Zone
Sichuan

Crash of a Douglas C-47B-10-DK near Kunming

Date & Time: Nov 24, 1944 at 1200 LT
Type of aircraft:
Douglas C-47 Skytrain (DC-3)
Operator:
Registration:
106
Flight Phase:
Landing (descent or approach)
Flight Type:
Cargo
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Plain, Valley
Schedule:
Suifu – Kunming
MSN:
14861/26306
YOM:
1944
Location:
Kunming
Yunnan
Country:
China
Region:
Asia
Crew on board:
3
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
While approaching Kunming, the crew was unable to locate the airport because the bearing signals were inaudible. As the weather conditions worsened, the captain decided to turn over the region, awaiting an improvement, but as the fuel reserve was insufficient, the crew decided eventually to bail out and abandoned the aircraft. While the aircraft dove into the ground and crashed in a wooded area, all three crew members were later recovered and evacuated safely.
Probable cause:
It appears the crew did not use the radio receiver properly when he started the approach to Kunming. The Kunming station was transmitting signals to the crew who was unable to localize the airport due a wrong usage of the on board receiving system.

Crash of a Douglas C-47 near Sadiya: 3 killed

Date & Time: Oct 7, 1944 at 1200 LT
Type of aircraft:
Douglas C-47 Skytrain (DC-3)
Operator:
Registration:
101
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Cargo
Survivors:
No
Site:
Plain, Valley
Schedule:
Dinjan – Suifu
MSN:
20803
YOM:
1944
Location:
Sadiya
Assam
Country:
India
Region:
Asia
Crew on board:
3
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
3
Circumstances:
Few minutes after take off from Dinjan Airport, the crew encountered heavy rain falls due to stormy weather. The captain decided to return to Dinjan but lost his orientation due to poor visibility. He reduced his altitude, most probably to maintain a visual contact with the ground when the aircraft hit tree tops and crashed in a dense wooded area located some 30 km west of Sadiya. All three crew members were killed.
Probable cause:
According to investigations, both wings separated in flight and were found few hundred yards from the main wreckage. At the time of the accident, the aircraft was not on the prescribed flight path and encountered severe thunderstorm activity before crashing into a wooded area.

Crash of a Douglas C-47A-50-DL in Suifu: 3 killed

Date & Time: Dec 18, 1943
Type of aircraft:
Douglas C-47 Skytrain (DC-3)
Operator:
Registration:
83
Flight Phase:
Landing (descent or approach)
Flight Type:
Cargo
Survivors:
No
Site:
Mountains
Schedule:
Dinjan - Suifu
MSN:
10159
YOM:
1943
Location:
Suifu
Sichuan
Country:
China
Region:
Asia
Crew on board:
3
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
3
Circumstances:
While approaching Suifu Airport in poor weather conditions, the crew was unable to locate the airport. While flying below minimums, the captain decided to make a go around when the aircraft hit a rocky peak and crashed in a huge explosion less than 50 meters from the top of the mountain. All three occupants were killed.
Probable cause:
According to officials, the accident was not caused by an error on part of the crew but by the fact that the authorities of the Suifu Airport failed to inform the company's operations that the main radio beacon of the airport has been relocated two days prior to the accident. Therefore, the crew continued the approach in reference to a radio beacon's position that was incorrect. Thus, the crew was following a wrong approach pattern. The lack of visibility caused by the poor weather conditions remains a contributory factor.
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