 Skytrain (DC-3)
Operator:
New Jersey Airlines - NJ Airlines
Registration:
N723A
Flight Phase:
Landing (descent or approach)
Flight Type:
Delivery
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Airport (less than 10 km from airport)
MSN:
4395
YOM:
1942
Location:
Narsarsuaq
Kommune Kujalleq
Country:
Greenland
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
2
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
The right main gear failed upon landing. The airplane veered to the left and came to rest. Both occupants were uninjured and the aircraft was not repaired.
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