Crash of a Douglas DC-3-194C near Samarinda

Date & Time: Jan 24, 1942
Type of aircraft:
Douglas DC-3
Operator:
Registration:
PK-AFW
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Cargo
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Plain, Valley
MSN:
1982
YOM:
1937
Location:
Samarinda
East Kalimantan
Country:
Indonesia
Region:
Asia
Crew on board:
3
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
While on a cargo flight, the airplane was attacked over Borneo by the pilot of a Japanese fighter. The crew reduced his altitude and attempted an emergency landing in a pasture. The airplane was damaged beyond repair and all three crew members were rescued.
Probable cause:
Shot down by a Japanese fighter.

Crash of a Douglas DC-3-382 on Mt Potosi: 22 killed

Date & Time: Jan 16, 1942 at 1920 LT
Type of aircraft:
Douglas DC-3
Operator:
Registration:
NC1946
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Scheduled Revenue Flight
Survivors:
No
Site:
Mountains
Schedule:
New York – Saint Louis – Albuquerque – Winslow – Las Vegas – Burbank – Los Angeles
MSN:
3295
YOM:
1941
Flight number:
TW003
Location:
Mt Potosi
Nevada
Country:
United States of America
Region:
North America
Crew on board:
3
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
19
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
22
Captain / Total flying hours:
12024
Captain / Total hours on type:
3500.00
Copilot / Total flying hours:
1330
Copilot / Total hours on type:
650
Circumstances:
The airplane was en route from New York to Los Angeles with several intermediate stops, carrying 19 passengers and a crew of three. About fifteen minutes after take off from Las Vegas-McCarran Airport, while leveling off at night, the airplane impacted the slope of Mt Potosi located 51 km southwest of Las Vegas. The airplane disintegrated on impact and all 22 occupants were killed. At the time of the accident, the aircraft was cruising at an altitude of 7,700 feet while the summit of the mountain is about 8,500 feet. The visibility was limited. Among the victims was the American actress Carole Lombard, aged 33, her mother Elizabeth Peters and her agent.
Crew:
Wayne C. Williams, pilot,
M. A. Gillette, copilot,
Alice Frances Getz, stewardess.
Source & photos:
http://www.lostflights.com/Commercial-Aviation/11642-TWA-TWA-Douglas-DC-3/5007934_mqCvFr
Probable cause:
Upon the basis of the foregoing findings and of the entire record available at this time, investigation board found that the probable cause of the accident was the failure of the captain after departure from Las Vegas to follow the proper course by making use of the navigational facilities available to him.
Contributing factors:
- The use of an erroneous compass course,
- Blackout of most of the beacons in the neighborhood of the accident,
- Failure of the pilot to comply with TWA's directive of July 17, 1941, issued in accordance with a suggestion from the Administrator of Civil Aeronautics requesting pilots to confine their flight movements to the actual on-course signals.
Final Report:

Crash of a Douglas DC-3-277B in Shedden: 20 killed

Date & Time: Oct 30, 1941 at 2210 LT
Type of aircraft:
Douglas DC-3
Operator:
Registration:
NC25663
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Scheduled Revenue Flight
Survivors:
No
Site:
Plain, Valley
Schedule:
La Guardia – Newark – Buffalo – Detroit – South Bend – Chicago
MSN:
2207
YOM:
1940
Flight number:
AA001
Location:
Shedden
Ontario
Country:
Canada
Region:
North America
Crew on board:
4
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
16
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
20
Captain / Total flying hours:
5929
Captain / Total hours on type:
3702.00
Copilot / Total flying hours:
1065
Copilot / Total hours on type:
25
Aircraft flight hours:
11027
Circumstances:
While descending to Detroit, the crew was instructed by ATC to abandon the approach due to poor weather conditions. The crew completed several circuits over Detroit to expect a weather improvement without success. After several minutes, due to fuel shortage, the captain decided to divert to London Airport, Ontario. Suddenly, the airplane entered an uncontrolled descent and crashed at an angle of 70° in an open field. All 20 occupants were killed.
Probable cause:
During its descent the airplane apparently was partially but not completely out of control. There was no fire in or about the airplane prior to impact. No evidence of sabotage was discovered. There was no power plant failure prior to the accident, and the engines were functioning normally at the time the airplane struck the ground. Nothing was found to indicate that there had been any structural failure or failure of the control system of the airplane. As a result of the complete destruction of some portions of the airplane, however, it is impossible to eliminate completely the possibility that such failure occurred. Now, therefore, the Board finds that the evidence presently available and in possession of the Board is not sufficient to permit determination of the probable cause of this accident.

Final Report:

Crash of a Douglas DC-3A-269 in Moorhead: 14 killed

Date & Time: Oct 30, 1941 at 0204 LT
Type of aircraft:
Douglas DC-3
Operator:
Registration:
NC21712
Flight Phase:
Landing (descent or approach)
Flight Type:
Scheduled Revenue Flight
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Airport (less than 10 km from airport)
Schedule:
Chicago – Minneapolis – Fargo – Billings – Butte – Spokane – Seattle
MSN:
2124
YOM:
1939
Flight number:
NW005
Location:
Moorhead
Minnesota
Country:
United States of America
Region:
North America
Crew on board:
3
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
12
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
14
Captain / Total flying hours:
7000
Captain / Total hours on type:
2275.00
Copilot / Total flying hours:
1300
Copilot / Total hours on type:
367
Circumstances:
The airplane departed Minneapolis-Wold Chamberlain on a flight to Seattle with several intermediate stops. Approaching Fargo-Hector Field at night, the crew encountered icing conditions. The airplane became unstable and pitched up and down. The captain increased engine power when the airplane stalled and crashed in a prairie located in Moorhead, bursting into flames. The airplane was destroyed by a post crash fire. A pilot survived while 14 other occupants were killed.
Probable cause:
Upon the basis of the foregoing findings and of the entire record available at this time, investigation team found that the probable cause of the accident was the failure of the aircraft, when the inboard portions of the wings were stalled, to respond to the application of full power in the manner reasonably to be expected in the light of the aeronautical knowledge then available.
Contributing factors:
- Accumulation of ice on the wings and other surfaces of the airplane, increasing the stalling speed and the drag of the airplane on the power required to maintain flight.
- Failure of the captain, due to his having lost confidence in the air-speed mete to realize his close approach to a stalled condition.
- Action of the captain in descending to attempt a landing at Fargo with known icing conditions and critical ceiling conditions, instead of proceeding to an available alternate.
- Failure of the dispatcher to recognize the seriousness of weather conditions in the vicinity of Fargo and to direct the pilot to proceed to his alternate.
Final Report:

Crash of a Douglas DC-3-260 near Sankt Navlya: 2 killed

Date & Time: Oct 10, 1941
Type of aircraft:
Douglas DC-3
Operator:
Registration:
URSS-D
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Charter/Taxi (Non Scheduled Revenue Flight)
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Plain, Valley
Schedule:
Moscow - Bryansk
MSN:
2096
YOM:
1938
Location:
Sankt Navlya
Orel oblast
Country:
Russia
Region:
Asia
Crew on board:
5
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
2
Circumstances:
While on a flight from Moscow to Bryansk on behalf of the army, the airplane crashed in unknown circumstances near Sankt Navlya. It is believed that two crew members were killed and three others became PoW.

Crash of a Douglas DC-3-196A in Mirgorod

Date & Time: Aug 21, 1941 at 2045 LT
Type of aircraft:
Douglas DC-3
Operator:
Registration:
URSS-H
Flight Phase:
Landing (descent or approach)
Flight Type:
Supply
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Airport (less than 10 km from airport)
Schedule:
Moscow - Kharkiv - Kiev
MSN:
2046
YOM:
1938
Location:
Mirgorod
Poltava oblast
Country:
Ukraine
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
4
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
20
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
The airplane departed Moscow at 1335LT on a flight to Kiev with an intermediate stop in Kharkiv, carrying four crew members and 20 passengers, doctors and link officers. At Kharkiv Airport, some equipment were unloaded then the crew continued to Kiev where the airplane landed at 1915LT. Because it was too dangerous to leave an airplane at Kiev for the overnight, the crew was instructed to continue to Mirgorod. Upon arrival, the pilot was unable to locate the runway due to the lack of visibility (night), the absence of ground light and the fact that the left headlight of the airplane failed about 20 minutes prior to landing. At a height of about 10-15 metres, the pilot saw the masts of antennas and made a sharp turn to the left to avoid the collision when the airplane stalled and crash landed. All 24 occupants evacuated safely while the airplane was damaged beyond repair.

Crash of a Douglas DC-3 in Lake Sig: 7 killed

Date & Time: Jul 26, 1941
Type of aircraft:
Douglas DC-3
Operator:
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Military
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Lake, Sea, Ocean, River
Schedule:
Yedrovo - Andreapol
Location:
Lake Sig
Tver oblast
Country:
Russia
Region:
Asia
Crew on board:
2
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
15
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
7
Circumstances:
En route from Yedrovo to Andreapol, the captain reduced his altitude while over the Lake Sig to avoid German fighters. Doing so, the airplane impacted the water surface and crashed. Ten occupants were injured and seven others were killed. The airplane sank and was lost. The wreckage was found many years later.

Crash of a Douglas DC-3-260 near Novgorod

Date & Time: Jul 20, 1941
Type of aircraft:
Douglas DC-3
Operator:
Registration:
URSS-G
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Positioning
Site:
Plain, Valley
MSN:
2097
YOM:
1938
Location:
Novgorod
Novgorod oblast
Country:
Russia
Region:
Asia
Crew on board:
0
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
The airplane was sent to Novgorod to replace URSS-K that was shot down the previous day. In similar circumstances, while approaching Novgorod, the airplane was shot down by enemy fire and crashed. Occupants fate unknown. The flight was performed on behalf of the Grazhdansky Vozdushnyi Flot (GVF).
Probable cause:
Shot down by enemy fire.

Crash of a Douglas DC-3-260 near Novgorod

Date & Time: Jul 19, 1941
Type of aircraft:
Douglas DC-3
Operator:
Registration:
URSS-K
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Scheduled Revenue Flight
Site:
Plain, Valley
MSN:
2098
YOM:
1938
Location:
Novgorod
Novgorod oblast
Country:
Russia
Region:
Asia
Crew on board:
0
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
The airplane was shot down by an enemy fighter and crashed near Novgorod. Occupants fate unknown. The flight was performed on behalf of the Grazhdansky Vozdushnyi Flot (GVF).
Probable cause:
Shot down by enemy fire.

Crash of a Douglas DC-3-227 in Bucharest

Date & Time: Jun 19, 1941
Type of aircraft:
Douglas DC-3
Operator:
Registration:
YR-PAF
Flight Phase:
Takeoff (climb)
Flight Type:
Scheduled Revenue Flight
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Airport (less than 10 km from airport)
Schedule:
Bucharest – Sofia
MSN:
1986
YOM:
1937
Location:
Bucharest
București
Country:
Romania
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
3
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
15
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
Just after liftoff, the airplane stalled and crashed by the runway. All 18 occupants were rescued while the aircraft was wrecked. The cause of the occurrence remains unknown.
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