Crash of a Douglas C-54D-15-DC Skymaster in Yakutat

Date & Time: Dec 30, 1950
Type of aircraft:
Douglas C-54 Skymaster
Operator:
Registration:
43-17213
Flight Phase:
Landing (descent or approach)
Flight Type:
Military
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Airport (less than 10 km from airport)
MSN:
22163
YOM:
1945
Location:
Yakutat
Alaska
Country:
United States of America
Region:
North America
Crew on board:
0
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
Crashed on landing at Yakutat Airport in poor weather conditions. There were no casualties but the aircraft was damaged beyond repair.

Crash of a Douglas C-54E-5-DO Skymaster on Mt Tabeyoc: 38 killed

Date & Time: Dec 19, 1950 at 0730 LT
Type of aircraft:
Douglas C-54 Skymaster
Operator:
Registration:
44-9096
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Military
Survivors:
No
Site:
Mountains
Schedule:
Naha - Clark
MSN:
27322
YOM:
1944
Location:
Mt Tabayoc
Benguet
Country:
Philippines
Region:
Asia
Crew on board:
7
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
31
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
38
Circumstances:
While cruising at an altitude of 8,000 feet in low visibility, the four engine aircraft hit the slope of Mt Tabeyoc (9,322 feet high) located about 150 km north of the Clark AFB. The wreckage was found two days later in an isolated area and all 38 occupants have been killed. At the time of the accident, the visibility was reduced due to clouds in the area and the crew was unable to distinguish the mountain.
Probable cause:
The crew was flying under instruments flight rules when the accident occurred and no mechanical failure was reported on the aircraft. Thus, the accident was considered as a controlled flight into terrain.

Crash of a Douglas C-54D-10-DC Skymaster in Ashiya AFB

Date & Time: Dec 16, 1950
Type of aircraft:
Douglas C-54 Skymaster
Operator:
Registration:
42-72690
Flight Phase:
Landing (descent or approach)
Flight Type:
Military
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Airport (less than 10 km from airport)
MSN:
10795
YOM:
1945
Location:
Ashiya AFB
Kyūshū
Country:
Japan
Region:
Asia
Crew on board:
0
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
Crash landed in poor weather conditions. There were no casualties.

Crash of a Douglas C-54A-DO Skymaster near Bangui: 46 killed

Date & Time: Dec 8, 1950 at 1937 LT
Type of aircraft:
Douglas C-54 Skymaster
Operator:
Registration:
F-BELB
Flight Phase:
Takeoff (climb)
Flight Type:
Scheduled Revenue Flight
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Airport (less than 10 km from airport)
Schedule:
Paris – Bangui – Dar es-Salaam
MSN:
3084
YOM:
1943
Location:
Bangui
Ombella-M'Poko
Country:
Central African Republic
Region:
Africa
Crew on board:
6
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
50
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
46
Circumstances:
Four minutes after its takeoff from Bangui Airport, while climbing by night, the four engine aircraft hit the slope of a hill located about 16 km south of Bangui. Three crew members and seven passengers were seriously injured while 46 other occupants were killed.
Probable cause:
The crew decided to perform the takeoff procedure by night without knowing properly the departure procedures and the topography in the vicinity of the aerodrome. It was reported that the Chief of the Aerodrome informed the pilot prior to departure about the presence of hills in the surroundings. For unknown reason, the pilot continued the initial climb at an insufficient altitude and initiated the first turn prematurely, causing the aircraft to hit the ground. The following factors were considered as contributory:
- lack of familiarity on behalf of the flying crew,
- poor visibility caused by night,
- incomplete flight chart for the Bangui area.
Final Report:

Crash of a Douglas C-54D-10-DC Skymaster in Pyongyang

Date & Time: Nov 19, 1950
Type of aircraft:
Douglas C-54 Skymaster
Operator:
Registration:
42-72662
Flight Phase:
Takeoff (climb)
Flight Type:
Military
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Airport (less than 10 km from airport)
MSN:
10767
YOM:
1945
Location:
Pyongyang
Pyongyang (평양)
Country:
North Korea
Region:
Asia
Crew on board:
0
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
At liftoff, an engine caught fire. The aircraft crashed in flames and was destroyed by a post crash fire. All crew members were slightly injured.
Probable cause:
Engine fire.

Crash of a Douglas C-54B-1-DC Skymaster on Mt Obiou: 58 killed

Date & Time: Nov 13, 1950 at 1800 LT
Type of aircraft:
Douglas C-54 Skymaster
Operator:
Curtiss Reid Flying Services
Registration:
CF-EDN
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Charter/Taxi (Non Scheduled Revenue Flight)
Survivors:
No
Site:
Mountains
Schedule:
Rome – Paris – Shannon – Keflavik – Montreal
MSN:
10518
YOM:
1945
Location:
Mt Obiou
Isère
Country:
France
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
7
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
51
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
58
Circumstances:
The aircraft was completing a charter flight from Rome to Montreal with intermediate stops in Paris, Shannon and Keflavik, carrying a crew of seven and 51 Canadian pilgrims flying back home after a pilgrimage in Rome and having seen the Pope. While cruising by night at an altitude of 6,000 feet between Grenoble and Gap, the four engine airplane hit the east slope of the Mt Obiou (Grande Tête de l'Obiou) culminating in the attitude of 2,789 meters. SAR operations were quickly conducted but several hours were necessary for the rescuers to access the crash site that was difficult to reach. The wreckage was found in a snow covered terrain and all 58 occupants were killed.
Crew:
Orville-Alfred Olmstead, pilot,
Robert-James Henderson, copilot,
Henry-Thomas Warkentin, navigator,
Arthur Bethwell, navigator,
Dennis-Norman Nichols, radio operator,
Roderick-Malcolm McIsaac, purser,
Helen-Marjory Johnston, stewardess.
Probable cause:
It was determined that the aircraft deviated from the prescribed flight path by 80 km too the east at the time of the accident, due to a strong wind blowing from the west. It was reported that the crew apparently realized his wrong position and tried to correct his route but too late to avoid the collision with the ground.

Crash of a Douglas C-54D-10-DC Skymaster near Pyongyang: 3 killed

Date & Time: Nov 9, 1950
Type of aircraft:
Douglas C-54 Skymaster
Operator:
Registration:
42-72742
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Cargo
Survivors:
No
Site:
Airport (less than 10 km from airport)
MSN:
10847
YOM:
1945
Location:
Pyongyang
Pyongyang (평양)
Country:
North Korea
Region:
Asia
Crew on board:
3
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
3
Circumstances:
Crashed in unknown circumstances 4,5 km north of Pyongyang, killing all three crew members.

Crash of a Douglas C-54D-1-DC Skymaster off Ashiya AFB: 23 killed

Date & Time: Sep 26, 1950 at 0425 LT
Type of aircraft:
Douglas C-54 Skymaster
Operator:
Registration:
42-72457
Flight Phase:
Takeoff (climb)
Flight Type:
Military
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Airport (less than 10 km from airport)
Schedule:
Ashiya – Seoul
MSN:
10562
YOM:
1945
Location:
Ashiya AFB
Kyūshū
Country:
Japan
Region:
Asia
Crew on board:
8
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
43
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
23
Circumstances:
Shortly after takeoff from runway 30 at Ashiya AFB, while in initial climb, the four engine aircraft stalled and crashed into the sea some 1,500 meters off shore. Eighteen passengers and five crew members were killed while 28 other occupants were rescued. The exact cause of the occurrence remains unknown. The airplane was on its way to Seoul-Kimpo, carrying 43 soldiers to the Korean War theater.

Crash of a Douglas R5D-3 Skymaster off Roi-Namur: 26 killed

Date & Time: Sep 20, 1950 at 0520 LT
Type of aircraft:
Douglas C-54 Skymaster
Operator:
Registration:
56496
Flight Phase:
Takeoff (climb)
Flight Type:
Military
Survivors:
No
Site:
Airport (less than 10 km from airport)
Schedule:
Honolulu – Roi-Namur – Manille
MSN:
10624
YOM:
1945
Location:
Roi-Namur
All Marshall Islands
Country:
Marshall Islands
Region:
Oceania
Crew on board:
7
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
19
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
26
Circumstances:
Three minutes after its takeoff from runway 04 at Roi-Namur-Dyess Airport, while in initial climb by night, the four engine aircraft stalled and crashed into the sea some 2,5 km off shore. The aircraft sank by few hundred yards and all 26 occupants were killed. Only few debris were found.
Probable cause:
Investigations were unable to determine the exact cause of the accident. Nevertheless, investigators pinpointed the following findings:
- The captain was distracted while the first officer was looking for different radio frequencies,
- Apparent failure of some instruments,
- A sudden power loss on two engines on the same side of the plane, #1 & 2 or # 3 & 4,
- Engagement of the autopilot system by a person not entitled to do so, apparently by a person other than the two pilots,
- A lateral loss of control as a result of the malfunction of flaps that have been deployed in an asymmetric position,
- Technical issue on the primary control system,
- A structural failure that probably occurred on the extremity of both wings and on the tail simultaneously.

Crash of a Douglas C-54B-20-DO Skymaster in Vatnajökull

Date & Time: Sep 14, 1950
Type of aircraft:
Douglas C-54 Skymaster
Operator:
Registration:
TF-RVC
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Cargo
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Mountains
Schedule:
Luxembourg – Reykjavik – New York
MSN:
27240
YOM:
1944
Location:
Vatnajökull
Eastern Region (Austurland)
Country:
Iceland
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
6
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
While flying at an altitude of 6,000 feet, the four engine aircraft christened 'Geysir' hit the northwest slope of the Vatnajökull glacier, in the southeast part of Iceland. As the airplane failed to arrive, SAR operations were conducted but due to poor weather conditions, the wreckage was spotted four days later only . As the crash site was difficult to reach, the first rescuers arrived on site two days later, on September 20. The aircraft was destroyed but all six crew members survived because the cargo turned out to contain expensive furs and Swiss chocolate. The crew was performing a cargo flight from Luxembourg to New York with an intermediate stop in Reykjavik.
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