Crash of a Douglas C-47A-30-DK in Calcutta: 5 killed
Date & Time:
Apr 30, 1954 at 0918 LT
Registration:
VT-DEM
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Calcutta – Bālurghāt
MSN:
13792/25237
YOM:
1944
Crew on board:
3
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
8
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
5
Circumstances:
Shortly after takeoff from Calcutta-Dum Dum Airport, while in initial climb, the port engine failed. The aircraft pitched up, stalled and eventually crashed in a coconut grove located about one km from the airfield. All three crew members and two passengers were killed while six other occupants were injured. The aircraft was destroyed.
Probable cause:
It was determined that the probable cause of the accident was as follow:
- Delay in feathering after failure of the port engine (due to inexperience of the pilot in emergency procedures), which resulted in a loss of height,
- the subsequent attempt to establish a climb with a nose-high attitude (to get over the obstructions), below the recommended single-engine rate of climb speed, with both gear and flaps up,
- the progressive loss of airspeed which finally resulted in a stall on a coconut tree. Although there is no doubt that the profuse smoke emanating from the port engine was due to the failure of the engine, it was not possible to determine the primary cause of that failure.
- Delay in feathering after failure of the port engine (due to inexperience of the pilot in emergency procedures), which resulted in a loss of height,
- the subsequent attempt to establish a climb with a nose-high attitude (to get over the obstructions), below the recommended single-engine rate of climb speed, with both gear and flaps up,
- the progressive loss of airspeed which finally resulted in a stall on a coconut tree. Although there is no doubt that the profuse smoke emanating from the port engine was due to the failure of the engine, it was not possible to determine the primary cause of that failure.
Final Report:
