Crash of a Douglas C-47-DL in Calabozo: 3 killed

Date & Time: Apr 12, 1957 at 0935 LT
Operator:
Registration:
YV-C-AFA
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Calabozo – Bruzual
MSN:
4525
YOM:
1942
Country:
Crew on board:
3
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
3
Circumstances:
Five minutes after takeoff from Calabozo Airport, the airplane went out of control and crashed in flames. It was destroyed upon impact and all three crew members were killed. They were conducting a positioning flight to Bruzual.

Crash of a Douglas C-47A-20-DK on Anchieta Island: 26 killed

Date & Time: Apr 10, 1957 at 1520 LT
Operator:
Registration:
PP-ANX
Flight Phase:
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Schedule:
Rio de Janeiro – São Paulo
MSN:
13048
YOM:
1944
Country:
Crew on board:
4
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
26
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
26
Circumstances:
The aircraft was proceeding from Rio de Janeiro to São Paulo on IFR flight 1800 VD-3 and was near Ubatuba when fire broke out in the starboard engine. Finding it impossible to continue the flight, the pilot turned back to the south, losing altitude, intending to land at Ubatuba. Owing to slight rain, he failed to see Papagaio Peak on Anchieta Island until he was very close to it. When he attempted to pull the nose up to clear the obstruction the aircraft went into a stall and crashed against the mountain at 1520LT and burned. Three crew members and twenty-three passengers were killed. One crew member and three passengers were seriously injured. The aircraft was totally destroyed.
Probable cause:
The cause of the accident was power plant failure for undetermined reasons.

Crash of a Douglas C-47B-5-DK in Biskra: 32 killed

Date & Time: Apr 8, 1957
Operator:
Registration:
F-BEIK
Flight Phase:
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
El Oued – Biskra – Alger – Marseille – Paris
MSN:
14411/25856
YOM:
1944
Location:
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
5
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
27
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
32
Circumstances:
Shortly after takeoff from Biskra Airport, while climbing, the left engine failed. The aircraft stalled and crashed less than one km from the airfield and was destroyed upon impact. All 32 occupants have been killed.
Crew:
Jean-Marie Girardeau-Montaut, pilot,
M. Leclerc, copilot,
M. Vergnolle, radio operator,
M. Lageat, mechanic,
M. Ramel, steward.
Probable cause:
Failure of the left engine during initial climb.

Crash of a Douglas C-47B-35-DK in Canberra: 4 killed

Date & Time: Mar 19, 1957 at 2023 LT
Operator:
Registration:
A65-112
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Canberra - Canberra
MSN:
16555/33303
YOM:
1945
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
4
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
4
Circumstances:
Shortly after takeoff from runway 30 at Canberra Airport, while on a local training mission, the left engine lost power. Due to a technical issue on the regulator, the crew was unable to shot down the engine and to feather the propeller. The pilot-in-command continued to the south and while approaching Mt Pleasant, the airplane went out of control and crashed in flames at Duntroon, west of the airport. The aircraft was destroyed upon impact and all four crew members were killed.
Crew:
Cpt H. N.MacDonald, pilot,
F/Sgt N. H. Charlton, copilot,
Sgt I. A. Makrill, navigator,
Sgt M. C. Coombe, signaler.
Probable cause:
Loss of power on left engine after takeoff.

Crash of a Douglas C-47B-40-DK in Loi-Kaw

Date & Time: Mar 19, 1957
Operator:
Registration:
XY-ADB
Flight Phase:
Survivors:
Yes
MSN:
16769/33517
YOM:
1945
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
4
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
19
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
Just after liftoff, the airplane struck an obstacle, stalled and crashed in flames. All 23 occupants were evacuated while the aircraft was destroyed.

Crash of a Douglas C-47-DL in Seven Islands

Date & Time: Mar 19, 1957
Operator:
Registration:
CF-ILY
Survivors:
Yes
MSN:
4410
YOM:
1942
Country:
Crew on board:
0
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
Crash landed at Seven Islands Airport. There were no injuries but the aircraft was damaged beyond repair.

