Region
Asia

Crash of a Douglas DC-3 in Shijiazhuang: 3 killed

Date & Time: Oct 17, 1947
Type of aircraft:
Douglas DC-3
Operator:
Flight Phase:
Takeoff (climb)
Flight Type:
Cargo
Survivors:
No
Site:
Airport (less than 10 km from airport)
Schedule:
Shijiazhuang – Beijing
Location:
Shijiazhuang
Hebei
Country:
China
Region:
Asia
Crew on board:
3
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
3
Circumstances:
Crashed in a field few minutes after takeoff from Shijiazhuang Airport while on a cargo flight to Beijing. All three crew members were killed.

Crash of a Douglas C-47 near Wuwei: 26 killed

Date & Time: Jul 31, 1947
Type of aircraft:
Douglas C-47 Skytrain (DC-3)
Operator:
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Military
Survivors:
No
Site:
Mountains
Schedule:
Urumqi – Lanzhou
Location:
Wuwei
Gansu
Country:
China
Region:
Asia
Crew on board:
4
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
22
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
26
Circumstances:
While on a flight from Urumqi to Lanzhou, the aircraft crashed in a mountainous area located in the region of Wuwei. The wreckage was found few days later and all 26 occupants were killed, among them one US and one British citizen.

Crash of a Douglas DC-3 in Shanghai: 3 killed

Date & Time: Apr 25, 1947
Type of aircraft:
Douglas DC-3
Operator:
Registration:
B-141
Flight Phase:
Takeoff (climb)
Flight Type:
Cargo
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
City
Location:
Shanghai-Longhua
Shanghai
Country:
China
Region:
Asia
Crew on board:
2
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
3
Circumstances:
Shortly after takeoff from Shanghai-Longhua Airport, while in initial climb, an engine failed. The aircraft stalled and crashed in an industrial area located near the airport. While both pilots were seriously injured, three people on the ground were killed.
Probable cause:
Engine failure.

Crash of a Douglas C-47B-15-DK Dakota C.4 into the China Sea: 12 killed

Date & Time: Feb 26, 1947
Type of aircraft:
Douglas C-47 Skytrain (DC-3)
Operator:
Registration:
KK120
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Military
Survivors:
No
Site:
Lake, Sea, Ocean, River
Schedule:
Singapore – Saigon
MSN:
14129/26574
YOM:
1944
Location:
China Sea
All China
Country:
China
Region:
Asia
Crew on board:
3
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
9
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
12
Circumstances:
Crashed into the China Sea while enroute from Singapore to Saigon. SAR operations were suspended after few days as no trace of the aircraft nor the 12 occupants was found. The exact cause and circumstances of the accident could not be determined with certainty. However, the British Authorities reported that weather conditions were poor at the time of the accident, with turbulence. Among the occupants was the Brigadier James Hill Alms.

Crash of a Douglas C-47 in Chongqing: 21 killed

Date & Time: Feb 21, 1947 at 1600 LT
Type of aircraft:
Douglas C-47 Skytrain (DC-3)
Operator:
Flight Phase:
Landing (descent or approach)
Flight Type:
Military
Survivors:
No
Site:
Airport (less than 10 km from airport)
Schedule:
Kunming – Chongqing
Location:
Chongqing-Baishiyi
Sichuan
Country:
China
Region:
Asia
Crew on board:
4
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
17
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
21
Circumstances:
On final approach to Chongqing-Baishiyi Airport, the aircraft stalled and crashed in flames few hundred yards short of runway threshold. All 21 occupants were killed.
Probable cause:
According to Chinese Authorities, the loss of control was caused by an excessive accumulation of ice on all aircraft surfaces.

Crash of a Curtiss C-46 near Hangzhou: 26 killed

Date & Time: Jan 28, 1947
Type of aircraft:
Curtiss C-46 Commando
Operator:
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Scheduled Revenue Flight
Survivors:
No
Site:
Plain, Valley
Schedule:
Shanghai – Hangzhou – Chongqing
Location:
Hangzhou
Zhejiang
Country:
China
Region:
Asia
Crew on board:
3
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
23
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
26
Circumstances:
About 30 minutes after its departure from Hangzhou Airport, the twin engine aircraft crashed in unknown circumstances. 25 occupants were killed while a passenger was seriously injured and evacuated to a local hospital. The only survivor died from his injuries few hours later. Several foreign citizens were among the victims. As this accident was the eighth in China since last December 15, 1946, the State Secretary of Transport decided to suspend the operations of all Chinese operators for few days.

Crash of a Douglas DC-3 near Zunyi: 19 killed

Date & Time: Jan 25, 1947
Type of aircraft:
Douglas DC-3
Operator:
Registration:
138
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Scheduled Revenue Flight
Survivors:
No
Site:
Mountains
Schedule:
Guangzhou - Chongqing
Location:
Zunyi
Guizhou
Country:
China
Region:
Asia
Crew on board:
3
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
16
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
19
Circumstances:
Enroute, the aircraft hit the slope of a mountain and crashed in the region of Zunyi. The wreckage was found in an isolated area two weeks later. All 19 occupants have been killed.

Crash of a Douglas C-47A-25-DK in Hong Kong: 4 killed

Date & Time: Jan 25, 1947
Type of aircraft:
Douglas C-47 Skytrain (DC-3)
Operator:
Registration:
PI-C12
Flight Phase:
Landing (descent or approach)
Flight Type:
Cargo
Survivors:
No
Site:
Mountains
Schedule:
Manila – Hong Kong
MSN:
13508
YOM:
1944
Location:
Hong Kong-Kai Tak
Hong Kong
Country:
China
Region:
Asia
Crew on board:
4
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
4
Circumstances:
On final approach to Kai Tak Airport, while at an altitude of 1,570 feet, the aircraft hit the slope of Mt Parker and crashed, killing all four crew members. The wreckage was found few dozen feet from the summit of the mountain (1,723 feet high).

Crash of a Curtiss C-46 in Qingdao: 43 killed

Date & Time: Jan 5, 1947
Type of aircraft:
Curtiss C-46 Commando
Operator:
Registration:
XT-T51
Flight Phase:
Landing (descent or approach)
Flight Type:
Scheduled Revenue Flight
Survivors:
No
Site:
Mountains
Schedule:
Shanghai – Qingdao – Beijing
Location:
Qingdao
Shandong
Country:
China
Region:
Asia
Crew on board:
5
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
38
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
43
Circumstances:
The descent to Qingdao Airport was performed in poor weather conditions with low clouds and low visibility. On final approach, while too low, the aircraft hit the slope of a mountain and crashed, killing all 43 occupants. According to the US Authorities, the cloud base was very low and the weather conditions at the time of the accident were below minima published by the US Navy. Due to low visibility, the crew was unable to distinguish the mountain and was completing the approach at a too low altitude without any visual contact with the ground.

Crash of a Curtiss C-46 in Shanghai: 31 killed

Date & Time: Dec 25, 1946 at 2200 LT
Type of aircraft:
Curtiss C-46 Commando
Operator:
Registration:
115
Flight Phase:
Landing (descent or approach)
Flight Type:
Scheduled Revenue Flight
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Airport (less than 10 km from airport)
Schedule:
Chongqing – Shanghai
Location:
Shanghai-Longhua
Shanghai
Country:
China
Region:
Asia
Crew on board:
3
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
33
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
31
Circumstances:
The descent to Shanghai-Longhua Airport was performed in poor visibility due to thick fog. A CNAC DC-3 already crashed in similar conditions two hours earlier. Apparently in an attempt to establish a visual contact with the ground, the crew reduced his altitude when the aircraft crashed in a prairie located few km short of runway. A crew member and thirty passengers were killed while five other occupants were seriously injured.
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