Region
Asia

Crash of a Douglas C-54B-5-DO Skymaster on Basalt Island: 35 killed

Date & Time: Dec 21, 1948 at 1400 LT
Type of aircraft:
Douglas C-54 Skymaster
Operator:
Registration:
N8342C
Flight Phase:
Landing (descent or approach)
Flight Type:
Scheduled Revenue Flight
Survivors:
No
Site:
Mountains
Schedule:
Shanghai – Hong Kong
MSN:
18348
YOM:
1944
Location:
Basalt Island
Hong Kong
Country:
China
Region:
Asia
Crew on board:
7
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
28
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
35
Circumstances:
The crew started the descent to Hong Kong-Kai Tak Airport in low visibility due to low clouds. On approach, the four engine aircraft hit the slope of a mountain located on the Basalt Island, about 15 km east of Kai Tak Airport. All 35 occupants were killed, among them Quentin Roosevelt II, Director of the China National Aviation Corporation.

Crash of a Curtiss C-46D-20-CU in Kiangwan AFB: 9 killed

Date & Time: Dec 5, 1948
Type of aircraft:
Curtiss C-46 Commando
Operator:
Registration:
XT-538
Flight Phase:
Landing (descent or approach)
Flight Type:
Scheduled Revenue Flight
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Airport (less than 10 km from airport)
Schedule:
Chengdu – Shanghai
Location:
Kiangwan AFB
Shanghai
Country:
China
Region:
Asia
Crew on board:
3
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
37
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
9
Circumstances:
Crashed on final approach to Kiangwan AFB, in Shanghai. Both pilots and seven passengers were killed.

Crash of a Curtiss C-46D-20-CU in Qingdao: 18 killed

Date & Time: Jul 29, 1948
Type of aircraft:
Curtiss C-46 Commando
Operator:
Registration:
XT-822
Flight Phase:
Takeoff (climb)
Flight Type:
Scheduled Revenue Flight
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Airport (less than 10 km from airport)
Schedule:
Qingdao – Jinan
MSN:
22355
YOM:
1945
Location:
Qingdao
Shandong
Country:
China
Region:
Asia
Crew on board:
4
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
20
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
18
Circumstances:
Shortly after takeoff, while climbing to a height of 100 meters, the aircraft went out of control and crashed near the runway end. Five passengers and a crew member were seriously injured while 18 other occupants were killed.

Crash of a Consolidated PBY-5A Catalina off Macao: 25 killed

Date & Time: Jul 17, 1948 at 1800 LT
Type of aircraft:
Consolidated PBY Catalina
Operator:
Registration:
VR-HDT
Flight Phase:
Takeoff (climb)
Flight Type:
Scheduled Revenue Flight
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Lake, Sea, Ocean, River
Schedule:
Macau – Hong Kong
Location:
Macau
Macau
Country:
China
Region:
Asia
Crew on board:
3
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
23
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
25
Circumstances:
Shortly after takeoff from Macau, a hijacker came into the cockpit and killed the captain with a gun. The copilot lost control of the aircraft christened 'Miss Macau' that crashed into the Zhujiang River Estuary, between Macau and Hong Kong. A passenger was seriously injured while all 25 other occupants were killed. This event was considered as the first official hijacking of a commercial aircraft in the Civil Aviation History.
It was later reported that lone survivor, Huang Yu, was the admitted leader of the hijacking plot. He survived by jumping out the emergency exit just before the crash. He was brought to court by the Macau Police, but the Macau court suggested that the prosecution should be brought in Hong Kong instead, since the plane was registered in Hong Kong and most of the passengers were from there. However, the British colonial government in Hong Kong stated that the incident happened over Chinese territory in which the British have no jurisdiction. Since no state claimed authority to try him, Huang was released without trial from Macau prison on 11 June 1951, and was then deported to China.
Probable cause:
Sudden loss of control by the pilot as a result of being incapacitated by an armed passenger. The police authorities in Macau were in possession of certain evidence which appeared to establish beyond reasonable doubt that the crew of the aircraft were subjected to armed attack by certain passengers shortly after takeoff from Macau for Hong Kong.

