Douglas C-47 Skytrain (DC-3)

Operator:

Registration:

PP-BTU

Flight Phase:

Flight

Flight Type:

Scheduled Revenue Flight

Survivors:

Site:

Plain, Valley

Schedule:

Rio Branco – Porto Velho

MSN:

13790/25235

YOM:

1943

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

En route from Rio Branco to Porto Velho, the pilot lost his sens of orientation and his way to Porto Velho. Eventually, he decided to attempt an emergency landing in an isolated area located 40 km west of Tabajara. All 34 occupants survived the accident and were rescued eight days later. The aircraft was written off. The crash site is about 160 km east of Porto Velho so not on the route from Rio Branco to Porto Velho.

Crash of a Douglas C-47A-65-DL in Yacuiba: 2 killed

Date & Time: Feb 4, 1964

Type of aircraft:

Operator:

Registration:

CP-568

Flight Phase:

Takeoff (climb)

Flight Type:

Scheduled Revenue Flight

Survivors:

Site:

Schedule:

Yacuiba – La Paz

MSN:

19024

YOM:

1943

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

Just after liftoff, while in initial climb, the airplane stalled and crashed near the runway end. Two passengers were killed and 27 other occupants were injured. The aircraft was written off.

Crash of a Douglas C-47A-5-DK in Ankara: 3 killed

Date & Time: Feb 3, 1964 at 2030 LT

Type of aircraft:

Operator:

Registration:

TC-ETI

Flight Phase:

Central Anatolia Region (İç Anadolu Bölgesi)

Flight Type:

Cargo

Survivors:

Site:

Mountains

Schedule:

Istanbul – Ankara

MSN:

12319

YOM:

1944

Location:

Ankara-Esenboğa

Country:

Turkey

Region:

Asia

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

The crew started the approach to Ankara-Esenboğa Airport by night and was cleared to descent from 9,000 to 8,000 feet to the runway 03. In low visibility, the airplane struck a snow covered mountain located 12 km from the runway threshold. The aircraft was destroyed and all three crew members were killed.

Probable cause:

The probable cause was the fact that the aircraft got below the prescribed altitude limits as a consequence of having deviated from the instrument flight rules.

Crash of a Douglas C-47B-5-DK in Zárate: 30 killed

Date & Time: Jan 9, 1964 at 0950 LT

Type of aircraft:

Operator:

Registration:

LV-FYJ

Flight Phase:

Flight Type:

Scheduled Revenue Flight

Survivors:

Site:

Schedule:

Santa Fe – Rosario – Buenos Aires

MSN:

14713/26158

YOM:

1944

Flight number:

143

Location:

Zárate

Buenos Aires province

Country:

Argentina

Region:

South America

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Captain / Total flying hours:

7032

Captain / Total hours on type:

5070.00

Copilot / Total flying hours:

1851

Copilot / Total hours on type:

1330

Aircraft flight hours:

31545

Circumstances:

The flight took off from Rosario at 09:01 for a flight to Buenos Aires, the last leg of a flight from Santa Fe to Buenos Aires. Flight plan altitude was 1200 m. Turbulence, however, forced the crew to climb to 1800 m and later to 2400 m. At 09:43 the pilot reported a localized fire in the cabin and reported that they intended to make an emergency landing at Zárate. The plane didn't make it to Zárate and was seen trying to make an emergency landing in a field, 9 km from Zárate. The plane struck the ground with the undercarriage, left wing and engine and started to disintegrate. A fire erupted, but didn't spread over the entire aircraft. A passenger was seriously injured while 30 other occupants were killed.

Probable cause:

Impact with the ground, for reasons which could not be ascertained, during a precautionary landing. There were fumes or smoke in the cabin and No.2 engine was cut and its propeller was windmilling, due to oil leakage.

Crash of a Douglas C-47 in Quebec

Date & Time: Jan 9, 1964 at 0818 LT

Type of aircraft:

Operator:

Registration:

CF-ILQ

Flight Phase:

Flight Type:

Survivors:

Site:

Schedule:

Moosonee – Waskaganish

MSN:

12377

YOM:

1944

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Captain / Total flying hours:

9500

Captain / Total hours on type:

400.00

Copilot / Total flying hours:

15000

Copilot / Total hours on type:

100

Circumstances:

The aircraft was on a non-scheduled flight from Moosonee to Nemiscan Settlement. The pilot stated that he used the rear fuel tanks for takeoff and cruise and that they contained about 150 gallons of fuel, with about 10-15 gallons in each of the front tanks. The power settings used for the flight were about 28 inches manifold pressure and 2050 rpm with automatic lean mixture. About 50 minutes after takeoff the left engine fuel pressure dropped to zero, and the engine failed. The booster pumps were switched on and the tank selections were changed without effect. At this time the right engine fuel pressure dropped to zero, and the engine failed. Attempts to re-start were unsuccessful and when the aircraft was 200 ft above the ground the pilot realized he could not reach the Rupert River. A forced landing was made into trees about 1000 ft from the river with the undercarriage down. Both pilots were severely injured.
Examination of the wreckage showed that the front fuel tanks were empty and no fuel had apparently been used from either of the rear tanks.

Probable cause:

Engine failure due to fuel exhaustion.

Crash of a Douglas C-47A-70-DL near Songkhla: 12 killed

Date & Time: Dec 27, 1963

Type of aircraft:

Survey / Patrol / Reconnaissance

Operator:

Registration:

B-815

Flight Phase:

Flight

Flight Type:

Survivors:

Site:

Plain, Valley

MSN:

19258

YOM:

1943

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

The aircraft crashed in unknown circumstances 56 km southwest of Songkhla while conducting a mission on behalf of the Royal Thai Police. All 12 occupants were killed.

Crash of a Douglas C-47 in San Antonio de los Baños: 12 killed

Date & Time: Dec 19, 1963 at 0500 LT

Type of aircraft:

Operator:

Flight Phase:

Flight Type:

Military

Survivors:

Site:

Location:

San Antonio de los Baños

Artemisa

Country:

Cuba

Region:

Central America

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

On a night approach to San Antonio de los Baños Airport, the airplane was mistakenly shot down by Cuban soldiers and crashed, killing all 12 occupants, 8 Soviet soldiers and 4 Cuban crew.

Probable cause:

Shot down.

Crash of a Douglas C-47A-25-DK in Addis Ababa

Date & Time: Nov 30, 1963 at 1433 LT

Type of aircraft:

Operator:

Registration:

ET-AAT

Flight Phase:

Takeoff (climb)

Flight Type:

Test

Survivors:

Site:

Addis Ababa City District

Schedule:

Addis Ababa - Addis Ababa

MSN:

13483

YOM:

1944

Location:

Addis Ababa-Lideta

Country:

Ethiopia

Region:

Africa

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Aircraft flight hours:

18245

Circumstances:

The crew was engaged in a local post-maintenance test flight. At liftoff, the airplane banked left, struck the ground and came to rest. All three crew members were uninjured while the aircraft was damaged beyond repair.

Probable cause:

It was determined that the loss of control was the consequence of a poor maintenance check on part of the company technicians who wrongly reconnected the ailerons cables prior to the test flight.

Crash of a Douglas C-47A-90-DL in Morgantown: 1 killed

Date & Time: Nov 29, 1963 at 1110 LT

Type of aircraft:

Operator:

Registration:

N386T

Flight Phase:

Flight Type:

Delivery

Survivors:

Site: