Crash of a Douglas DC-3-201C near Darlington: 1 killed

Date & Time: Jul 12, 1945 at 1436 LT
Type of aircraft:
Douglas DC-3
Operator:
Registration:
NC25647
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Scheduled Revenue Flight
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Plain, Valley
Schedule:
Washington DC – Columbia
MSN:
2235
YOM:
1940
Flight number:
EA045
Location:
Darlington
South Carolina
Country:
United States of America
Region:
North America
Crew on board:
4
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
20
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
1
Aircraft flight hours:
21154
Circumstances:
While cruising at an altitude of 3,100 feet, the DC-3 collided with a USAAF Douglas A-26C-35-DT Invader. Registered 44-35553, it was performing a training sortie from Florence with a crew of two on board. Following the collision, the Invader went out of control and crashed in a field located near Darlington, some 12 miles northwest of Florence. Both crew members were killed. On his side, the crew of the DC-3 was able to make an emergency landing and one passenger was killed.
Probable cause:
On the basis of the evidence available at this time the Board determines that the probable cause of this accident was the failure of each pilot to see the other aircraft in time to avoid collision. Contributing factors were the DC3 pilot's deviation from the airway in the proximity of an active USAAF base and his lack of vigilance, and the Army-pilot's continuing a maneuver which restricted his vision in an area not set aside for such maneuvers.
Final Report:

Crash of a Douglas DC-3-228F in Port of Spain

Date & Time: Jun 4, 1945
Type of aircraft:
Douglas DC-3
Operator:
Registration:
NC33611
Flight Phase:
Takeoff (climb)
Flight Type:
Scheduled Revenue Flight
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Airport (less than 10 km from airport)
MSN:
4102
YOM:
1941
Location:
Piarco
All Trinidad and Tobago
Country:
Trinidad and Tobago
Region:
Central America
Crew on board:
3
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
9
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
Crashed on takeoff at Port of Spain-Piarco Airport for unknown reason. The aircraft was damaged beyond repair while all 12 occupants were uninjured.

Crash of a Douglas DC-3A near Ipiabas

Date & Time: Jun 3, 1945
Type of aircraft:
Douglas DC-3
Operator:
Registration:
YS-22
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Cargo
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Plain, Valley
MSN:
11724
YOM:
1943
Location:
Ipiabas
Rio de Janeiro
Country:
Brazil
Region:
South America
Crew on board:
4
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
The aircraft suffered an in-flight fire, forcing the crew to reduce his altitude and to attempt an emergency landing. The aircraft crash landed near Ipiabas and came to rest in flames. All four crew members were able to escape while the aircraft was destroyed by fire.

Crash of a Douglas DC-3-313A near Morgantown: 20 killed

Date & Time: Apr 14, 1945 at 1658 LT
Type of aircraft:
Douglas DC-3
Operator:
Registration:
NC25692
Flight Phase:
Landing (descent or approach)
Flight Type:
Scheduled Revenue Flight
Survivors:
No
Site:
Mountains
Schedule:
Pittsburgh - Morgantown
MSN:
2262
YOM:
1940
Flight number:
PCA142
Location:
Morgantown
West Virginia
Country:
United States of America
Region:
North America
Crew on board:
3
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
17
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
20
Captain / Total flying hours:
9481
Captain / Total hours on type:
5914.00
Copilot / Total flying hours:
3832
Copilot / Total hours on type:
769
Aircraft flight hours:
13040
Circumstances:
Enroute, the crew was informed several times about weather conditions at destination with low ceiling at 1,000 feet and low visibility, max one mile. While approaching Morgantown at an altitude of 2,100 feet in clouds, the aircraft hit the west slope of Mt Cheat located 7 miles northeast of Morgantown. The aircraft was destroyed by impact forces and a post crash fire and all 20 occupants were killed.
Crew:
Harold Houston Jones, pilot,
William Thomas Repack, copilot,
Marion Grace Adams, hostess.
Probable cause:
On the basis of the foregoing the Board determines that the probable cause of this accident was the action of the pilot in continuing flight over mountains terrain under instrument conditions at an altitude below the minimum authorized instrument altitude.
Final Report:

