Crash of a Douglas C-49J in San Juan

Date & Time: Mar 1, 1989 at 1614 LT
Type of aircraft:
Douglas C-49 (DC-3)
Operator:
Registration:
N28PR
Flight Phase:
Landing (descent or approach)
Flight Type:
Cargo
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Lake, Sea, Ocean, River
Schedule:
Basseterre - San Juan
MSN:
6323
YOM:
1943
Location:
San Juan-Luis Muñoz Marín (Isla Verde)
All Puerto Rico
Country:
Puerto Rico
Region:
Central America
Crew on board:
2
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Captain / Total flying hours:
24067
Captain / Total hours on type:
6467.00
Aircraft flight hours:
36115
Circumstances:
The crew of an all cargo flight experienced a failure of the left engine while in the traffic pattern at their destination. They raised the landing gear but failed to feather the left propeller and failed to trim the aircraft. The resulting skid and increased drag made further flight impossible. The crew elected to ditch the aircraft in a lagoon about 2 miles southwest of the airport. The aircraft was not recovered from the lagoon and therefore it was not determined why the left engine lost power. Both pilots escaped with minor injuries.
Probable cause:
The failure of the flight crew to feather the left propeller and trim the aircraft after the left engine stopped producing power for undetermined reasons.
Final Report:

Crash of a Douglas C-49J in Port Mayaca: 2 killed

Date & Time: Dec 11, 1978 at 0630 LT
Type of aircraft:
Douglas C-49 (DC-3)
Operator:
Aircraft Sales & Leasing - ASL
Registration:
N133AC
Flight Phase:
Landing (descent or approach)
Flight Type:
Illegal (smuggling)
Survivors:
No
Site:
Plain, Valley
MSN:
6260
YOM:
1942
Location:
Port Mayaca
Florida
Country:
United States of America
Region:
North America
Crew on board:
2
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
2
Captain / Total flying hours:
467
Captain / Total hours on type:
30.00
Circumstances:
While circling to land on a remote area in Port Mayaca, the airplane lost height, struck trees and crashed. The aircraft was destroyed and both pilots were killed. The airplane was carrying a load of 2,2 tons of marijuana.
Probable cause:
Collision with trees and subsequent crash in traffic pattern-circling due to mismanagement of fuel. The following contributing factors were reported:
- Fuel starvation,
- The pilot attempted operation beyond experience/ability level,
- Unqualified person operated aircraft,
- Complete engine failure - two engines,
- Forced landing off airport on land,
- Narcotics contraband flight,
- No fuel present in the right engine fuel system.
Final Report:

Crash of a Douglas C-49J in Tamanrasset

Date & Time: Feb 8, 1978 at 1340 LT
Type of aircraft:
Douglas C-49 (DC-3)
Operator:
Aero Service Corporation - USA
Registration:
N189UM
Flight Phase:
Landing (descent or approach)
Flight Type:
Private
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Airport (less than 10 km from airport)
Schedule:
Oran - Tamanrasset
MSN:
6262
YOM:
1942
Location:
Tamanrasset
Tamanrasset
Country:
Algeria
Region:
Africa
Crew on board:
3
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Aircraft flight hours:
43910
Circumstances:
Landed hard at Tamanrasset-Aguenar Airport and came to rest. All three crew members escaped uninjured while the aircraft was damaged beyond repair.
Probable cause:
Hard landing for unknown reasons.
Final Report:

Crash of a Douglas C-49J-DO in Ipiales

Date & Time: Aug 22, 1975 at 1715 LT
Type of aircraft:
Douglas C-49 (DC-3)
Operator:
Registration:
HK-1517E
Flight Phase:
Takeoff (climb)
Flight Type:
Scheduled Revenue Flight
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Airport (less than 10 km from airport)
Schedule:
Ipiales - Cali
MSN:
4997
YOM:
1942
Location:
Ipiales-San Luis
Nariño
Country:
Colombia
Region:
South America
Crew on board:
3
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
14
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
During the takeoff roll at Ipiales-San Luis Airport in heavy rain falls, control was lost. The airplane veered off runway and came to rest. All 17 occupants escaped with minor injuries and the airplane was damaged beyond repair.

Crash of a Douglas C-49E in Durban: 1 killed

Date & Time: Dec 28, 1973
Type of aircraft:
Douglas C-49 (DC-3)
Operator:
Executive Funds
Registration:
ZS-DAK
Flight Phase:
Landing (descent or approach)
Flight Type:
Charter/Taxi (Non Scheduled Revenue Flight)
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Airport (less than 10 km from airport)
MSN:
1498
YOM:
1936
Location:
Durban
KwaZulu-Natal
Country:
South Africa
Region:
Africa
Crew on board:
3
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
22
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
1
Circumstances:
While descending to Durban Airport on a charter flight, the pilot-in-command completed a turn to join the approach path when the left engine failed, followed shortly later by the right engine. The crew elected to modify the position of the fuel selector but the engines did not respond. The captain attempted an emergency landing when the airplane crash landed on a beach located in Umbogintwini, about 6 km southwest of the airport. A passenger was killed while 24 other occupants were evacuated safely. Nevertheless, some of them were injured. The aircraft was damaged beyond repair.
Probable cause:
Double engine failure on approach caused by a fuel exhaustion.

Crash of a Douglas C-49J near Lone Pine: 35 killed

Date & Time: Feb 18, 1969 at 0510 LT
Type of aircraft:
Douglas C-49 (DC-3)
Operator:
Registration:
N15570
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Charter/Taxi (Non Scheduled Revenue Flight)
Survivors:
No
Site:
Mountains
Schedule:
Hawthorne - Burbank - Long Beach
MSN:
6320
YOM:
1943
Flight number:
HNA708
Location:
Lone Pine
California
Country:
United States of America
Region:
North America
Crew on board:
3
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
32
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
35
Captain / Total flying hours:
16348
Captain / Total hours on type:
6000.00
Copilot / Total flying hours:
3445
Copilot / Total hours on type:
967
Aircraft flight hours:
48274
Circumstances:
While cruising by night under VFR mode, the crew changed his route from 170° to 195° direction Palmdale as they thought flying over the valley. Shortly later, the airplane struck a ridge and crashed down the slope of Mt Whitney (11,770 feet high) located about 12,5 miles west of Lone Pine. SAR operations were quickly conducted but eventually suspended few days later as no trace of the aircraft nor the 35 occupants was found. The wreckage was located in a very hazardous area on August 8, 1969 and was not detectable till this date due to snow accumulation on the ground. The accident was unsurvivable.
Probable cause:
The deviation from the prescribed route of flight, as authorized in the company's FAA-approved operations specifications, resulting in the aircraft being operated under IFR weather conditions, in high mountainous terrain, in an area where there was a lack of radio navigation aids.
Final Report:

Crash of a Douglas C-49K near Coyhaique: 36 killed

Date & Time: Apr 8, 1968
Type of aircraft:
Douglas C-49 (DC-3)
Operator:
Registration:
CC-CBM
Flight Phase:
Landing (descent or approach)
Flight Type:
Scheduled Revenue Flight
Survivors:
No
Site:
Mountains
Schedule:
Santiago – Coihaique
MSN:
6330
YOM:
1942
Flight number:
LCO213
Location:
Coyhaique
Región Aysén del General Carlos Ibáñez del Campo
Country:
Chile
Region:
South America
Crew on board:
3
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
33
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
36
Circumstances:
Following an uneventful flight from Santiago de Chile (flight LCO213), the crew started the descent to Coyhaique-Teniente Vidal Airport when the airplane went out of control, entered a dive and crashed in a mountainous area. The wreckage was found few hours later 24 km northwest of Coyhaique, in an uninhabited area. The aircraft was destroyed and all 36 occupants have been killed.
Probable cause:
The exact cause of the accident could not be determined with certainty. However, it is believed that the airplane encountered severe atmospheric turbulences, causing the right wing to detach in flight.

