Crash of a Douglas C-47B-23-DK in Sucre: 1 killed

Date & Time: Aug 25, 1969
Type of aircraft:
Douglas C-47 Skytrain (DC-3)
Operator:
Registration:
HC-ALK
Flight Phase:
Takeoff (climb)
Flight Type:
Cargo
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Airport (less than 10 km from airport)
MSN:
15777/27222
YOM:
1945
Location:
Sucre
Santa Elena
Country:
Ecuador
Region:
South America
Crew on board:
4
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
1
Circumstances:
Crashed on takeoff under unknown circumstances. A crew member was killed while three other occupants were injured.

Crash of a Douglas C-47M in the Andes Mountains: 16 killed

Date & Time: Aug 5, 1969
Type of aircraft:
Douglas C-47 Skytrain (DC-3)
Operator:
Registration:
17254
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Military
Survivors:
No
Site:
Mountains
Schedule:
Viña del Mar – Santiago – Buenos Aires
MSN:
14184/25629
YOM:
1944
Location:
Chile
All Chile
Country:
Chile
Region:
South America
Crew on board:
4
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
12
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
16
Circumstances:
The aircraft departed El Belloto Airbase in Viña del Mar, Chile, on a flight to Buenos Aires. The crew made a stop at Santiago-Los Cerrillos Airport to obtain the international clearance before continuing to Argentina. While cruising over the Andes Mountain Range, the aircraft disappeared in unknown circumstances. The last radio contact was established at 1716LT. As the airplane failed to arrive in Buenos Aires, SAR operations were conducted but no trace of the aircraft nor the 16 occupants was ever found.

Crash of a Douglas R4D-6 in Þórshöfn

Date & Time: Jul 25, 1969
Type of aircraft:
Douglas C-47 Skytrain (DC-3)
Operator:
Registration:
150187
Flight Phase:
Takeoff (climb)
Flight Type:
Military
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Airport (less than 10 km from airport)
MSN:
14209/25654
YOM:
1944
Location:
Þórshöfn
Eastern Region (Austurland)
Country:
Iceland
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
0
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
Swerved on runway during takeoff, veered off runway and came to rest. There were no casualties but the aircraft was damaged beyond repair and abandoned on site.

Crash of a Douglas C-47-DL off Khor Ambadu

Date & Time: Jul 23, 1969
Type of aircraft:
Douglas C-47 Skytrain (DC-3)
Operator:
Registration:
F-OCKT
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Cargo
Survivors:
Yes
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:
2
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
2
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
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:
Douglas C-47 Skytrain (DC-3)
Operator:
Registration:
FAS101
Flight Phase:
Landing (descent or approach)
Flight Type:
Military
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Airport (less than 10 km from airport)
Location:
San Salvador-Ilopango
San Salvador
Country:
Salvador
Region:
Central America
Crew on board:
0
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
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:
Douglas C-47 Skytrain (DC-3)
Operator:
Registration:
9N-AAO
Flight Type:
Scheduled Revenue Flight
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Airport (less than 10 km from airport)
MSN:
20135
YOM:
1944
Location:
Nepalgunj
Bheri
Country:
Nepal
Region:
Asia
Crew on board:
0
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
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:
Douglas C-47 Skytrain (DC-3)
Operator:
Registration:
43-49547
Flight Phase:
Takeoff (climb)
Flight Type:
Military
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Lake, Sea, Ocean, River
MSN:
15363/26808
YOM:
1944
Location:
Ubon Ratchathani
Ubon Ratchathani (อุบลราชธานี)
Country:
Thailand
Region:
Asia
Crew on board:
8
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
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:
Douglas C-47 Skytrain (DC-3)
Operator:
Registration:
XY-ACR
Flight Phase:
Landing (descent or approach)
Flight Type:
Charter/Taxi (Non Scheduled Revenue Flight)
Survivors:
No
Site:
Airport (less than 10 km from airport)
MSN:
9629
YOM:
1943
Location:
Lashio
Shan State
Country:
Myanmar
Region:
Asia
Crew on board:
3
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
5
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
8
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:
Douglas C-47 Skytrain (DC-3)
Operator:
Registration:
TC-28
Flight Phase:
Landing (descent or approach)
Flight Type:
Military
Survivors:
No
Site:
Airport (less than 10 km from airport)
Schedule:
Buenos Aires – Río Cuarto
MSN:
13783/25228
YOM:
1944
Location:
Las Higueras AFB, Río Cuarto
Córdoba
Country:
Argentina
Region:
South America
Crew on board:
3
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
8
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
11
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:
Douglas C-47 Skytrain (DC-3)
Operator:
Registration:
9G-AAF
Flight Phase:
Landing (descent or approach)
Flight Type:
Scheduled Revenue Flight
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Airport (less than 10 km from airport)
Schedule:
Accra - Takoradi
MSN:
9407
YOM:
1943
Location:
Takoradi
Western
Country:
Ghana
Region:
Africa
Crew on board:
3
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
30
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
1
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.
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