Crash of a Douglas DC-3 in Dahr el-Kadib: 9 killed

Date & Time: Dec 21, 1952
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
YK-AAF
Flight Phase:
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Schedule:
Damascus – Aleppo
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
5
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
10
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
9
Circumstances:
Before departure from Damascus on a regular schedule flight to Aleppo, the crew was informed about the recent disappearance of a Netherlands Navy Catalina over Lebanon. Thus, it was requested to the crew to make a detour over Lebanon to see if it was possible to locate the wreckage. While cruising in poor weather conditions, the Dakota hit the slope of a mountain located in Dahr el-Kadib. Nine occupants were killed while six others were injured.

Crash of a Douglas DC-3C in Vřesovice: 5 killed

Date & Time: Nov 30, 1952 at 1958 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
D-21
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Site:
Schedule:
Prague – Brno
MSN:
19474
YOM:
1944
Region:
Crew on board:
5
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
5
Aircraft flight hours:
4789
Circumstances:
The crew was performing a cargo flight in Czechoslovakia, carrying a load of newspapers on behalf of the national career CSA Czech Airlines. While on a night approach to Brno-Tuřany Airport, the aircraft hit the slope of Mt Bradlo (548 meters high) located in the Chriby Mountain Range, about 2,5 km northwest of Vřesovice. The wreckage was found 35 km east of Tuřany Airport and all five crew members were killed.
Crew:
Větroň Antonín,
Antal Viliam,
Dvořák Jiří,
Gregr František,
Koval Vlastimil.
Probable cause:
Following several errors, the flying crew started the descent prematurely. At the time of the accident, the aircraft was at an insufficient altitude of 550 meters instead of the minimum altitude fixed at 1,800 meters in this area. Low visibility caused by night and marginal weather conditions prevented the crew to see the mountain, which was considered as a contributory factor. The Czech Authorities confirmed that the flight should normally be scheduled by the national career CSA but due to poor weather conditions, the CSA crew refused to fly. Thus, a military crew was engaged for this flight despite his lack of training in such weather conditions.

Crash of a Douglas TS-62 in Skvoritsy: 7 killed

Date & Time: Oct 5, 1952 at 1602 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
CCCP-L1055
Flight Phase:
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Leningrad – Minsk
MSN:
16973/34233
YOM:
1945
Flight number:
SU381
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
4
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
3
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
7
Aircraft flight hours:
4042
Circumstances:
The TS-62 took off from Leningrad-Shosseynaya Airport and its crew received the permission to climb to the altitude of 2,700 meters via the corridor number two. While climbing into clouds, the airplane collided with an Aeroflot Ilyushin II-12 that was approaching the same Airport. Inbound from Minsk, the II-12 was registered CCCP-L1328 and was carrying 19 passengers and a crew of five. Its pilot obtained the permission from ATC to descend to the altitude of 1,200 meters via the same corridor number two. At the altitude of 1,200 meters, both aircraft collided, dove into the ground and crashed in a field located near the village of Skvoritsy, about 23 km southwest of Leningrad-Shosseynaya Airport. Both wreckage were found 1,200 meters from each other and all 31 occupants were killed.
Probable cause:
It was determined that the collision was caused by an error on part of the ATC services. Despite the fact that both aircraft were tracked on radar screens, ATC based at Leningrad-Shosseïnaya Airport failed to take appropriate actions to ensure a minimum safe separation between both airplanes and failed to realize that they were flying in the same corridor in an opposite direction and at the same altitude. Investigations revealed that the collision was the result of successive errors on part of the ATC who failed to ensure an efficient radar surveillance and transmitted to both crews inappropriate instructions that led both aircraft on the same track.

Crash of a Douglas DC-3 near Wadi Halfa: 3 killed

Date & Time: Sep 11, 1952
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
VT-CGB
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Site:
MSN:
9945
YOM:
1943
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
3
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
3
Circumstances:
The crew was performing a positioning flight to Khartoum to meet the Sudanese people who chartered the plane to complete a pilgrim flight from Aden to Djeddah. As the airplane failed to arrive in Khartoum, SAR operations were conducted and the wreckage was found nine days later, on September 20, on the slope of a mountain located about 80 km southeast of Wadi Halfa. The aircraft was destroyed and all three crew members have been killed.
Probable cause:
According to the Sudanese Authorities, the accident was caused by a faulty navigation on part of the crew due to poor communication between the crew and the ATC and a lack of navigation aids in the area.

Crash of a Douglas DC-3 in Tampico: 3 killed

Date & Time: Aug 31, 1952
Type of aircraft:
Registration:
XA-GER
Flight Phase:
Survivors:
Yes
Country:
Crew on board:
3
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
20
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
3
Circumstances:
Just after liftoff, the airplane hit successively a truck and few houses before crashing into flames. Three people on the ground were killed while all 23 occupants survived. It is believed that the crew decided to takeoff from an unsuitable terrain for such aircraft type.

Crash of a Douglas DC-3D into the Malacca Strait: 17 killed

Date & Time: May 9, 1952
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
PK-DPA
Flight Phase:
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Medan – Ipoh – Kuala Lumpur – Jakarta
MSN:
42954
YOM:
1946
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
3
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
14
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
17
Circumstances:
While approaching Ipoh on a flight from Medan, the crew encountered poor weather conditions when control was lost. The aircraft crashed into the Malacca Strait, few km off shore, killing all 17 occupants.

Crash of a Douglas DC-3 near San Felipe: 12 killed

Date & Time: Mar 29, 1952
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
YV-C-AZU
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Caracas – San Felipe
Country:
Crew on board:
3
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
9
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
12
Circumstances:
While approaching San Felipe from the east in a limited visibility, the airplane hit the slope of the Cerro Grande located about 30 km from the San Felipe Airport. All 12 occupants were killed.

Crash of a Douglas DC-3-393 in Uberlândia: 9 killed

Date & Time: Feb 28, 1952
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
PP-PCN
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Goiânia – Uberlândia – Rio de Janeiro
MSN:
3284
YOM:
1941
Flight number:
PB389
Country:
Crew on board:
4
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
27
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
9
Circumstances:
On final approach to Uberlândia Airport, the airplane was too low and hit trees with its left wing, stalled and crashed. Six passengers and three crew members were killed while 22 other occupants were injured. The aircraft was destroyed.
Probable cause:
The pilot-in-command decided to continue the approach below the minimum descent altitude, neglecting the published procedures.

Crash of a Douglas DC-3A in Denver: 3 killed

Date & Time: Dec 4, 1951 at 0725 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
N17109
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Denver - Denver
MSN:
4999
YOM:
1942
Flight number:
UA016
Crew on board:
3
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
3
Captain / Total flying hours:
5793
Captain / Total hours on type:
2404.00
Copilot / Total flying hours:
1250
Copilot / Total hours on type:
100
Aircraft flight hours:
15041
Circumstances:
United Air Lines operates a Flight Training Center at Denver, Colorado, to train applicants for first officer positions with the company. The crew of United Trainer 16 consisted of Senior First Officer Jordan D. Kocher, who had been designated by United Air Lines as captain and instructor, and Trainee First Officers Laurence G. Wilson and Wayne C. Moen. The flight departed Stapleton Airfield at 0655LT. The 0628 weather conditions, upon which the crew had been briefed, were ceiling measured 15,000 feet, visibility 25 miles, and wind northwest 14 knots Ceiling and visibility were unlimited at the time of the accident, with the wind northwest 16 knots. No radio contacts were made by United Trainer 16 after reporting departure time. It was cleared for a training flight of four hours’ duration within a 25-mile radius of Denver Captain Kocher occupied the left pilot’s seat at takeoff. Upon departure, the aircraft load, in addition to the crew, was 820 gallons of gasoline, full oil tanks, and 650 pounds of sand ballast tied down in the rear baggage pit. The load was properly distributed with relation to the aircraft’s center of gravity, and the 22,910-pound gross weight at takeoff was within allowable limits. Witnesses reported that at between 0720 and 0725 the aircraft was seen to stall, enter a spin, and strike the ground in a diving attitude before recovery was effected.
Probable cause:
The Board finds that the probable cause of this accident was an inadvertent spin at an altitude too low for recovery. The following findings were pointed out:
- The load was properly distributed within approved center of gravity limits and the aircraft was lightly loaded, carrying only the crew in addition to the fuel, oil and ballast,
- No malfunctioning of the aircraft or its components was reported prior to the accident, and no evidence of malfunctioning or failure was indicated by examination of the wreckage,
- The aircraft stalled at an altitude of approximately 8,200 feet MSL (about 3,200 feet above the ground), entered a spin, and crashed before recovery could be effected,
- Power was being developed by both engines upon impact.
Final Report:

Crash of a Douglas DC-3D in Moisville: 5 killed

Date & Time: Aug 11, 1951 at 0925 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
F-BAXB
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Paris - Paris
MSN:
42971
YOM:
1946
Location:
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
5
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
5
Captain / Total flying hours:
5302
Aircraft flight hours:
5750
Circumstances:
The aircraft took off from Paris-Le Bourget Airport at 0750LT on a flight to test a new type of air scoop. The new scoop was fitted to one engine only to allow comparison tests to be made. Five minutes later, the aircraft reached the altitude of 4,300 feet and four minutes later, at 0759LT, the starboard engine was stopped and the test commenced with a climb on the port engine with cooling gills open. At 0811LT, at an altitude of 6,980 feet, the crew commenced the second phase of the test with the port engine cooling gills in the trail position. Level off was completed at 0822LT at an altitude of 7,900 feet with the cooling gills closed. About an hour later, while flying at a relative low speed, the airplane went out of control and entered a spin, lost its empennage and eventually crashed in a field located in Moisville. The aircraft was destroyed and all five crew members were killed.
Crew:
René Gallichet, pilot,
Louis Pichard, flight engineer,
Jacques Légalité, radio navigator,
Lucien Goulay, engineer,
Paul Martin, engineer.
Probable cause:
Study of the flight conditions and circumstances of the accident to the aircraft revealed no mechanical defect which might have been the initial cause of the accident. The cause would appear to have been an abnormal flight maneuver made when the crew experienced difficulty in resuming normal flight on two engines. Overspeed, reduction of pitch or difficulty in re-starting the engine may have created a dangerous situation and caused the aircraft to stall in dissymmetrical flight, thus subjecting the airframe to stresses accompanied by buffeting which was either alternating or exceeded the design limits of the structure and caused the tail-plane to break off.
Final Report: