Crash of a Douglas C-47A-10-DK in Surabaya: 14 killed

Date & Time: Dec 29, 1961
Type of aircraft:
Douglas C-47 Skytrain (DC-3)
Operator:
Registration:
PK-GDZ
Flight Phase:
Landing (descent or approach)
Flight Type:
Scheduled Revenue Flight
Survivors:
No
Site:
Mountains
Schedule:
Jakarta – Surabaya
MSN:
12514
YOM:
1944
Location:
Surabaya
West Java
Country:
Indonesia
Region:
Asia
Crew on board:
3
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
11
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
14
Circumstances:
On approach to Surabaya Airport, the airplane struck a mountain, killing all 14 occupants.

Crash of a Douglas C-47A-80-DL on Mt Burangrang: 21 killed

Date & Time: Jan 24, 1961 at 1048 LT
Type of aircraft:
Douglas C-47 Skytrain (DC-3)
Operator:
Registration:
PK-GDI
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Scheduled Revenue Flight
Survivors:
No
Site:
Mountains
Schedule:
Jakarta – Bandung – Yogjakarta – Surabaya
MSN:
19672
YOM:
1944
Flight number:
GA424
Location:
Mt Burangrang
West Java
Country:
Indonesia
Region:
Asia
Crew on board:
5
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
16
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
21
Circumstances:
The aircraft departed Jakarta Airport at 1009LT on a flight to Surabaya with intermediate stop at Bandung and Yogjakarta. The crew continued at 3,500 feet and received the permission to climb to 9,500 feet at 1043LT. At this time, the crew was requested to contact Bandung Tower. Five minutes later, while cruising at an altitude of 5,400 feet, the airplane struck the west slope of Mt Burangrang. The wreckage was found four days later and all 21 occupants were killed.
Probable cause:
The attempt by the pilot to fly over mountainous terrain when unsure of his position and in weather conditions which severely restricted visibility.
Final Report:

Crash of a North American B-25C Mitchell in Jakarta: 4 killed

Date & Time: May 23, 1960
Type of aircraft:
North American B-25 Mitchell
Operator:
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Training
Survivors:
No
Site:
Airport (less than 10 km from airport)
Schedule:
Jakarta - Jakarta
Location:
Jakarta
City District of Jakarta
Country:
Indonesia
Region:
Asia
Crew on board:
4
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
4
Circumstances:
Crashed in unknown circumstances on an airbase located in Jakarta, killing all four crew members who were completing a local training mission.

Crash of a Douglas C-47A-25-DK in Palembang: 1 killed

Date & Time: Dec 24, 1959 at 1200 LT
Type of aircraft:
Douglas C-47 Skytrain (DC-3)
Operator:
Registration:
PK-GDV
Flight Phase:
Landing (descent or approach)
Flight Type:
Cargo
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Airport (less than 10 km from airport)
Schedule:
Palembang – Jakarta
MSN:
13535
YOM:
1944
Flight number:
GA330
Location:
Palembang
South Sumatra
Country:
Indonesia
Region:
Asia
Crew on board:
2
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
1
Circumstances:
About 13 minutes after takeoff from Palembang Airport, the crew reported the failure of the right engine and elected to return for a safe landing. In marginal weather conditions, the captain descended through the clouds with a rate of 300 feet per minute and after passing the last cloud layer, the aircraft banked right and crashed in a swampy area located 5 km short of runway threshold. A pilot was killed while the second crew was injured. The aircraft was destroyed.
Probable cause:
Failure of the right engine, a lack of precaution on the part of the captain and marginal weather. A contributing factor may have been the overloaded condition of the aircraft, however, not to such an extent that it forced the aircraft to descend to a dangerously low altitude.

Crash of a De Havilland DH.114 Heron 1B in Jakarta

Date & Time: Dec 10, 1958
Type of aircraft:
De Havilland DH.114 Heron
Operator:
Registration:
PK-GHP
Flight Type:
Scheduled Revenue Flight
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Airport (less than 10 km from airport)
MSN:
14032
YOM:
1954
Location:
Jakarta
City District of Jakarta
Country:
Indonesia
Region:
Asia
Crew on board:
0
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
Suffered a mishap at Jakarta Airport. There were no injuries.

Crash of a Lockheed L-749A Constellation off Natuna Besar Island: 16 killed

Date & Time: Apr 11, 1955 at 1625 LT
Type of aircraft:
Lockheed L-749 Constellation
Operator:
Registration:
VT-DEP
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Charter/Taxi (Non Scheduled Revenue Flight)
Survivors:
No
Site:
Lake, Sea, Ocean, River
Schedule:
New Delhi – Hong Kong – Jakarta
MSN:
2666
YOM:
1951
Location:
Natuna Besar Island
Riau Islands
Country:
Indonesia
Region:
Asia
Crew on board:
8
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
11
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
16
Circumstances:
The aircraft took off from Hong Kong-Kai Tak Airport bound for Jakarta at 0425 hours Greenwich Mean Time carrying 8 crew members and 11 passengers. The flight was uneventful until approximately five hours after take-off when a muffled explosion was heard in the aircraft while cruising at an altitude of 18,000 feet over the sea. Smoke started entering the cabin through the cold air ducts almost immediately and a localized fire was detected soon after on the starboard wing behind the number three engine nacelle. A rapid descent was commenced for ditching the aircraft and distress signals broadcast. In spite of fire fighting action, during which No. 3 engine was feathered, the fire spread very rapidly and caused hydraulic failure followed by electrical failure. During the final stages of the descent, executed under extremely difficult circumstances, dense smoke entered the cockpit reducing the visibility to almost nil. The aircraft impacted the water with the starboard wing tip, and the nose submerged almost instantaneously. Only three crew members survived the accident. The aircraft was destroyed. All passengers were Chinese and European journalists flying to Jakarta to take part to the Asia-Afro Bandung Conference.
Probable cause:
The cause of this accident was an explosion of a timed infernal machine placed in the starboard wheel well of the aircraft. This explosion resulted in the puncturing of No. 3 fuel tank and an uncontrollable fire. It is believed that the Chinese Premier Zhou Enlai was the target of this act of sabotage. His travel plans had been kept secret and he left China three days later.
Final Report:

Crash of a Lockheed L-749A-79-33 Constellation in Singapore: 33 killed

Date & Time: Mar 13, 1954 at 1434 LT
Type of aircraft:
Lockheed L-749 Constellation
Operator:
Registration:
G-ALAM
Flight Phase:
Landing (descent or approach)
Flight Type:
Scheduled Revenue Flight
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Airport (less than 10 km from airport)
Schedule:
Sydney – Darwin – Jakarta – Singapore – Karachi – Beirut – Rome – London
MSN:
2554
YOM:
1947
Location:
Singapore-Kallang
Singapore
Country:
Singapore
Region:
Asia
Crew on board:
9
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
31
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
33
Circumstances:
Following an uneventful flight from Jakarta, the crew started the descent to Singapore-Kallang in good weather conditions. On final approach to runway 06, the four engine aircraft christened 'Belfast' was too low and hit a sea wall, bounced and landed 80 yards past the runway threshold. On touchdown, the right main gear collapsed, the airplane veered off runway to the right, lost its right wing and came to rest in flames upside down. Seven crew members were injured while 33 other occupants, including all 31 passengers, were killed.
Probable cause:
The cause of the accident, i. e. the touchdown off the runway was attributed to the approach of the aircraft. While certain eye-witnesses describe the approach as normal, it was not normal relative to maintaining a steady glide path and rate of descent. The various rates of descent could be considered to be within normal bounds for a Constellation aircraft, but their general pattern was neither normal nor, having regard to the sea wall hazard, desirable. The extent to which the captain's original decision to land short on such a runway as 06 was an error can only be judged in relation to the wide range of expert pilot opinion as to what is a safe first point of touchdown. The fact that his first point of touchdown came back closer to the threshold markings than he originally intended can probably be attributed to a degree of tiredness of which he may or may not have been aware.
Final Report:

Crash of a Douglas C-47B-30-DK in Padalarang: 19 killed

Date & Time: Feb 10, 1948 at 1625 LT
Type of aircraft:
Douglas C-47 Skytrain (DC-3)
Operator:
Registration:
PK-REA
Flight Phase:
Takeoff (climb)
Flight Type:
Scheduled Revenue Flight
Survivors:
No
Site:
Plain, Valley
Schedule:
Bandung – Jakarta – Banjoemans – Semarang
MSN:
16380/33128
YOM:
1945
Flight number:
KL947
Location:
Bandung
West Java
Country:
Indonesia
Region:
Asia
Crew on board:
4
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
15
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
19
Circumstances:
Shortly after takeoff from Bandung-Andir Airport, while climbing in stormy weather, the crew informed ground that an engine failed. While trying to return, the pilot lost control of the aircraft that dove into the ground and crashed in a huge explosion into a wooded ravine located near Padalarang, about 10 km northwest of Bandung Airport. The aircraft disintegrated on impact and all 19 occupants were killed, among them 11 soldiers and four members of a music ensemble.
Probable cause:
Engine failure.

Crash of a Douglas C-47A-25-DK near Gimbat Station

Date & Time: Mar 26, 1947
Type of aircraft:
Douglas C-47 Skytrain (DC-3)
Operator:
Registration:
Q-12
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Military
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Plain, Valley
Schedule:
Sydney – Jakarta
MSN:
13210
YOM:
1944
Location:
Gimbat Station
Northern Territory
Country:
Australia
Region:
Oceania
Crew on board:
6
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
Enroute, the crew encountered poor weather conditions and the twin engine aircraft was hot by lightning. The electric systems failed and radio and navigation failed. In such conditions, the captain decided to attempt an emergency landing. The aircraft belly landed in a uninhabited area and was damaged beyond repair. All six crew members were rescued.
Probable cause:
Hit by lightning.

Crash of a Douglas C-47B-1-DK Dakota IV on Mt Gunung Bongkok : 5 killed

Date & Time: Jan 14, 1946
Type of aircraft:
Douglas C-47 Skytrain (DC-3)
Operator:
Registration:
KJ817
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Military
Survivors:
No
Site:
Mountains
Schedule:
Bandung – Jakarta
MSN:
14156/25601
YOM:
1944
Location:
Mt Gunung Bongkok
West Java
Country:
Indonesia
Region:
Asia
Crew on board:
5
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
5
Circumstances:
Enroute from Bandung to Jakarta, the crew encountered poor weather conditions with cumulonimbus and turbulence. The aircraft entered an area of clouds and encountered heavy turbulence, went out of control, dove into the ground and crashed on the slope of Mt Gunung Bongkok located some 10 km southwest of Purwakarta. The aircraft was destroyed and all five crew members were killed.
Probable cause:
Loss of control caused by heavy turbulence while flying into cumulonimbus.
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