Crash of a Douglas C-47B-40-DK in Trelew: 12 killed

Date & Time: Aug 13, 1958
Operator:
Registration:
T-19
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Trelew – Comodoro Rivadavia
MSN:
16790/33538
YOM:
1945
Location:
Country:
Crew on board:
3
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
9
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
12
Circumstances:
Shortly after a night takeoff from Trelew Airport, while climbing, the pilot-in-command made a steep turn at low height when the airplane struck a hill and crashed. The aircraft was destroyed and all 12 occupants were killed, among them nine civilians flying to an oil center located in Patagonia.

Crash of a Douglas C-47A-75-DL Skytrain in Río Cuarto

Date & Time: Jul 17, 1958
Operator:
Registration:
T-22
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
MSN:
19479
YOM:
1944
Country:
Crew on board:
0
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
An engine failed just after rotation, causing the aircraft to stall and to crash. The occupant's fate remains unknown.
Probable cause:
Engine failure at takeoff.

Crash of a Douglas C-47A-75-DL in Dhaka: 3 killed

Date & Time: Jul 9, 1958 at 1405 LT
Operator:
Registration:
VT-CYM
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Agartala – Dhaka
MSN:
19317
YOM:
1943
Location:
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
3
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
3
Circumstances:
While approaching Dhaka Airport, weather conditions suddenly deteriorated. In thunderstorm activity, the crew lost control of the airplane that crashed few km from the airfield. All three crew members were killed.
Probable cause:
Loss of control due to in-flight structural failure caused by atmospheric turbulences.

Crash of a Douglas C-47A-50-DL near Damroh: 5 killed

Date & Time: Jun 25, 1958 at 1100 LT
Operator:
Registration:
VT-COJ
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Schedule:
Mohanbari – Damroh
MSN:
10051
YOM:
1943
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
3
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
4
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
5
Captain / Total flying hours:
7131
Captain / Total hours on type:
6833.00
Copilot / Total flying hours:
2115
Copilot / Total hours on type:
1797
Aircraft flight hours:
12576
Circumstances:
The aircraft took off from Mohanbari at 0902 hours Indian standard time for a supply dropping sortie to Damroh. It was in contact with Mohanbari at 1028 hours when it was over Pasighat awaiting the weather to clear over Damroh. There was no further contact. At about 1345 hours the Duty Officer, Jorhat Control Tower received a message from Assistant Political Officer, Damroh that the aircraft had crashed at 1100 hours and four crew had been killed. In all there had been 3 flight crew and 4 ejection crew aboard the aircraft. One of the three seriously injured survivors died subsequently. The aircraft was damaged beyond repair.
Probable cause:
While manoeuvring at a low height in mountainous terrain during a supply dropping mission the port wing grazed the side of a hill thus causing the aircraft to slew and crash. A contributory factor might have been the mismanagement of the fuel system which caused temporary loss of engine power and height.
Final Report:

Crash of a Douglas C-47A-85-DL near Molière: 15 killed

Date & Time: May 31, 1958
Operator:
Registration:
F-BHKV
Flight Phase:
Survivors:
No
Site:
Schedule:
Algiers – Colomb-Béchar
MSN:
20001
YOM:
1944
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
3
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
12
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
15
Circumstances:
While on a flight from Algiers to Colomb-Béchar, the airplane struck the slope of a mountain located near Molière (today Bordj Bounaama). The aircraft was totally destroyed and all 15 occupants have been killed.
Crew:
Mr. Yasoni, pilot,
Mr. Vincent, radio operator,
Mr. Brillant, mechanic.

Crash of a Douglas C-47A-25-DK near Andapa: 4 killed

Date & Time: May 30, 1958
Operator:
Registration:
13487/F-SCID
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
MSN:
13487
YOM:
1944
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
4
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
4
Circumstances:
Crashed in unknown circumstances in a wooded area located 32 km northwest of Andapa. The wreckage was found two weeks later, on June 15. All four crew members were killed.

Crash of a Douglas C-47A-25-DL Dakota 3 in Châtenoy: 3 killed

Date & Time: May 16, 1958
Operator:
Registration:
G-AGHP
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
MSN:
9408
YOM:
1943
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
3
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
3
Circumstances:
While cruising at an altitude of 7,500 feet on a cargo flight, the crew contacted ATC and obtained the permission to descent to 5,500 feet due to thunderstorm activity. Shortly later, the airplane went out of control, dove into the ground and crashed in a field located in Châtenoy, about 35 km east of Orléans. The aircraft was totally destroyed upon impact and all three crew members were killed.
Probable cause:
Loss of control following a in-flight structural failure due to turbulences causes by thunderstorm activity.

Crash of a Douglas C-47B-25-DK at RAF Hal Far

Date & Time: May 4, 1958
Operator:
Registration:
44-76412
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Wheelus - Alconbury
MSN:
15996/32744
YOM:
1945
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
0
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
En route from Wheelus AFB (Tripoli) to RAF Alconbury, Cambridgeshire, the airplane suffered a double engine failure, forcing the crew to divert to RAF Krendi for an emergency landing. The airplane belly landed and came to rest on runway. There were no injuries but the aircraft was damaged beyond repair.
Probable cause:
Double engine failure in flight.

Crash of a Douglas SC-47A at McChord AFB: 3 killed

Date & Time: Apr 13, 1958
Operator:
Registration:
42-93183
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
McChord - McChord
MSN:
13066
YOM:
1944
Crew on board:
3
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
3
Circumstances:
Crashed in unknown circumstances at McChord AFB while completing touch-and-go maneuvers. All three crew members were killed, among them T/Sgt Roy Edwin Craft.

Crash of a Douglas C-47A-80-DL on Mt Illiniza: 32 killed

Date & Time: Apr 7, 1958 at 0900 LT
Operator:
Registration:
HC-ACL
Flight Phase:
Survivors:
No
Site:
Schedule:
Guayaquil – Quito
MSN:
19779
YOM:
1944
Flight number:
AR222
Country:
Crew on board:
3
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
29
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
32
Captain / Total flying hours:
7402
Circumstances:
Flight 222 left Guayaquil at 0806 hours on a scheduled non-stop flight to Quito. The aircraft carried 32 persons, including 3 crew members and an infant. It was cleared to climb IFR on the Guayaquil-Esmeraldas track on a heading of 358°, then to continue in visual contact to Quito, after cancellation of the IFR flight. At 0819 the pilot contacted ATC and gave his estimated arrival over Manta radio beacon at 0841. One minute later the pilot reported at 4,000 feet, maintaining this altitude. At 0830 clearance was requested for a further IFR climb and the aircraft was told to wait. At 0836 clearance to climb was again requested and at 0840 clearance was given to climb IFR to 5,000 feet on the Guayaquil-Esmeraldas track. The pilot reported at 0841 as being over Manta beacon at 5,000 feet and estimated arrival at Quito at 0916. Clearance was granted for a climb to above the clouds on the same track. This was the last contact with the aircraft which, presumably, continued to fly in cloud without breaking through on top until it crashed at an altitude of 2,300 metres ( 7,500 feet) in the western mountains of the Chugchilán Range, killing all occupants.
Probable cause:
The probable cause of the accident is that the pilot did not follow the 358° Guayaquii-Esmeraldas track, authorized for instrument flight, until clear of cloud, but probably assumed a heading of 250° as soon as he left Guayaquil, in order to fly the most direct route between Guayaquil and Quito. In so doing while on instruments, he deviated from the Guayaquil-Esmeraldas track at too low an altitude to clear the Chugchilán Range before him with an adequate safety margin.
Final Report: