Douglas C-47 Skytrain (DC-3)

Operator:

Registration:

F-OCKT

Flight Phase:

Flight

Flight Type:

Cargo

Survivors:

Site:

Lake, Sea, Ocean, River

Schedule:

Tadjoura - Djibouti City

MSN:

4495

YOM:

1942

Location:

Khor Ambadu

Djibouti City District

Country:

Djibouti

Region:

Africa

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

After its departure from Tadjoura Airport, while cruising at a height of 300 feet, the aircraft struck a flock of birds (cranes). Some propeller blades detached while boths carburettors were blocked. Due to powerplant malfunction, the crew was forced to ditch the airplane some 14 km off Khor Ambadu. The crew of a merchant ship was quickly on the scene and able to rescue all four occupants while the aircraft sank and was lost. It was later reported that the cranes hit by the plane weighed at least six kilos each.

Probable cause:

In-flight collision with a flock of birds (cranes) caused major damages to engines and propellers, necessitating an emergency landing.

Crash of a Douglas R4D-1 in San Salvador

Date & Time: Jul 15, 1969

Type of aircraft:

Operator:

Registration:

FAS101

Flight Phase:

Flight Type:

Military

Survivors:

Site:

Location:

San Salvador-Ilopango

San Salvador

Country:

Salvador

Region:

Central America

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

While flying over the region of El Poy, the airplane was attacked by the pilot of a F4U-4 Corsair of the Honduran Air Force. The crew was able to return to San Salvador-Ilopango Airport but on touchdown, the airplane went out of control and came to rest by the runway. There were no casualties but the airplane was written off.

Probable cause:

Shot down by enemy fire.

Ground accident of a Douglas C-47A-90-DL in Nepalgunj

Date & Time: Jul 12, 1969

Type of aircraft:

Operator:

Registration:

9N-AAO

Flight Type:

Scheduled Revenue Flight

Survivors:

Site:

MSN:

20135

YOM:

1944

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

Suffered a ground accident at Nepalgunj Airport. There were no casualties.

Crash of a Douglas EC-47P in Ubon Ratchathani

Date & Time: Jun 7, 1969

Type of aircraft:

Operator:

Registration:

43-49547

Flight Phase:

Takeoff (climb)

Flight Type:

Military

Survivors:

Ubon Ratchathani (อุบลราชธานี)

Site:

Lake, Sea, Ocean, River

MSN:

15363/26808

YOM:

1944

Location:

Ubon Ratchathani

Country:

Thailand

Region:

Asia

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

Shortly after takeoff from Ubon Ratchathani Airport, while climbing, both engines lost power. The captain elected to ditch the aircraft into the Mun River located about two km south of the airfield. All eight crew members were rescued while the aircraft was destroyed.

Probable cause:

Loss of engine power during initial climb for unknown reason.

Crash of a Douglas C-47A-30-DL in Lashio: 8 killed

Date & Time: May 23, 1969

Type of aircraft:

Operator:

Registration:

XY-ACR

Flight Phase:

Charter/Taxi (Non Scheduled Revenue Flight)

Flight Type:

Survivors:

Site:

MSN:

9629

YOM:

1943

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

On final approach to Lashio Airport, at an altitude of 300 feet, the airplane went out of control and crashed in a field, killing all eight occupants.

Probable cause:

Loss of control caused by an asymmetrical deployment of the flaps during final approach.

Crash of a Douglas C-47A-30-DK at Las Higueras AFB: 11 killed

Date & Time: May 5, 1969

Type of aircraft:

Operator:

Registration:

TC-28

Flight Phase:

Flight Type:

Military

Survivors:

Site:

Las Higueras AFB, Río Cuarto

Schedule:

Buenos Aires – Río Cuarto

MSN:

13783/25228

YOM:

1944

Location:

Córdoba

Country:

Argentina

Region:

South America

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

On final approach to Las Higueras Airbase in Río Cuarto, the airplane crashed in unknown circumstances. All 11 occupants were killed.

Crash of a Douglas C-47A-25-DL in Takoradi: 1 killed

Date & Time: Apr 24, 1969

Type of aircraft:

Operator:

Registration:

9G-AAF

Flight Phase:

Flight Type:

Scheduled Revenue Flight

Survivors:

Site:

Schedule:

Accra - Takoradi

MSN:

9407

YOM:

1943

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

On final approach to Takoradi Airport, both engines stopped simultaneously. The pilot-in-command elected to make an emergency landing when the airplane crash landed few km short of runway threshold. A passenger was killed while few other passengers were wounded, some of them seriously.

Probable cause:

The exact cause of the engine failure remain unclear but the assumption that it was caused by a fuel exhaustion or by a contaminated fuel was not ruled out.

Crash of a Douglas C-47A-25-DK in Phan Thiêt

Date & Time: Apr 24, 1969

Type of aircraft:

Operator:

Registration:

B-251

Flight Phase:

Flight Type:

Scheduled Revenue Flight

Survivors:

Site: