Crash of a Douglas C-47-DL near Yunnanyi: 3 killed

Date & Time: Aug 2, 1943
Operator:
Registration:
41-38656
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Site:
Schedule:
Kunming – Dibrugarh
MSN:
6039
YOM:
1942
Location:
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
3
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
3
Circumstances:
En route to Dibrugarh-Mohanbary Airbase in Assam, the aircraft crashed in the region of Yunnanyi, killing all three crew members.
Crew:
2nd Lt Julius W. Dunn,
F/O William E. James,
Cpl William B. Malick.
Source:
http://aviation-safety.net/database/record.php?id=19430802-3
Probable cause:
The accident was likely caused by the lack of proper direction finding radio equipment facilities at Yunnanyi.

Crash of a Douglas C-47-DL in the Assam mountains: 4 killed

Date & Time: Jul 13, 1943
Operator:
Registration:
41-18518
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Site:
Schedule:
Dibrugarh – Kunming
MSN:
4610
YOM:
1942
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
3
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
1
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
4
Circumstances:
The aircraft departed Dibrugarh-Mohanbari Airport bound for Kunming. En route, while cruising in the region of Sookerating at 1418LT, the crew contacted ground to obtain a weather briefing for Kunming Airport. This was the last radio transmission. The aircraft crashed in unknown circumstances somewhere between Sookerating and Kunming, most probably in the mountains of the Assam State. No trace was ever found.
Crew (1st TPG):
2nd Lt Howard G. Bushey,
1st Lt Robert D. Coker,
S/Sgt Walter A. Hynes.

Crash of a Curtiss C-46A-5-CU Commando in Kunming

Date & Time: May 30, 1943
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
41-12323
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
MSN:
26450
YOM:
1943
Location:
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
0
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
Crashed on landing. No casualties.

Crash of a Douglas C-53-DO near Pang: 1 killed

Date & Time: Apr 7, 1943
Operator:
Registration:
58
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Schedule:
Dinjan – Kunming
MSN:
7407
YOM:
1942
Location:
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
3
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
1
Circumstances:
One hour into the flight, the crew encountered bad weather and severe icing conditions. While the aircraft continued to lose altitude, pilots realized they were facing a mountain. The captain made a sharp turn to the right when the left wing hit a rocky peak. The aircraft stalled and crashed at an altitude of more than 4,000 metres above MSL. Despite their injuries, both pilots managed to escape and to find help. However, the aircraft was destroyed and the radio navigator was killed.

Crash of a Consolidated B-24D Liberator in Assam: 10 killed

Date & Time: Mar 21, 1943
Operator:
Registration:
42-40069
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Site:
Schedule:
Kunming – Chabua
MSN:
3160
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
10
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
10
Circumstances:
The aircraft christened 'Pregnant Swan' most probably crashed in a mountainous region of Assam while on a flight from Kunming to Chabua. No trace of the aircraft nor the crew was found.
Crew:
Maj Robert W. Fensler, pilot,
Gerald E. Owens, copilot,
S/Sgt Erle H. Thayer, flight engineer,
Phillip G. Huffman,
Louis F. Verhaegen,
S/Sgt Alvin Jack Lenox 4.

Crash of a Douglas C-53 near Fort Hertz: 3 killed

Date & Time: Mar 13, 1943
Operator:
Registration:
49
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Site:
Schedule:
Kunming – Dinjan
MSN:
4853
YOM:
1942
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
3
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
3
Circumstances:
En route from Kunming to Dinjan, while carrying a load of tin bars, the crew encountered poor weather conditions with low visibility due to heavy snow falls and turbulence. The aircraft disappeared and maybe crashed in the region of Fort Hertz. No trace of the wreckage nor the crew was found.

Crash of a Douglas C-53 in Pianma: 3 killed

Date & Time: Mar 11, 1943
Operator:
Registration:
53
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Site:
Schedule:
Kunming – Dinjan
MSN:
4904
YOM:
1942
Location:
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 cargo flight from Kunming to Dinjan with a load of tungsten on board. Due to the presence of Japanese forces along the normal route, the crew decided to divert and to follow another route passing over the Pianma Pass. In low visibility due to snow falls, the captain reduced his altitude to maintain a visual contact with the ground when the aircraft hit tree tops and crashed in a wooded area located near the Pianma Pass, at the border between China and Burma. All three crew were killed. Some debris of the aircraft were found by hikers in October 1996.

Crash of a Douglas C-47-DL near Dali: 3 killed

Date & Time: Nov 17, 1942
Operator:
Registration:
60
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Site:
Schedule:
Kunming – Dinjan
MSN:
4681
YOM:
1942
Location:
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
3
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
3
Circumstances:
A load of ammunition and fuel drums was dropped in Kunming. On the return flight to Dinjan, Assam, the aircraft hit the slope of a mountain and disappeared. SAR operations did not find any trace of the aircraft nor the crew. Eventually, the wreckage was found in 2011 on the slope of a 13,400 feet high mountain located 15 km northwest of Dali.

Crash of a Douglas DC-2-221 in Changyi: 9 killed

Date & Time: Oct 29, 1940
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
39
Flight Phase:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Chongqing – Kunming
MSN:
1568
YOM:
1937
Location:
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
4
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
10
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
9
Circumstances:
En route, the crew spotted a group of Japanese fighters and decided to divert quickly to the small airport of Changyi. After landing, the twin engine aircraft named 'Chungking' was attacked by the Japanese fighters and the left wing caught fire and exploded. The captain, the stewardess and seven passengers were killed while all other occupants were injured.
Probable cause:
Attacked by Japanese fighters.

Crash of a Junkers JU.52/3mte in Kunming: 2 killed

Date & Time: Oct 26, 1940
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
XXV
Flight Phase:
Survivors:
Yes
MSN:
6014
YOM:
1938
Location:
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
2
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
2
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
2
Circumstances:
While on a connection flight within China, the three engine aircraft was shot down by the pilot of a Japanese fighter. The crew attempted an emergency landing when the airplane named 'Heinrich Mathy' crashed near Kunming. Both pilots were killed while both passengers were injured.
Probable cause:
Shot down by a Japanese fighter.