China | Bureau of Aircraft Accidents Archives

While on a cargo flight, crew encountered an unknown technical failure and was forced to attempt an emergency landing. The aircraft crash landed and was damaged beyond repair while all four occupants escaped uninjured.

Crash of a Douglas C-47 in Hangzhou: 2 killed

Date & Time: Mar 7, 1944

Type of aircraft:

Douglas C-47 Skytrain (DC-3)

Operator:

Registration:

Flight Phase:

Takeoff (climb)

Flight Type:

Cargo

Survivors:

Site:

Airport (less than 10 km from airport)

MSN:

19452

YOM:

1944

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

Shortly after takeoff from Hangzhou, aircraft encountered problems to gain height. The twin engine aircraft hit trees, stalled and crashed in a huge explosion. The aircraft was destroyed by impact forces and post crash fire and both pilots were killed. Crew was completing a cargo flight with a cargo consisting of alcohol boxes.

Probable cause:

Aircraft was unable to climb after takeoff because its total weight was well above the MTOW.

Crash of a Curtiss C-46A-20-CU Commando in Chengkung

Date & Time: Mar 3, 1944

Type of aircraft:

Curtiss C-46 Commando

Operator:

Registration:

41-24673

Flight Phase:

Landing (descent or approach)

Flight Type:

Military

Survivors:

Yes

Site:

Airport (less than 10 km from airport)

MSN:

26594

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

Crashed on landing in unknown circumstances. No casualties.

Crash of a Curtiss C-46A-35-CU near Kunming

Date & Time: Mar 2, 1944

Type of aircraft:

Curtiss C-46 Commando

Operator:

Registration:

42-3588

Flight Phase:

Flight Type:

Survivors:

Site:

MSN:

26721

YOM:

1943

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

En route, crew was forced to make an emergency landing following an engine failure. Aircraft crash landed and was damaged beyond repair. No casualties.

Probable cause:

Engine failure.

Crash of a Douglas C-47 near Lijiang: 2 killed

Date & Time: Feb 20, 1944

Type of aircraft:

Douglas C-47 Skytrain (DC-3)

Operator:

Registration:

Flight Phase:

Flight

Flight Type:

Cargo

Survivors:

Site:

Mountains

Schedule:

Dinjan - Kunming

MSN:

9416

YOM:

1943

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

En route, crew encountered poor weather conditions and decided to reduced his altitude to avoid an icing area. While cruising at low altitude in clouds, aircraft hit a peak with its left wing and crashed downwards on the slope of the mountains. The wreckage and both dead bodies were found seven months later.

Crash of a Consolidated C-87 Liberator Express near Lhasa

Date & Time: Jan 31, 1944

Type of aircraft:

Consolidated C-87 Liberator Express

Operator:

Registration:

41-23682

Flight Phase:

Flight

Flight Type:

Military

Survivors:

Site:

Mountains

Schedule:

Kunming - Jorhat

MSN:

648

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

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Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

En route, crew encountered poor weather conditions with severe icing and strong winds. The aircraft deviated from the prescribed track and in low visibility, hit a mountain slope located in the region of Lhasa, Tibet. SAR operations were suspended after few days as no trace of the aircraft was found. The wreckage was eventually spotted in July 1994 at the altitude of 14,000 feet in a glacier.

Crash of a Curtiss C-46A-25-CU Commando near Yankai

Date & Time: Jan 31, 1944

Type of aircraft:

Curtiss C-46 Commando

Operator:

Registration:

41-24696

Flight Phase:

Flight Type:

Survivors:

Site:

MSN:

26617

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

En route, the crew encountered an unexpected situation and decided to abandon the aircraft and bailed out. The aircraft crashed and was destroyed while all four crewmen survived.

Crash of a Consolidated C-87-CF Liberator Express in China: 3 killed

Date & Time: Jan 25, 1944

Type of aircraft:

Consolidated C-87 Liberator Express

Operator:

Registration:

42-107262

Flight Phase:

Flight Type:

Survivors:

Site:

Schedule:

Jorhat - Yangkai

MSN:

Location:

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Circumstances:

The crew was performing a flight from Jorhat, India, to the US Airbase of Yangkai located some 33 miles northeast of Kunming, Yunnan, China. En route, pilots encountered poor weather conditions and in an unclear situation, a crew member was able to bail out before the aircraft crashed in a mountainous region located in the northwest part of China. Three crew were killed while the fourth was rescued.

Crash of a Consolidated B-24J-45-CO Liberator in Guilin

Date & Time: Jan 12, 1944

Type of aircraft:

Consolidated B-24 Liberator

Operator:

Registration:

42-73433

Flight Phase:

Flight Type:

Survivors:

Site:

MSN:

3002

YOM:

1942

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

En route, an unknown situation forced all ten crew to abandon the aircraft and bail out. The aircraft dove into the ground and crashed in a field. All ten occupants were uninjured.

Crash of a Curtiss C-46A-30-CU in Lijiang

Date & Time: Jan 1, 1944

Type of aircraft:

Curtiss C-46 Commando

Operator:

Registration:

41-24752

Flight Phase:

Flight Type:

Survivors:

Site:

MSN:

26673

YOM:

1943

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

En route, an engine failed. Captain was unable to maintain a safe altitude so he instructed all crew to bail out. Without pilot, aircraft went out of control and crashed on the slope of Mt Yulong near Lijiang. While the aircraft was destroyed by impact forces, all four occupants were unhurt.

Probable cause:

Engine failure.