Crash of a Douglas C-49G-DO on Mt El Rucio: 36 killed

Date & Time: Nov 17, 1956 at 1645 LT
Type of aircraft:
Douglas C-49 (DC-3)
Operator:
Aerolineas del Pacifico - ARPA
Registration:
HK-385
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Scheduled Revenue Flight
Survivors:
No
Site:
Mountains
Schedule:
Buenaventura – Cali
MSN:
1971
YOM:
1937
Location:
Mt El Rucio
Huíla
Country:
Colombia
Region:
South America
Crew on board:
3
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
33
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
36
Circumstances:
The aircraft took off from Buenaventura at 1630LT on a return flight to el Guavito aerodrome, Cali. Expected time of arrival at Cali was 1700 hours. On board the aircraft were the pilot, a steward (who held no licence to act as such), a flight engineer (who on this occasion was acting as copilot), and 33 passengers. When 1700 hours passed with no sign of the aircraft's arriving at Cali, a search was initiated. The wreckage was located the same evening on the side of El Rucio mountain. The aircraft disintegrated on impact and all 36 occupants have been killed.
Probable cause:
The most probable cause of the accident was a flight on instruments at an excessively low altitude for the route. A lack of discipline on the part of the pilot was considered as a contributing factor.
Final Report:

Crash of a Douglas C-49K near Vail: 21 killed

Date & Time: Sep 1, 1953 at 1830 LT
Type of aircraft:
Douglas C-49 (DC-3)
Operator:
Registration:
N19941
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Charter/Taxi (Non Scheduled Revenue Flight)
Survivors:
No
Site:
Mountains
Schedule:
Fort Ord - McChord
MSN:
6333
YOM:
1942
Location:
Vail
Washington
Country:
United States of America
Region:
North America
Crew on board:
2
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
19
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
21
Captain / Total flying hours:
3935
Captain / Total hours on type:
1000.00
Copilot / Total flying hours:
2085
Copilot / Total hours on type:
500
Aircraft flight hours:
8398
Circumstances:
The aircraft was performing a special flight from Fort Ord AFB (Monterey) to McChord AFB, carrying 19 military passengers and two pilots. En route, the crew cancelled the IFR flight plan and continued under VFR in poor weather conditions. At an altitude of 2,600 feet in foggy conditions, the aircraft hit the slope of a mountain, was totally destroyed by impact forces and a post crash fire and all 21 occupants were killed.
Probable cause:
The Board finds that the probable cause of this accident was the pilot’s attempt to continue flight under the provisions of Visual Flight Rules during instrument conditions. The following findings were pointed out:
- All ground radio facilities were functioning normally,
- An instrument flight plan had been cancelled and the flight was proceeding in accordance with visual flight rules,
- The crash occurred during daylight on a fog-covered hillside at an altitude of about 2,600 feet MSL,
- The crash site was on the airway and the direction of impact was near the on-course heading.
Final Report:

Crash of a Douglas C-49K in Mt Spitzkop : 13 killed

Date & Time: May 15, 1948 at 0720 LT
Type of aircraft:
Douglas C-49 (DC-3)
Operator:
Registration:
ZS-BWY
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Scheduled Revenue Flight
Survivors:
No
Site:
Mountains
Schedule:
Durban – Johannesburg – London
MSN:
6341
YOM:
1943
Location:
Vrede
Free State
Country:
South Africa
Region:
Africa
Crew on board:
5
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
8
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
13
Circumstances:
The aircraft left Durban in the early morning on a flight to London via Johannesburg. While cruising in poor weather conditions, the aircraft hit the slope of Mt Spitzkop located 32 km south of Vrede, in the Witkoppens Mountain Range. All 13 occupants were killed. At the time of the accident, the aircraft was off track by eight miles, probably due to navigational error on part of the crew, caused by the lack of visibility due to poor weather conditions.
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