Crash of a Douglas C-47-DL in Silk Hope: 14 killed
Date & Time:
Mar 8, 1973 at 0910 LT
Operator:
Registration:
0-50781
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Fort Bragg - Fort Bragg
MSN:
14953/26398
YOM:
1943
Crew on board:
3
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
11
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
14
Circumstances:
The aircraft was engaged in a training sortie from Fort Bragg-Simmons AAF and was carrying 11 members of the USA Army Parachute Team Golden Knights, two pilots and a crew chief. About an hour after its departure, while cruising in poor weather conditions, the airplane went out of control and crashed in an open field. All 14 occupants were killed.
Probable cause:
It was determined that the accident was caused by the fact that the aircraft was overloaded. Apparently, a heavy metal plating floor had been added in Vietnam but not entered in the log book.
