Crash of a Douglas R5D-3 off Midway Island

Date & Time: Sep 10, 1950
Type of aircraft:
Douglas C-54 Skymaster
Operator:
Registration:
87755
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Military
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Lake, Sea, Ocean, River
Schedule:
Tokyo - Barbers Point
Location:
Midway Island
United States Minor Outlying Islands
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:
Ditched due to fuel exhaustion caused by a faulty navigation near Midway Island enroute from Tokyo-Haneda Airport, Japan, to Barbers Point NAS, Hawaii. All crew members were rescued by a Navy ship while the plane sank by gunfire.
Probable cause:
Navigation error on part of the crew.

Crash of a Douglas C-54D-5-DC Skymaster in Osaka: 11 killed

Date & Time: Sep 6, 1950
Type of aircraft:
Douglas C-54 Skymaster
Operator:
Registration:
42-72583
Flight Phase:
Takeoff (climb)
Flight Type:
Military
Survivors:
No
Site:
Airport (less than 10 km from airport)
MSN:
10688
YOM:
1945
Location:
Osaka-Itami
Kansai
Country:
Japan
Region:
Asia
Crew on board:
3
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
8
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
11
Circumstances:
Two minutes after takeoff from Osaka-Itami Airport, while in initial climb, the four engine aircraft went out of control and crashed 7 km from the airport. All 11 occupants were killed, among them three journalists from the American News Agency INS (International News Service). They were en route to South Korea.

Crash of a Douglas C-54D-10-DC Skymaster on the Mt La Pérouse: 6 killed

Date & Time: Jul 29, 1950
Type of aircraft:
Douglas C-54 Skymaster
Operator:
Registration:
42-72700
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Cargo
Survivors:
No
Site:
Mountains
Schedule:
McChord – Elmendorf
MSN:
10805
YOM:
1945
Location:
Mt La Pérouse
Alaska
Country:
United States of America
Region:
North America
Crew on board:
5
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
1
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
6
Circumstances:
While in cruising altitude about 98 miles northwest of Juneau, the four engine aircraft hit the slope of Mt La Pérouse (10,740 feet high). The wreckage was found about 1,000 feet below the summit and all six occupants were killed.
Probable cause:
Controlled flight into terrain.

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

Date & Time: Jul 26, 1950
Type of aircraft:
Douglas C-54 Skymaster
Operator:
Registration:
43-17221
Flight Phase:
Landing (descent or approach)
Flight Type:
Military
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Airport (less than 10 km from airport)
MSN:
22171
YOM:
1945
Location:
Kadena AFB
Okinawa
Country:
Japan
Region:
Asia
Crew on board:
0
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
On landing, went out of control, veered off runway and came to rest in flames. There were no casualties but the aircraft was destroyed by fire.

Crash of a Douglas C-54G-1-DO Skymaster near Pusan: 23 killed

Date & Time: Jul 7, 1950
Type of aircraft:
Douglas C-54 Skymaster
Operator:
Registration:
45-0518
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Military
Survivors:
No
Site:
Mountains
MSN:
35971
YOM:
1945
Location:
Busan
Busan (부산)
Country:
South Korea
Region:
Asia
Crew on board:
5
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
18
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
23
Circumstances:
While cruising at an altitude of 2,000 feet in reduced visibility, the four engine aircraft hit the slope of a mountain located about 64 km northwest of Pusan (Busan). All 23 occupants were killed.

Crash of a Douglas C-54D-5-DC Skymaster in Hartsville

Date & Time: Apr 26, 1950 at 1155 LT
Type of aircraft:
Douglas C-54 Skymaster
Operator:
Registration:
42-72597
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Military
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Plain, Valley
MSN:
10702
YOM:
1945
Location:
Hartsville
South Carolina
Country:
United States of America
Region:
North America
Crew on board:
4
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
An in flight fire forced the crew to attempt an emergency landing. The aircraft belly landed in a field located in Hartsville, slid for several yards and came to rest in flames. All four crew members escaped without injuries while the aircraft was destroyed by fire.

Crash of a Douglas C-54D-10-DC Skymaster on the Mt Hirugatake: 35 killed

Date & Time: Apr 21, 1950 at 2325 LT
Type of aircraft:
Douglas C-54 Skymaster
Operator:
Registration:
42-72704
Flight Phase:
Landing (descent or approach)
Flight Type:
Military
Survivors:
No
Site:
Mountains
Schedule:
Clark – Kadena – Tachikawa
MSN:
10809
YOM:
1945
Location:
Mt Hirugatake
Kantō
Country:
Japan
Region:
Asia
Crew on board:
8
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
27
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
35
Circumstances:
The crew was performing a flight from Clark AFB in Manila to Tachikawa AFB in Tokyo with an intermediate stop in Kadena AFB, Okinawa. On the second leg, while approaching Tachikawa AFB by night, the crew encountered poor weather conditions with low clouds and rain falls. While descending to an altitude of 5,000 feet, the four engine aircraft hit the slope of the Mt Hirugatake (1,279 meters high) located 34 km southwest of the Tachikawa AFB. The aircraft was destroyed by impact forces and all 35 occupants were killed.
Probable cause:
While approaching Tachikawa AFB, the crew reported his position over the O-Shama radio range station at an altitude of 5,000 feet. Probably due to a navigation error, the aircraft was in reality 40 km more south of this position.

Crash of a Douglas C-54E-5-DO Skymaster in Resolute Bay

Date & Time: Apr 13, 1950
Type of aircraft:
Douglas C-54 Skymaster
Operator:
Registration:
44-9066
Flight Phase:
Takeoff (climb)
Flight Type:
Military
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Airport (less than 10 km from airport)
MSN:
27292
YOM:
1945
Location:
Resolute Bay
Nunavut
Country:
Canada
Region:
North America
Crew on board:
0
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
Crashed on takeoff. There were no casualties.

Crash of a Douglas C-54E-10-DO Skymaster near Raynesford: 3 killed

Date & Time: Feb 9, 1950
Type of aircraft:
Douglas C-54 Skymaster
Operator:
Registration:
44-9091
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Military
Survivors:
No
Site:
Plain, Valley
MSN:
27317
YOM:
1945
Location:
Raynesford
Montana
Country:
United States of America
Region:
North America
Crew on board:
3
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
3
Circumstances:
Crashed in unknown circumstances 7 miles northeast of Raynesford, killing all three crew members.

Crash of a Douglas C-54A-10-DC Skymaster in Lod

Date & Time: Feb 5, 1950
Type of aircraft:
Douglas C-54 Skymaster
Operator:
Registration:
4X-ACD
Flight Phase:
Takeoff (climb)
Flight Type:
Scheduled Revenue Flight
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Airport (less than 10 km from airport)
MSN:
10339
YOM:
1944
Location:
Lod (לוֹד)
Central District
Country:
Israel
Region:
Asia
Crew on board:
4
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
46
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
During the takeoff roll, the aircraft skidded, went out of control, veered off runway and came to rest in flames. All 50 occupants were quickly rescued and few of them were slightly injured while the aircraft was destroyed.
Subscribe to Douglas C-54 Skymaster