China | Bureau of Aircraft Accidents Archives

The aircraft left Xi'an (Hsian) Airport at 1500LT bound for Kunming with 35 passengers and a crew of four. While cruising at an altitude of 23,000 feet over the cloud layer, the left engine caught fire. The captain ordered the radio operator and the flight engineer to bail out. Shortly later, the aircraft went out of control, dove into the ground and crashed 123 km west of Hechi, killing all 37 occupants. Both crew that bailed out survived. The pilot, Major Carrol D. Gregory, and the copilot 2nd Lt Ralph R. Young were killed.

Probable cause:

Engine fire.

Crash of a Douglas C-47A-80-DL near Lüliang: 1 killed

Date & Time: Jan 22, 1945

Type of aircraft:

Douglas C-47 Skytrain (DC-3)

Operator:

Registration:

43-15384

Flight Phase:

Flight

Flight Type:

Military

Survivors:

Yes

Schedule:

Chichiang - Guangzhou

MSN:

19850

YOM:

1944

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

En route, the crew encountered poor weather conditions and decided to return to Chichiang Airport. Due to the deterioration of the weather, the crew was unable to return and decided to divert to Chanyi Airport, Yunnan. After the crew jettisoned the cargo, the captain ordered his crew to bail out. The aircraft crashed but was not recovered. Three crew members were rescued while the fourth occupant, S/Sgt Robert C. Bunger, was killed.

Crash of a Douglas C-47A-80-DL in Yunnan: 3 killed

Date & Time: Jan 16, 1945

Type of aircraft:

Douglas C-47 Skytrain (DC-3)

Operator:

Registration:

Flight Phase:

Flight

Flight Type:

Cargo

Survivors:

Site:

Mountains

Schedule:

Chongqing – Kunming

MSN:

19621

YOM:

1944

Location:

Yunnan

Country:

China

Region:

Asia

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

The airplane was performing a cargo flight from Chongqing to Kunming, carrying a load of silk. En route, it appears that the crew lost his orientation and continued to the east part of Yunnan. Eventually, the airplane impacted the slope of a mountain and crashed some 160 km east of Kunming. All three crew members were killed.

Crash of a Curtiss C-46A-40-CU Commando in Chanyi

Date & Time: Jan 15, 1945

Type of aircraft:

Curtiss C-46 Commando

Operator:

Registration:

42-61020

Flight Phase:

Landing (descent or approach)

Flight Type:

Military

Survivors:

Yes

Site:

Airport (less than 10 km from airport)

MSN:

26895

YOM:

1944

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

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Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

Crashed upon landing for unknown reason. There were no casualties.

Crash of a Curtiss C-46A-40-CU Commando near Dali

Date & Time: Jan 10, 1945

Type of aircraft:

Curtiss C-46 Commando

Operator:

Registration:

42-107304

Flight Phase:

Flight Type:

Survivors:

Site:

MSN:

26991

YOM:

1944

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

Crashed on a mountain slope near Dali following an engine failure. Crew fate unknown.

Probable cause:

Engine failure.

Crash of a Curtiss C-46A-45-CU Commando on Siakwan Island

Date & Time: Jan 8, 1945

Type of aircraft:

Curtiss C-46 Commando

Operator:

Registration:

42-96673

Flight Phase:

Flight Type:

Survivors:

Site:

MSN:

30335

YOM:

1944

Location:

Siakwan Island (Nanjing)

Jiangsu

Country:

China

Region:

Asia

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

An technical failure of unknown origin forced the crew to attempt an emergency landing. The pilot performed a belly landing on the Siakwan Island, in the Yangtze River, off Nanjing. While all occupants were uninjured, the aircraft was damaged beyond repair.

Crash of a Curtiss C-46A-35-CU Commando in Langtai

Date & Time: Jan 8, 1945

Type of aircraft:

Curtiss C-46 Commando

Operator:

Registration:

42-3683

Flight Phase:

Flight Type:

Survivors:

Site:

MSN:

26816

YOM:

1944

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

Crashed in a field in Langtai following a fuel exhaustion. There were no casualties but the aircraft was written off.

Probable cause:

Fuel exhaustion.

Crash of a Douglas C-47 in Dali: 3 killed

Date & Time: Jan 7, 1945

Type of aircraft:

Douglas C-47 Skytrain (DC-3)

Operator:

Registration:

102

Flight Phase:

Flight

Flight Type:

Cargo

Survivors:

Site:

Mountains

Schedule:

Kunming – Dinjan

MSN:

20805

YOM:

1944

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

While overflying the Dali Lake, the airplane suffered an engine failure. It lost height, hit obstacles and eventually crashed in a cemetery overhanging the city of Dali. All three crew members were killed.

Probable cause:

Engine failure in flight.

Crash of a Curtiss C-46A-40-CU Commando near Yunnanyi

Date & Time: Jan 6, 1945

Type of aircraft:

Curtiss C-46 Commando

Operator:

Registration:

42-61046

Flight Phase:

Flight Type:

Survivors:

Site:

MSN:

26921

YOM:

1944

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

An engine failure in flight forced the crew to attempt an emergency landing. The airplane crash landed in a field located 32 km northwest of Yunnanyi and was damaged beyond repair. All three crew members escaped unhurt.

Probable cause:

Engine failure in flight.