Douglas C-47 Skytrain (DC-3)

The aircraft, engaged on a copilot's check in instrument flying and one engine flying, took off from Mehrabad Airport at 0909LT with a Captain acting as check pilot, four copilots under test and a flight engineer. Difficulties were met in feathering and unfeathering during the first flight and the aircraft returned to the apron for advice. The aircraft took off again at 1048 LT for further checks. At approximately 1129LT and at 6,700 feet the port propeller was feathered. A few minutes later the port propeller overspeeded when the Captain tried to unfeather it and, despite repeated efforts, the crew did not succeed in unfeathering or refeathering it and it continued to windmill at about 2100 RPM. Height could not be maintained and the aircraft crash landed in open country 1,500 meters short of Runway 11 at Mehrabad Airport. The aircraft was wrecked causing serious injuries to three occupants and minor injuries to the other three.

Crashed on landing. No casualties.

En route from Vientiane to Saigon, the airplane crashed in unknown circumstances in the Phou Lassi Mountains. As the airplane failed to arrive in Saigon, SAR operations were conducted but the wreckage was found 13 days later only, in an isolated and remote area located about 30 km northwest of Paksé. The aircraft was destroyed and all 34 occupants have been killed.

While cruising in marginal weather conditions, the aircraft crashed in the San Ramón Mountains. Six occupants were rescued while nine others were killed.

Meteor Air Transport is an irregular carrier, and in this instance was transporting a Pratt and Whitney R-2800 engine and four company employees from Teterboro, New Jersey, to Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, where the engine was to be installed in a company C-46 aircraft. The flight departed Teterboro for St. Louis, Missouri, at approximately 2300, May 23, 1953, on a VFR Flight Plan filed by Captain Harold Carr with an estimated flight time of six and one-half hours. An instrument flight plan filed en route was approved from over Troy, Ohio, intersection via Green Airways 4 to St. Louis, Missouri, cruising at 4,000 feet. The flight proceeded in a routine manner and reported over Terre Haute, Indiana, at 0259, May 24, and at 0324 the following clearance was given to Vandalia radio for delivery to the flight: "ATC clears N 53596 to the Alton intersection to cross Alton at 3,000, Maintain 3,000, no delay expected, contact approach control approaching Alton." At 0357, N 53596 made its initial contact with the St. Louis Tower with the information that it was approaching Alton intersection at 3,000. In reply to an inquiry, N 53596 advised the tower that it carried ILS equipment and was recleared to the ILS Outer Marker 2 to maintain 3,000 with no expected delay and to report when over the Alton intersection. The flight was given the current St. Louis weather: ceiling measured 400 overcast, visibility 3 miles, fog and smoke, altimeter 29.93. It was cleared for an ILS approach to Runway 24 or l2, 3 wind south variable 5, to report leaving 3,000, passing Alton and the Outer Marker. N 53596 reported leaving 3,000 at 0408, passing Alton intersection at 0410 1/2 and inbound over the Outer Marker at 0414. While the controller was watching the approach end of Runway 24 expecting N 53596 to come into view at any moment, a surging of engines was heard; and almost simultaneously a message was received from the flight stating that it was over the field with an engine out. The time as noted by the controller was 0415 at which time all runny and approach lights were turned up to full intensity and the standby emergency alarm sounded. The pilot of the aircraft was advised that the surface winds were calm and to use any runway he could make. Shortly thereafter, the controller for the first and only time observed N 53596 at a position south of the field flying on a southeasterly heading above Natural Bridge Highway which runs parallel to Runway 12. The altitude of the aircraft was estimated at 300 feet and it appeared to be descending with the landing gear in a down position. Upon reaching an altitude of 200 feet, according to the controller, it started a climbing left turn and disappeared in the overcast. Repeated efforts to contact the flight were unsuccessful. It was learned shortly thereafter through the county sheriff's office that the aircraft had crashed adjacent to Brown Road near the McDonnell Aircraft Plant gate number 6. Navy emergency equipment was immediately dispatched to the scene. There was no fire. The occupants of the aircraft were Senior Captain S. J. Rankin, Captain Harold Carr, First Officers Edward J. Raftery and Arthur A. Ravitz, Stewardess Anne Marie Delicata, Superintendent of Maintenance John Swart and Floyd Evans, mechanic. Mr. John Swart was the only survivor.

Shortly after takeoff from runway 09 at New Delhi-Palam Airport, while climbing to a height of about 500 feet, the copilot made a steep turn to the right when the airplane stalled and crashed in a huge explosion in a wasteland located about 2 km southeast of the airfield. The aircraft was destroyed by impact forces and a post crash fire and all 18 occupants were killed.

During the takeoff roll, the crew inadvertently raised the undercarriage before rotation. The aircraft sank on its belly and slid for dozen yards before coming to rest. There were no casualties.

The crew was completing a local training flight at Chicago-O'Hare Airport. On final approach, the airplane went out of control and crashed three miles northwest of the airfield. A crew member was killed while two others were injured.

An unexpected situation was encountered in flight and ten crew members bailed out and abandoned the aircraft that crashed in Chehalis. The eleventh occupant who stayed on board was killed.

The aircraft was performing an ambulance flight from Hanoi-Gia Lâm to Sơn La-Nà Sản Airport, carrying 27 wounded soldiers and a crew of three. Shortly after takeoff from Gia Lâm Airport, while in initial climb, the airplane banked left and crashed in a huge explosion. All 30 occupants were killed.