Crash of a Douglas DC-3-277 near Rural Retreat: 17 killed

Date & Time: Feb 23, 1945 at 0225 LT
Type of aircraft:
Douglas DC-3
Operator:
Registration:
NC18142
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Scheduled Revenue Flight
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Mountains
Schedule:
New York – Washington DC – Nashville – Los Angeles
MSN:
2138
YOM:
1939
Flight number:
AA009
Location:
Rural Retreat
Virginia
Country:
United States of America
Region:
North America
Crew on board:
3
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
19
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
17
Aircraft flight hours:
17296
Circumstances:
The aircraft left Washington DC Airport at 0011LT bound for Nashville, continued to the southwest at an altitude of 4,000 feet. While cruising in poor weather conditions due to turbulence and rain falls, the aircraft hit tree tops and crashed on the slope of Mt Glade located 5,6 miles southwest of Rural Retreat. Rescue teams arrived on the scene some four hours later. The stewardess and four passengers were seriously injured and evacuated to local hospitals while all 17 other occupants, among them both pilots, were killed.
Crew:
James E. Stroud, pilot, †
Robert E. Brigman, copilot, †
Sarah Worley Padgett, stewardess.
Probable cause:
The Board concludes that the probable cause of the accident was the pilot's failure to properly plan the flight and remain at a sage instrument altitude under existing conditions. A contributing cause of the accident was the company's laxity in dispatching and supervising the flight.
Final Report:

Crash of a Douglas DC-3 Dakota IV on Mt Ben Talaidh: 3 killed

Date & Time: Feb 1, 1945
Type of aircraft:
Douglas DC-3
Operator:
Registration:
KK194
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Military
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Mountains
Schedule:
Montreal – Reykjavik – Prestwick
MSN:
26970/15525
YOM:
1944
Location:
Mt Ben Talaidh (Isle of Mull)
Argyll
Country:
United Kingdom
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
3
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
5
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
3
Circumstances:
While approaching Scotland at an altitude of 2,300 feet in poor weather conditions (low clouds and snow falls), the aircraft hit the slope of Mt Ben Talaidh 200 feet from the summit. The captain and two passengers were killed.
Crew (45th Group):
F/O Frank Bishop, pilot, †
P/O Thomas Brown Milne Alexander, pilot,
W/O Gilbert Nichols, radio operator.
Passengers:
S/Ldr Derek Biden Auchinvole,
S/Ldr Archibald Alderton, †
F/O Herbert Ellis, †
F/Lt B. Miller,
F/Lt John Douglas Lumsden Gammie.
Source:
http://www.peakdistrictaircrashes.co.uk/pages/scotland/scotlandkk194.htm

Crash of a Douglas DC-3 Dakota IV in Comilla

Date & Time: Jan 20, 1945
Type of aircraft:
Douglas DC-3
Operator:
Registration:
KJ948
Flight Phase:
Takeoff (climb)
Flight Type:
Military
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Airport (less than 10 km from airport)
MSN:
26240/14795
YOM:
1944
Location:
Comilla
Chittagong
Country:
Bangladesh
Region:
Asia
Crew on board:
0
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
Shortly after take off from Comilla Airport, while in initial climb, an engine failed. The pilot retracted the gear and attempted an emergency belly landing in a paddy field. While there were no casualties, the aircraft was damaged beyond repair.
Probable cause:
Engine failure.

Crash of a Douglas DC-3 Dakota IV into the North Sea: 3 killed

Date & Time: Jan 19, 1945
Type of aircraft:
Douglas DC-3
Operator:
Registration:
KJ931
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Training
Survivors:
No
Site:
Lake, Sea, Ocean, River
Schedule:
Wymeswold - Wymeswold
MSN:
26102/14657
YOM:
1944
Location:
North Sea
All World
Country:
World
Region:
World
Crew on board:
3
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
3
Circumstances:
The crew departed RAF Wymeswold for a routine training mission. It is believed that the airplane crashed somewhere into the North Sea as no trace of it nor the crew was found.
Crew (108th OTU):
F/Sgt Walter William Pinfold, pilot,
Sgt William Dean, navigator,
Sgt James Lindsay Cameron, wireless operator.

Crash of a Douglas DC-3 Dakota IV near Schwebo: 1 killed

Date & Time: Jan 12, 1945
Type of aircraft:
Douglas DC-3
Operator:
Registration:
KJ857
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Military
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Plain, Valley
MSN:
25796/14351
YOM:
1944
Location:
Schwebo
Sagaing Region
Country:
Myanmar
Region:
Asia
Crew on board:
0
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
1
Circumstances:
En route, the aircraft was attacked by the pilot of a Japanese Nakajima Ki-43. Bullets hit the fuselage and the left engine that caught fire. The captain attempted a wheels up emergency landing in an open field near Schwebo. While the aircraft was damaged beyond repair, a crew member, the wireless operator, was killed.
Probable cause:
Shot down by a Japanese fighter.
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