Douglas C-47 Skytrain (DC-3)

Operator:

Registration:

17105

Flight Phase:

Flight Type:

Survivors:

Site:

Schedule:

Guayaquil - Putamayo River

MSN:

11918

YOM:

1943

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

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Circumstances:

While cruising at an altitude of 14,000 feet, the airplane crashed in flames on the slope of the Antisana Volcano. One of the pilot was killed while all other occupants were injured. The aircraft was totally destroyed by a post crash fire. The crew was completing a flight to the Putamayo River on behalf of the US Government in Ecuador.

Crash of a Douglas C-47 in Larandia: 4 killed

Date & Time: Apr 20, 1964

Type of aircraft:

Operator:

Registration:

FAC-685

Flight Phase:

Takeoff (climb)

Flight Type:

Cargo

Survivors:

Site:

Schedule:

Larandia – Yari

Location:

Country:

Region:

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Circumstances:

Crashed shortly after takeoff from Larandia Airport while on a cargo flight to Yari, Nariño. All four occupants and 21 calves on board were killed.

Crash of a Douglas C-47B-20-DK in Hargeisa: 15 killed

Date & Time: Apr 12, 1964

Type of aircraft:

Operator:

Registration:

VR-AAM

Flight Phase:

Flight Type:

Scheduled Revenue Flight

Survivors:

Site:

Woqooyi Galbeed (وقويي جالبيد‎)

Schedule:

Aden – Hargeisa

MSN:

15530/26975

YOM:

1944

Location:

Hargeisa

Country:

Somalia

Region:

Africa

Crew on board:

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Circumstances:

Crashed in unknown circumstances while approaching Hargeisa Airport on a flight from Aden. All 15 occupants were killed.

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

Date & Time: Apr 7, 1964

Type of aircraft:

Operator:

Registration:

VT-CMD

Flight Phase:

Flight Type:

Cargo

Survivors:

Site:

MSN:

12491

YOM:

1944

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

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Pax on board:

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Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

On final approach to Along Airport, during the last segment, the copilot-in-command failed to realize that his altitude was insufficient. The airplane struck a fence, stalled and crashed in flames short of runway threshold. All seven occupants were rescued while the aircraft was partially destroyed by fire.

Probable cause:

The accident is attributed to the copilot's failure to effect a safe landing. The captain was not authorized to permit a landing by the copilot.

Crash of a Douglas C-47A-25-DK in Calcutta

Date & Time: Apr 2, 1964

Type of aircraft:

Operator:

Registration:

VT-COU

Flight Phase:

Flight Type:

Cargo

Survivors:

Site:

MSN:

13570

YOM:

1944

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

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Circumstances:

On final approach to Calcutta-Dum Dum Airport, the right engine stopped. The copilot-in-command lost control of the airplane that stalled and crashed short of runway threshold. Both occupants were uninjured while the aircraft was damaged beyond repair.

Probable cause:

The accident is attributed to the pilot's action in simulating failure of the starboard engine during the final approach by feathering the propeller without the prior knowledge of the copilot who was handling the aircraft. The copilot was unable to control the aircraft which stalled and crashed. The captain was not authorized to check the capability of the copilot.

Crash of a Douglas C-47A-1-DK in Tenerife: 4 killed

Date & Time: Mar 17, 1964

Type of aircraft:

Operator:

Registration:

T.3-1

Flight Phase:

Flight Type:

Military

Survivors:

Tenerife-Norte-Los Rodeos

Site:

Mountains

Schedule:

El Gouera – Tenerife

MSN:

12164

YOM:

1943

Location:

Canary Islands

Country:

Spain

Region:

Europe

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

The aircraft was completing a flight from El Gouera to Tenerife-Norte-Los Rodeos, carrying 16 civilians and a crew of five. While approaching the airport from the south, the crew encountered poor weather conditions and low visibility when the airplane crashed on a mountain located in La Esperanza, south of the airfield. Four crew members were killed while 17 other occupants were injured.

Crash of a Douglas C-47A-30-DL in Miles City: 5 killed

Date & Time: Mar 12, 1964 at 2050 LT

Type of aircraft:

Operator:

Registration:

N61442

Flight Phase:

Flight Type:

Scheduled Revenue Flight

Survivors:

Site:

Schedule:

Billings – Miles City – Glendive – Sydney

MSN:

9642

YOM:

1943

Flight number:

FL032

Location:

Miles City

Montana

Country:

United States of America

Region:

North America

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

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Total fatalities:

Captain / Total flying hours:

15335

Captain / Total hours on type:

12830.00

Copilot / Total flying hours:

3539

Copilot / Total hours on type:

1355

Aircraft flight hours:

30442

Circumstances:

Frontier Airlines Flight 32 of March 12, 1964, crashed and burned during an instrument approach to the Miles City Airport, Miles City, Montana, about 2050 m.s.t. All five occupants, three crew members and two passengers were killed, and the aircraft was destroyed. Weather conditions last reported to the flight were the operational minima of ceiling 400 feet and visibility one mile. Wet snow, strong gusty winds, and near freezing temperatures prevailed. Investigation revealed neither malfunctioning of any of the aircraft's components nor of any of the pertinent airport navigational facilities including the VOR, which was utilized. All applicable FAA certification was in order.

Probable cause:

The Board determines that the probable cause of this accident was the descent below obstructing terrain, for reasons undeterminable, during an instrument approach in adverse weather conditions.

Final Report:

Crash of a Douglas C-47A-5-DK in Facatativá: 28 killed

Date & Time: Mar 8, 1964 at 1845 LT

Type of aircraft:

Operator:

Registration:

HK-862

Flight Phase:

Flight Type:

Scheduled Revenue Flight

Survivors:

Site:

Plain, Valley

Schedule:

Pereira – Bogotá

MSN:

12374

YOM:

1944

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

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Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

The DC-3 took off from Pereira at 17:24 for a flight to Bogotá, via reporting points El Paso, Girardot and La Esperanza. The aircraft arrived overhear La Esperanza at 18:18 and was instructed to hold there at FL130. The flight was cleared to leave the intersection at 18:33 to the Bogotá VOR. The crew estimated to arrive over the Bogotá VOR at 18:44 and were then instructed to descend to FL120 for an ADF approach to Bogotá Airport, reporting at the Bogotá VOR at FL120 and over the outer marker at 9800 feet. The plane arrived abeam the Bogotá VOR ahead of schedule, at 18:41, and was instructed to maintain FL120 until 18:44. At 18:42 the flight crew reported seeing another aircraft in their vicinity. They thought it to be a DC-4, but was actually a Curtiss C-46 which had been cleared for final approach. The DC-3 crew took evasive action, losing control of the aircraft. The DC-3 crashed near Facatativá.

Probable cause:

The pilot of the aircraft in observing the presence of another aircraft abruptly initiated a right turn which ended in an abnormal 'nose below the horizon' attitude, which he was unable to rectify in time. The following factors were considered as contributing:
- Error of other personnel: The pilot of the other aircraft initiated the instrument descent from 12,000 feet after 2 min 55 sec, when the normal time would have been 1 min 15 or 20 sec, in accordance with the procedures laid down in the Bogotá approach-to-land chart and the Manual of Colombian Air Routes approved by the Administrative Directorate of Civil Aeronautics, thereby creating a risk of collision in the air;
- The pilot of the subject aircraft had been flying on DC-4s and C-46s as well as DC-3s. The psychological reaction of the pilot at a critical moment was certainly affected by habits acquired on DC-4 and C-46 aircraft.
- Possible failure of equipment (faulty distribution of flight instruments in the cockpit): This is a design effect, since the artificial horizon in the subject type of aircraft was hidden behind the pilot's control column, which made it more difficult to control the flight posture of the machine.

Crash of a Douglas C-47A-1-DK in Oslo

Date & Time: Mar 5, 1964

Type of aircraft:

Charter/Taxi (Non Scheduled Revenue Flight)

Operator:

Registration:

LN-PAS

Flight Phase:

Takeoff (climb)

Flight Type:

Survivors:

Site: