Douglas C-47 Skytrain (DC-3)

The aircraft was involved in a demo flight from Cleveland to Dayton for a potential client, Columbus Aviation. Takeoff was completed in strong winds and just after liftoff, the pilot realized it was not possible to continue in such conditions. To avoid to crash into Erie Lake, he attempted an emergency landing in a wasteland. The right wing struck the ground and the airplane crashed. All five occupants escaped uninjured while the aircraft was damaged beyond repair.

About 2040, October 30, 1959, Piedmont Airlines Flight 349 crashed on Bucks Elbow Mountain located about 13 miles west of the Charlottesville-Albemarle County, Virginia, Airport. The crew of 3 and 23 of 24 passengers were killed; the sole survivor was seriously injured. The aircraft, a DC-3, N55V, was demolished by impact. From the available evidence it is the determination of the Board that this accident occurred during an intended instrument approach. More specifically, it occurred during the inbound portion of the procedure turn which was being flown 6 to 11 miles west of the maneuvering area prescribed by the instrument approach procedure. The Board concludes that the lateral error resulted from a navigational omission which took place when the pilot did not turn left about 20 degrees in conformity to V-140 airway at the Casanova omni range station. Consequently, when the pilots believed the flight was over the Rochelle intersection it was in fact 13 files northwest of tract position. As a result of this position, when the pilot turned left and flew the heading normally flown from Rochelle intersection, the path of the aircraft over the ground was displaced 8 to 11 miles west of the prescribed track. The Board further concludes that the error was undetected because tracking and other instrument approach requirements were not followed precisely. From information regarding the personal background of Captain and expert medical analysis of this information, it is the Board's opinion that preoccupation resulting from mental stress may have been a contributing factor in the accident cause.

The aircraft departed Athens-Ellinikon Airport at 1501LT bound for Tessaloniki. The crew climbed to an altitude of 3,000 feet with a 240° heading and later received the permission to climb to 9,000 feet. While approaching Mt Parnis in good weather conditions, the captain informed ATC about his position. Five minutes later, the airplane disappeared from radar screens and crashed near Avlona. The airplane was totally destroyed upon impact and all 19 occupants were killed.

Crash landed at Maringa Airport. There were no casualties.

Nineteen minutes after it departed Barcelona Airport, while cruising at an altitude of 5,600 feet, the airplane entered clouds and struck the slope of Mt Montseny (1,712 meters high) located about 60 km northeast of Barcelona-El Prat Airport. The airplane was destroyed and all 32 occupants were killed, among them 28 British students and one teacher. At the time of the accident, the airplane deviated about 16 km from the prescribed departure route out from Barcelona, probably following a navigation error on part of the crew. The mountain was shrouded in clouds and the visibility was nil when the airplane impacted terrain.

Eleven minutes after he departed Mohanbari-Dibrugarh Airport, the pilot reported his position to ATC. Shortly later, the airplane struck a mountain and crashed near Saku. The aircraft was destroyed upon impact and all six occupants were killed.

Shortly after takeoff from El Palomar AFB, while initial climb, one of the engine caught fire. The crew reduced his altitude and attempted an emergency landing in a wasteland located 4 km east of the airfield. The airplane came to rest and was damaged beyond repair while there were no injuries among the occupants.

Due to weather deterioration at Córdoba and poor visibility due to fog, the crew was diverted to Santiago del Estero. En route, the pilot informed ATC that he was low of fuel and was forced to attempt an emergency landing. The aircraft crash landed in a field and came to rest. All ten occupants escaped uninjured.

Shortly after takeoff from Córdoba-Pajas Blancas Airport, the crew encountered an unexpected situation and was forced to make an emergency landing. The airplane crash landed in a field located 6 km northeast of the airport and came to rest. There were no casualties but the aircraft was damaged beyond repair.

Message from Penny Black, daughter of the pilot, Captain Guy Marshall Allphin, who was killed in the accident:
My dad did land the plane. The propeller broke off upon landing. The crew put him in a life boat, pulled it over the door that was laying on the ground of the plane and punctured the life boat. My dad called in their coordinates before he had to put the plane down and all were rescued within about 30 minutes. They were flying into a jiblee storm and it used up more fuel and they actually ran out of gas. The plane had the radio from the Lady Be Good in it. The Lady Be Good was found in the Sahara desert in 1959 it went down during WWII, in 1944. They over shot Tripoli and the crew tried to walk out of the desert. I believe they found the remains of all but one of the crew members. Anyhow, they called The Lady Be Good the jinx plane because they took parts from it placed them in other planes and some of those planes went down. As I mentioned above, the C47 that my dad was flying had the radio from the Lady Be Good.
My sincere thanks to Penny Black for her contribution.