Crash of a Curtiss R5C-1 Commando off Qingdao

Date & Time: Apr 30, 1948
Type of aircraft:
Curtiss C-46 Commando
Operator:
Registration:
39535
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Military
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Lake, Sea, Ocean, River
MSN:
26753
YOM:
1944
Location:
Qingdao
Shandong
Country:
China
Region:
Asia
Crew on board:
0
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
Crashed in unknown circumstances into the sea some 5 km off Qingdao. All occupants were rescued while the aircraft was recovered nine hours later but written off.

Crash of a Curtiss R5C-1 Commando in China

Date & Time: Apr 5, 1948
Type of aircraft:
Curtiss C-46 Commando
Operator:
Registration:
39550
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Military
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Plain, Valley
MSN:
30327
YOM:
1944
Location:
China
All China
Country:
China
Region:
Asia
Crew on board:
0
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
The crew was forced to make an emergency landing for unknown reason. The aircraft came to rest in marsh field and was damaged beyond repair. There were no casualties.

Crash of a Curtiss C-46F Commando in Mukden: 11 killed

Date & Time: Jan 20, 1948
Type of aircraft:
Curtiss C-46 Commando
Operator:
Flight Phase:
Takeoff (climb)
Flight Type:
Humanitarian
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Airport (less than 10 km from airport)
Location:
Mukden
Liaoning
Country:
China
Region:
Asia
Crew on board:
3
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
51
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
11
Circumstances:
Shortly after takeoff from Mukden Airport, while climbing in heavy snow falls to a height of 60 feet, the aircraft stalled and crashed near the runway. Eleven passengers were killed while 43 other occupants were injured. The crew was in charge to evacuate some people fleeing the regime recently introduced in Mukden.
Probable cause:
It is believed that the aircraft stalled because it was overloaded.

Crash of a Martin PBM-5 Mariner Flying Boat off Qingdao: 1 killed

Date & Time: Jan 10, 1948
Type of aircraft:
Martin PBM Mariner
Operator:
Registration:
84606
Flight Phase:
Takeoff (climb)
Flight Type:
Military
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Lake, Sea, Ocean, River
Location:
Qingdao
Shandong
Country:
China
Region:
Asia
Crew on board:
0
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
1
Circumstances:
Shortly after takeoff from the Qingdao Bay, while climbing, the aircraft caught fire, exploded and crashed into the sea. A crew member was killed while the aircraft was destroyed by fire.
Probable cause:
Explosion of a JATO bottle just after rotation.

Crash of a Short S.29 Stirling V in Kunming: 25 killed

Date & Time: Dec 23, 1947
Type of aircraft:
Short S.29 Stirling
Operator:
Air Transport - Belgium
Registration:
OO-XAC
Flight Phase:
Takeoff (climb)
Flight Type:
Charter/Taxi (Non Scheduled Revenue Flight)
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Airport (less than 10 km from airport)
Schedule:
Brussels – Paris – Rome – Beyrouth – Karachi – Kunming – Shanghai
Location:
Kunming
Yunnan
Country:
China
Region:
Asia
Crew on board:
4
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
26
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
25
Circumstances:
Shortly after takeoff from Kunming Airport, while in initial climb, the aircraft stalled and crashed in a field located 3 km from the airport. Five passengers were seriously injured while all 25 other occupants were killed. It appears that three of the four engines failed shortly after rotation. All passengers were Belgian missionaries.
Probable cause:
Failure of three engine during initial climb.

Crash of a Douglas DC-3 near Guilin: 2 killed

Date & Time: Oct 27, 1947
Type of aircraft:
Douglas DC-3
Operator:
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Cargo
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Plain, Valley
Location:
Guilin
Guangxi
Country:
China
Region:
Asia
Crew on board:
3
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
2
Circumstances:
Shot down by anti-aircraft fire and crashed in a field. A pilot survived while both other occupants were killed.
Probable cause:
Shot down.
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