Crash of a De Havilland DHC-2 Beaver I in Crash Lake

Date & Time: Jun 27, 1950 at 1900 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
CF-OCF
Flight Phase:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Crash Lake - Temagami
MSN:
29
YOM:
1948
Country:
Crew on board:
1
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
3
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
The single engine airplane departed Crash Lake on a short flight to Temagami, carrying three foresters and one pilot. After takeoff, while climbing to a height of 150-250 feet, the engine quit. The pilot attempted an emergency landing when the aircraft impacted large trees and crashed in a wooded area located about 13 km west of Temagami. All four occupants escaped uninjured and were rescued the following day. The aircraft was destroyed.
Probable cause:
Engine failure after takeoff.

Crash of a Douglas C-47A-5-DK Dakota III in Summerside

Date & Time: Apr 29, 1950
Operator:
Registration:
KG317
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
MSN:
12314
YOM:
1944
Country:
Crew on board:
0
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
Crash landed. No casualties.

Crash of a Douglas C-54E-5-DO Skymaster in Resolute Bay

Date & Time: Apr 13, 1950
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
44-9066
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
MSN:
27292
YOM:
1945
Country:
Crew on board:
0
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
Crashed on takeoff. There were no casualties.

Crash of a Douglas C-47B-50-DK near Rockcliffe AFB: 4 killed

Date & Time: Mar 28, 1950
Operator:
Registration:
45-1065
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Rockcliffe – Washington DC
MSN:
17068/34335
YOM:
1945
Country:
Crew on board:
3
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
2
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
4
Circumstances:
Shortly after takeoff from Rockcliffe AFB in Ottawa, while in initial climb, the right engine caught fire. A crew member was able to bail out and was later found alive. Out of control, the aircraft dove into the ground and crashed in flames in a field located in Ramsayville. All four occupants were killed, among them Laurence A. Steinhardt, US Ambassador to Canada.
Probable cause:
Engine fire.

Crash of a Douglas C-47D in Stephenville

Date & Time: Mar 28, 1950
Operator:
Registration:
44-77292
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
MSN:
16876/33624
YOM:
1945
Country:
Crew on board:
7
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
After touchdown, the aircraft went out of control and came to rest, damaged beyond repair. All seven crew members were unhurt.

Crash of a Douglas C-47B-5-DK near Snag

Date & Time: Feb 16, 1950
Operator:
Registration:
KJ936
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Snag - Snag
MSN:
14664/26109
YOM:
1944
Location:
Country:
Crew on board:
6
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
The crew was taking part to a combined exercice with the USAF called 'Sweetbriar' and consisting to drop paratroopers in a deep snow covered region. Just after liftoff from a remote and snow covered terrain located about 8 miles east of Snag, the aircraft stalled, hit trees and eventually crashed in a wooded area located 20 miles from the border with Alaska. All six crew members were unhurt while the aircraft was damaged beyond repair.
Probable cause:
It was reported that the pilot had had minimal training on the Dakota on skis, on a hard-packed snow surface north of Edmonton. At the accident site, the surface was 14 inches of snow on top of slush, and he found that the skis seemed to dig when he lifted the tail during takeoff. He therefore ended up taking off in the three-point attitude, inadvertently allowing the nose to pitch up excessively after liftoff, resulting in a stall and subsequent crash.

Crash of a Convair B-36B-15-CF Peacemaker on Mt Kologet: 5 killed

Date & Time: Feb 14, 1950 at 0254 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
44-92075
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Schedule:
Eielson - Carswell
MSN:
72
Country:
Crew on board:
16
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
5
Circumstances:
The aircraft and its crew were taking part in an air exercise intended to ascertain the feasibility of operations against the Soviet Union in wintertime. Seven hours into the planned 24-hour flight, and over the Northern Pacific Ocean, three of the giant bomber's six engines caught fire owing to carburetor icing in the intense cold and had to be shut down. The three remaining engines were only producing limited power and the plane could not maintain height. The Mark IV atomic bomb being carried was jettisoned at 8,000 feet inside Canadian waters, and its high explosive detonator created a large shock wave that was visible on the surface. A dummy core was inserted in the bomb before it was dropped, so there was no nuclear explosion. To give his crew a chance of survival the captain took the B-36 to Princess Royal Island where the 16 crew members and one observer bailed out. 12 of the 17 survived their ordeal, but the first 4 to jump were never found, and are presumed to have descended into the freezing sea and died. Capt. Schreier's body was recovered from the crash site in the summer of 1954. The aircraft flew on for another 210 miles with Capt. Schreier at the controls before crashing on the side of Mount Kologet, in British Columbia, 6,000 feet above sea level and northwest of Hazelton. The resting place of 44-92075 went unknown until September 1953 when the wreckage was sighted during an unrelated air search.
Crew killed were:
Cpt Theodore F. Schreier, copilot,
Cpt William Phillips, navigator,
1st Lt Holiel Ascol, bombardier,
S/Sgt Neal A. Straley, gunner,
S/Sgt Elbert W. Pollard, gunner.
Source: ASN
Probable cause:
Engine fire and icing.

Crash of a Douglas C-47D near Whitehorse

Date & Time: Feb 7, 1950 at 1245 LT
Operator:
Registration:
45-1037
Flight Phase:
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
MSN:
17040/34306
YOM:
1945
Country:
Crew on board:
5
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
5
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Aircraft flight hours:
3558
Circumstances:
The aircraft and its crew were involved in a SAR mission after a USAF C-54 was missing in the region of Snag, Yukon, since last January 26. En route, the crew encountered poor weather conditions with low clouds and while flying near a mountain slope, the aircraft was caught by downdrafts and crashed on a snowy and rocky ground. All 10 occupants were rescued while the aircraft was damaged beyond repair and abandoned on site.
Photos and more infos on www.dc3dakotahunter.com

Crash of a Douglas C-47B-45-DK near Whitehorse

Date & Time: Jan 30, 1950
Operator:
Registration:
45-1015
Flight Phase:
Survivors:
Yes
MSN:
17018/34282
YOM:
1945
Country:
Crew on board:
6
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
The crew was taking part to a SAR mission after a USAF C-54 was missing since January 26. En route, the pilot was forced to make an emergency landing for unknown reason. The aircraft crash landed 32 km southwest of Whitehorse and was damaged beyond repair. All six crew members were unhurt.

Crash of a Douglas C-54D-1-DC Skymaster near Snag: 44 killed

Date & Time: Jan 26, 1950 at 1409 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
42-72469
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Site:
Schedule:
Anchorage – Great Falls
MSN:
10577
YOM:
1945
Location:
Country:
Crew on board:
8
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
36
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
44
Circumstances:
The four engine aircraft was performing a flight from Anchorage to Great Falls with a crew of eight and 36 passengers on board, among them two civilians, an entrepreneur and his son. Around 1400LT, while flying over the west part of Canada, not far from the US border, the crew informed ground about his position and confirmed that all was running smoothly. About nine minutes later, the aircraft crashed in unknown circumstances somewhere in the region of Snag, Yukon. SAR operations were conducted and considerable helps were deployed, without success. All operations were eventually suspended after few weeks as no trace of the aircraft nor the 44 occupants was ever found. Up to 2016, the wreckage has not been found.
Probable cause:
Due to lack of evidence, it was impossible to determine the exact cause of the accident. However, icing conditions were reported in the area at the time of the accident.