Belgium | Bureau of Aircraft Accidents Archives

After being shot down by the German Flak, the airplane entered a dive and crashed in a field, bursting into flames. All four crew members were killed.
Crew (320th Squadron):
F/O Gaston F. Mertens,
2nd Lt J. H. Muntinga,
Cpl P. H. Peetoom,
Cpl P. J. E. van Dam.

Probable cause:

Shot down by the German Flak.

Crash of a Douglas C-47A-75-DL near Bastogne: 3 killed

Date & Time: Dec 27, 1944 at 1235 LT

Type of aircraft:

Douglas C-47 Skytrain (DC-3)

Operator:

Registration:

42-100910

Flight Phase:

Flight Type:

Survivors:

Site:

Schedule:

Châteaudun - Châteaudun

MSN:

19373

YOM:

1944

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The crew was returning to Châteaudun after it dropped a glider during a full-scale supply mission to the city of Bastogne. En route, the aircraft was hit by enemy fire and crashed in a field located 5 km from Bastogne. Three crew members were killed.

Probable cause:

Shot down by enemy fire.

Crash of a Douglas C-47A-80-DL near Bastogne

Date & Time: Dec 27, 1944 at 1230 LT

Type of aircraft:

Douglas C-47 Skytrain (DC-3)

Operator:

Registration:

43-15084

Flight Phase:

Flight Type:

Survivors:

Site:

Schedule:

Châteaudun - Châteaudun

MSN:

19550

YOM:

1944

Location:

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Circumstances:

The crew was returning to Châteaudun after it dropped a glider during a full-scale supply mission to the city of Bastogne. En route, the aircraft was hit by enemy fire and the crew attempted an emergency landing in an open field located six km northwest of Bastogne. While the aircraft was damaged beyond repair, all four crew members were unhurt.

Probable cause:

Shot down by enemy fire.

Crash of a Douglas C-47A-75-DL near Bastogne: 4 killed

Date & Time: Dec 27, 1944 at 1230 LT

Type of aircraft:

Douglas C-47 Skytrain (DC-3)

Operator:

Registration:

42-100904

Flight Phase:

Flight Type:

Survivors:

Site:

Schedule:

Châteaudun - Châteaudun

MSN:

19367

YOM:

1943

Location:

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Region:

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Circumstances:

The crew was returning to Châteaudun after it dropped a glider during a full-scale supply mission to the city of Bastogne. En route, the aircraft was shot down by enemy fire and crashed in a field located 5,6 km southwest of Bastogne. A crew member was able to bail out while all four other occupants were killed in the crash.

Probable cause:

Shot down by enemy fire.

Crash of a Douglas C-47A-75-DL near Bastogne

Date & Time: Dec 27, 1944 at 1230 LT

Type of aircraft:

Douglas C-47 Skytrain (DC-3)

Operator:

Registration:

42-100907

Flight Phase:

Flight Type:

Survivors:

Site:

Schedule:

Châteaudun - Châteaudun

MSN:

19370

YOM:

1944

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

The crew was returning to Châteaudun after it dropped a glider during a full-scale supply mission to the city of Bastogne. En route, the aircraft was hit by enemy fire. All five crew members were able to abandon the aircraft and to bail out. The aircraft crashed in a field located 6,5 km southwest of Bastogne and was destroyed.

Probable cause:

Shot down by enemy fire.

Crash of a Douglas C-47A-75-DL near Bastogne: 1 killed

Date & Time: Dec 27, 1944 at 1225 LT

Type of aircraft:

Douglas C-47 Skytrain (DC-3)

Operator:

Registration:

42-100977

Flight Phase:

Flight Type:

Survivors:

Site:

Schedule:

Châteaudun - Châteaudun

MSN:

19440

YOM:

1944

Location:

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Region:

Crew on board:

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Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

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Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

The crew was returning to Châteaudun after it dropped a glider during a full-scale supply mission to the city of Bastogne. En route, the aircraft was shot down by enemy fire and crashed landed in a field located 8 km from Bastogne. A crew member was killed while all three other occupants were unhurt.

Probable cause:

Shot down by enemy fire.

Crash of a Douglas C-47A-75-DL in Hemroulle

Date & Time: Dec 27, 1944

Type of aircraft:

Douglas C-47 Skytrain (DC-3)

Operator:

Registration:

42-100862

Flight Phase:

Flight Type:

Survivors:

Site:

Schedule:

Châteaudun - Châteaudun

MSN:

19325

YOM:

1943

Location:

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Region:

Crew on board:

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Pax on board:

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Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

After it dropped a glider during a full-scale supply mission to the city of Bastogne, the aircraft was shot down by enemy fire and crash landed in a field located in Hemroulle, north of Bastogne. All four crew members escaped unhurt but the aircraft was written off.

Probable cause:

Shot down by enemy fire.

Crash of a Douglas C-47A-75-DL near Bastogne: 3 killed

Date & Time: Dec 27, 1944

Type of aircraft:

Douglas C-47 Skytrain (DC-3)

Operator:

Registration:

42-100916

Flight Phase:

Flight Type:

Survivors:

Site:

Schedule:

Châteaudun - Châteaudun

MSN:

19379

YOM:

1944

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

The crew was returning to Châteaudun after it dropped a glider during a full-scale supply mission to the city of Bastogne. En route, the aircraft was hit by enemy fire and several bullets hit the cockpit, the fire extinguisher and the fuselage as well. A fire erupted and a crew member was able to bail out before the aircraft crashed in a field. All three other occupants were killed.

Probable cause:

Shot down by enemy fire.

Crash of a Douglas C-47A-75-DL in Sibret: 2 killed

Date & Time: Dec 27, 1944

Type of aircraft:

Douglas C-47 Skytrain (DC-3)

Operator:

Registration:

42-100840

Flight Phase:

Flight Type:

Survivors:

Site:

Schedule:

Châteaudun - Châteaudun

MSN:

19303

YOM:

1943

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

The crew was taking part to a full-scale supply mission to the city of Bastogne, towing a glider. Its is believed the aircraft nosed down to 40 degrees after the glider was released, and maybe the right engine was on fire as well. It appears the aircraft was not shot down by enemy fire but this was not proven. Four crew members were able to bail out but one of them was killed as his parachute did not open. The fifth occupant remained in the cabin and was killed in the crash.

Crash of a Douglas C-47A-70-DL near Bastogne: 1 killed

Date & Time: Dec 27, 1944

Type of aircraft:

Douglas C-47 Skytrain (DC-3)

Operator:

Registration:

42-100644

Flight Phase:

Flight Type:

Survivors:

Site:

MSN:

19107

YOM:

1943

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

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Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

The aircraft was taking part to a full-scale mission when flying over Belgium, it was shot down by the German Flak. It crash landed in a field located 10 km southwest of Bastogne and was written off. A crewmen was killed.

Probable cause:

Shot down by the German Flak.