Crash of a Douglas DC-3 in Jaipur

Date & Time: Feb 18, 1969
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
VT-CJH
Flight Phase:
Survivors:
Yes
MSN:
12477
YOM:
1944
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
4
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
26
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
During the takeoff roll at Jaipur-Sanganeer Airport, the airplane was continuously deviating from the centerline to the left. The captain decided to expedite the rotation. At liftoff, the airplane banked left, causing the left wing to struck the ground. The aircraft then crashed and came to rest in the grassy area. While all 30 occupants escaped uninjured, the aircraft was considered as damaged beyond repair.
Probable cause:
It was reported that the aircraft was overloaded. The total weight of the aircraft was above the MTOW and the CofG was out of enveloppe.

Crash of a Douglas DC-3 in Thailand: 55 killed

Date & Time: Jan 6, 1969
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Flight Phase:
Survivors:
No
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
4
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
51
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
55
Circumstances:
Crashed in unknown circumstances in the northeast part of Thailand. None of the 55 occupants survived the crash.

Crash of a Douglas DC-3 near Ensenada: 12 killed

Date & Time: Dec 26, 1968 at 2320 LT
Type of aircraft:
Flight Phase:
Survivors:
No
Site:
Schedule:
Tijuana – Guerrero Negro
Country:
Crew on board:
2
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
10
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
12
Circumstances:
While cruising in limited visibility by night, the airplane crashed on a mountain located 40 km east of Ensenada, killing all 12 occupants.

Crash of a Douglas R4D-3 near Villa del Carbón: 18 killed

Date & Time: Apr 10, 1968
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
XA-GEV
Survivors:
No
Site:
Schedule:
Aguascalientes – Mexico City
MSN:
7339
YOM:
1942
Country:
Crew on board:
4
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
14
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
18
Circumstances:
This was the inaugural flight from Aguascalientes to Mexico City for Aerovias Rojas. While approaching Mexico City-Benito Juarez Airport from the north, the crew failed to realize his altitude was too low when the airplane struck the top of a hill located near Villa del Carbón. The wreckage was found 55 km northwest of Mexico Airport and all 18 occupants were killed.

Crash of a Douglas DC-3 near Ban Napa: 37 killed

Date & Time: Feb 24, 1968
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
XW-TAD
Flight Phase:
Survivors:
No
Site:
Schedule:
Luang Namtha – Sayaboury – Vientiane
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
3
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
34
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
37
Circumstances:
The airplane was completing a flight from Luang Namtha to Vientiane with an intermediate stop in Sayaboury. On the first leg, the airplane went out of control and crashed on the slope of a mountain located in the region of Ban Napa. The wreckage was found few hours later and all 37 occupants were killed, among them several tourists and two French citizens.
Probable cause:
It is believed the loss of control was the consequence of an engine failure.

Crash of a Douglas DC-3 in Zifta: 4 killed

Date & Time: Jan 15, 1968 at 0754 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
SU-AJG
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Site:
Schedule:
Cairo - Beirut
Location:
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
4
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
4
Captain / Total flying hours:
5482
Captain / Total hours on type:
655.00
Copilot / Total flying hours:
3409
Copilot / Total hours on type:
543
Circumstances:
The aircraft was to perform a non-scheduled international cargo flight from Cairo to Beirut. Before departure the operator's chief of the ground operations shift informed the pilot-in-command of the aircraft that bad weather was prevailing both on the route Cairo to Beirut and at Beirut Airport, and that the weather conditions had been confirmed by the crew of another aircraft who had arrived from Beirut at 0200 hours local time. The pilot-in-command then went to the weather office and was again informed that the weather en route was very bad with low and medium altitude clouds, including some cumulonimbus extending from 550 m to 8 500 m, and that moderate to severe icing and turbulence within these clouds were highly probable. He was also informed that a SIGMET had been issued at 0115 hours (see 1.7 below). Back at the operator's ground operations office he obtained once more all necessary weather information, including copies of two SIGMETS issued by Cairo and Beirut respectively and decided to delay his departure until 0700 hours expecting some weather improvement. Although the aircraft had no de-icing equipment, it departed Cairo at 0721 hours and at 0735 hours the crew reported at EL 70 to Cairo Approach. Eight minutes later they reported over Zif ta Beacon at the same flight level and were then instructed by Cairo Approach to contact Area Control. At 0745 hours they contacted and informed Cairo Control that they would return to Cairo due to icing. Shortly thereafter they repeated that message adding that there was some ice accretion on the aircraft. This was the last message from the aircraft. At 1020 hours Cairo ACC received a message that the aircraft had crashed 5 km SE of A1 Mahalla-Al Kobra. All four occupants were killed.
Probable cause:
The accident was due to ice accretion on the lifting surfaces of the aircraft accompanied by moderate to severe turbulence, which resulted in loss of aircraft control by the pilot. When he tried to regain control over the aircraft the lifting surfaces were loaded beyond the approved design limits, which brought about the disintegration of main parts of the aircraft in the air, and its subsequent impact with the ground and the death of all members of the crew. Some of the contributing factors were as follows:
- The load of the aircraft exceeded the approved load by about 500 kg,
- The probable shifting of the cargo and the resulting effect on the aircraft's centre of gravity.
Final Report:

Crash of a Douglas DC-3 in Chiang Mai: 4 killed

Date & Time: Dec 27, 1967 at 1349 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
HS-TDH
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Bangkok – Chiang Mai
MSN:
9189
YOM:
1943
Flight number:
TG002
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
3
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
28
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
4
Circumstances:
On approach to runway 36, the pilot-in-command was hampered by insufficient visibility due to fog and decided to abandon the landing and to make a low pass over the airport. Few minutes later, he was cleared to make an approach to runway 18 and decided to refer to three roads but referred to the wrong road. On final, the airplane was unstable and banked left, causing the left engine to struck the ground. The airplane crashed 200 meters short of runway threshold and came to rest. Four passengers were killed.

Crash of a Douglas DC-3 in Muong Soui: 10 killed

Date & Time: Dec 7, 1967
Type of aircraft:
Registration:
XW-PFM
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
2
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
10
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
10
Circumstances:
While on a cargo flight, the airplane went out of control and crashed inverted by a river bank. Two passengers were injured while 10 other occupants were killed.

Crash of a Douglas DC-3 in Vietnam: 16 killed

Date & Time: Oct 24, 1967
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
B-1541
Flight Phase:
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Phan Rang - Pleiku
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
3
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
13
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
16
Circumstances:
Crashed in unknown circumstances somewhere in Vietnam while completing a flight from Phan Rang to Pleiku. All 16 occupants were killed.