Crash of a Douglas C-47A-20-DK near Taksing: 9 killed
Date & Time:
Jan 3, 1960 at 1040 LT
Operator:
Registration:
VT-CGG
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Jorhat - Taksing - Jorhat
MSN:
12821
YOM:
1944
Crew on board:
8
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
1
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
9
Aircraft flight hours:
17868
Circumstances:
The crew left Jorhat on a supply mission to Taksing, Arunachal Pradesh. Following a navigation error, the aircraft went into a narrow valley and the captain, not familiarized with the region, made a turn to leave the area when the airplane stalled and crashed in a mountainous terrain. The aircraft was destroyed and all nine occupants were killed.
Probable cause:
The accident was attributed to an error of navigation which caused the pilot to enter a wrong valley. During an attempt to turn back in a restricted area, the aircraft stalled and crashed. The fact that this was the pilot's first flight to this dropping zone, and he was not familiar with the terrain, contributed to the accident.