Crash of a Douglas C-47A-75-DL near Cebu City: 25 killed

Date & Time: Mar 17, 1957 at 0140 LT
Operator:
Registration:
2100925
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Schedule:
Cebu City – Manila
MSN:
19388
YOM:
1944
Location:
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
5
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
21
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
25
Circumstances:
Christened 'Mount Pinatubo', the airplane departed Cebu City past 0130LT bound for the capital city, carrying journalist, members of the government and Ramon Magsaysay, President of the Republic of The Philippines. While climbing by night, the right engine lost power then failed. The crew was unable to maintain a safe altitude when the airplane struck the slope of Mt Manunggal located about 35 km northwest of the Airport. Rescuers arrived on the scene in the early morning and a passenger, a journalist of the 'Philippine Herald' was seriously injured and evacuated while 25 other occupants were killed.
Probable cause:
The accident was the consequence of the failure of the spindle drive shaft on the carburetor that snapped during climb, causing the right engine to fail.

Crash of a Douglas C-47A-25-DK in New Delhi: 5 killed

Date & Time: Mar 13, 1957 at 0915 LT
Operator:
Registration:
VT-CFB
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Site:
Schedule:
New Delhi - New Delhi
MSN:
13626
YOM:
1944
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
2
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
5
Circumstances:
VT-CFB took off from Safdarjung Airport at approximately 0832LT on a training flight. At 0839 it reported as being 20 miles north of Safdarjung Airport and at 5 000 ft. There was no further radiotelephony contact with the aircraft. At approximately 0915 hours it crashed 10 miles north of Safdarjung Airport and was destroyed by impact and fire. Both occupants were killed as were three inmates of a hut in the labour colony where the crash occurred.
Probable cause:
The accident was attributed to loss of control of the aircraft as a result of a spin, inadvertently entered into at a height too low for recovery.
Final Report:

Crash of a Douglas VC-47A near Hakuba: 4 killed

Date & Time: Mar 12, 1957 at 1200 LT
Operator:
Registration:
43-47979
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Site:
Schedule:
Tokyo – Hamamatsu
MSN:
13795/25240
YOM:
1944
Location:
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
4
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
4
Circumstances:
Struck a mountain located near Hakuba while performing a flight from Tokyo-Haneda to Hamamatsu. All four crew members were killed.

Crash of a Douglas C-47-DL near Tuluá: 15 killed

Date & Time: Mar 9, 1957 at 1000 LT
Operator:
Registration:
HK-155
Flight Phase:
Survivors:
No
Site:
Schedule:
Condoto – Buenaventura – Cali
MSN:
4338
YOM:
1942
Country:
Crew on board:
3
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
12
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
15
Circumstances:
HK-155 departed Cali for Condoto at 0827LT. It reported taking-off from Condoto on the return flight at 0950LT and advised that it would fly via Buenaventura. Shortly after take-off, HK-155 changed from Condoto Tower frequency to the Cali aeronautical telecommunications frequency and reported at 0958 that it had departed Condoto at 0950 with a load of 975 kg including 12 passengers and that it was proceeding to Cali via Buenaventura. No record could be found of a later call from the aircraft on any of the frequencies available. The flight from Condoto to Cali would normally take about 50 to 55 minutes. At 1037, Cali called HK-155 but received no reply. The Cali route frequencies log indicates at 1107 that Bogota: ATC had declared an alert with regard to HK-155. The wreckage was found on the slope of a wooded mountain located 32 km west of Tuluá. All 15 occupants were killed.
Probable cause:
It was determined that the probable cause of the accident was an instrument flight at inadequate altitude. The following factors were considered as contributing:
- The Buenaventura route was not followed,
- Instrument flight which precluded visual means of checking the aircraft's position,
- The pilot did not consider it necessary to check his position by means of El Paso radio beacon,
- Over-confidence on the part of the pilot regarding his knowledge of the route,
- Flight outside the established route or airway
- Unfavorable weather conditions.
As the aircraft crashed on the direct route Condoto - Cali and the said route had not been authorized by the Civil Aeronautics Department, it can be logically assumed that the pilot is solely responsible for this accident since he flew, on instruments, a route which had not been authorized, even for visual flights.
Final Report: