Crash of a Douglas C-47A-1-DK near Sela Pass: 8 killed

Date & Time: Sep 21, 1962
Operator:
Registration:
VT-DGX
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Site:
MSN:
12142
YOM:
1943
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
3
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
5
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
8
Circumstances:
While cruising in bad weather conditions, the airplane struck the slope of a mountain located in the region of the Sela Pass. The aircraft was destroyed and all eight occupants were killed.

Crash of a Douglas C-47-DL in Loheshyphu: 9 killed

Date & Time: Jul 16, 1962
Operator:
Registration:
VT-DFZ
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Site:
Schedule:
Jorhat - Jorhat
MSN:
4647
YOM:
1942
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
3
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
6
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
9
Circumstances:
The crew left Jorhat-Rowriah Airport on a cargo (supply) mission over State of Nagaland. En route, he encountered poor weather conditions and the airplane entered a narrow valley in low visibility. The pilot realized the situation and attempted a sharp turn to return when the airplane stalled, struck the ground and crashed. The aircraft was destroyed and all nine occupants were killed.
Probable cause:
Loss of control caused by the stall of the fully loaded aircraft while turning in a narrow valley. Poor judgment on part of the flying crew.

Crash of a Douglas DC-8-43 near Junnar: 94 killed

Date & Time: Jul 7, 1962 at 0010 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
I-DIWD
Flight Phase:
Survivors:
No
Site:
Schedule:
Sydney – Darwin – Singapore – Bangkok – Bombay – Karachi – Tehran – Rome
MSN:
45631
YOM:
1962
Flight number:
AZ771
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
9
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
85
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
94
Captain / Total flying hours:
13700
Captain / Total hours on type:
1396.00
Copilot / Total flying hours:
3480
Copilot / Total hours on type:
1672
Aircraft flight hours:
964
Circumstances:
The crew was preparing to land at Bombay-Santa Cruz Airport runway 27 and was cleared to descend to 4,000 feet. After several errors, the pilot-in-command started the descent prematurely and while at an altitude of 3,600 feet, the airplane struck the slope of Mt Davandyachi (1,080 m high) located about eight km north of Junnar. The aircraft disintegrated on impact and all 94 occupants were killed. At the time of the accident, the airplane was off course by 9 km and its altitude was too low.
Probable cause:
The accident was attributed to a navigation error which led the pilot to believe that he was nearer his destination than he actually was and, therefore, caused him to make a premature descent in instrument conditions for a straight-in approach to land at night. The aircraft consequently, crashed into high terrain. Contributing causes were:
- Failure on the part of the pilot to make use of the navigational facilities available in order to ascertain the correct position of the aircraft,
- Infringement of the prescribed minimum safe altitude,
- Unfamiliarity of the pilot with the terrain on the route.
Final Report:

Crash of a Douglas C-54A-15-DC Skymaster in Haveri

Date & Time: May 7, 1962 at 1655 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
VT-DIC
Flight Phase:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Bangalore – Bombay
MSN:
10376
YOM:
1944
Flight number:
IC106
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
6
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
30
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Captain / Total flying hours:
12777
Captain / Total hours on type:
1806.00
Copilot / Total flying hours:
13499
Copilot / Total hours on type:
2896
Circumstances:
Flight 106 departed from HAL Airport, Bangalore for Bombay at 1555LT on a scheduled domestic flight with 6 crew and 30 passengers on board. After a normal takeoff and climb, the aircraft was cruising at flight level 85 with the engines operating at 29" manifold pressure and 2050 rpm. BMEP gauges were not fitted. At 16:30 hours the flight reported its position 100 miles out from Bangalore and estimated Bombay FIR boundary at 17:00. The flight was uneventful up to about 16:50 when the pilot heard a loud "thud" which he believed to be an engine misfiring. This was followed by the aircraft losing height rapidly. The auto pilot was disengaged and the aircraft was trimmed for manual flight. In order to maintain height the pilot applied climb power, and then METO power by moving the pitch and throttle controls forward, and although the manifold pressure increased first to 35" and then to 40", the engine speed remained constant at 2050 rpm and the aircraft continued to lose height at a descent rate of 1500 feet per minute. Cylinder head temperatures were not apparently noted. The pilot eventually made a wheels-up landing in a ploughed field at an elevation of 1900 feet. All 36 occupants were evacuated safely while the aircraft was damaged beyond repair.
Probable cause:
The accident was attributed to the failure of the crew to diagnose complete loss of power caused by an inadvertent movement of the master ignition switch to the "off" position during flight.
Final Report:

Crash of a Douglas C-47 in Arunachal Pradesh: 4 killed

Date & Time: May 7, 1962
Operator:
Registration:
HJ245
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Site:
Location:
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
4
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
4
Circumstances:
Crashed in unknown circumstances somewhere in Arunachal Pradesh while on a supply mission on behalf of the 49th Squadron. All four crew members were killed.

Crash of a De Havilland DHC-3 Otter near Shimla: 2 killed

Date & Time: Dec 26, 1961
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
2
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
2
Circumstances:
Crashed in unknown circumstances while involved in a supply mission. Both pilots from the 41st Squadron were killed.

Crash of a Douglas C-47A-25-DK in Amritsar

Date & Time: Dec 7, 1961
Operator:
Registration:
VT-AZV
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
MSN:
13253
YOM:
1944
Location:
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
2
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
Shortly after takeoff, while climbing, both engines failed. The aircraft stalled and crashed in a field past the runway end. Both crew members were evacuated while the aircraft was destroyed.
Probable cause:
Failure of both engines because the fuel selector was connected to a near empty fuel tank. The aircraft has been refueled prior to departure but the crew failed to connect the fuel selector to the correct fuel tank.

Crash of a Douglas C-47 in Barrackpore: 1 killed

Date & Time: Oct 12, 1961
Operator:
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
4
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
1
Circumstances:
After takeoff from Barrackpore Airfield, while climbing, both engines lost power simultaneously. Due to the presence of several houses around his position, the captain was able to maintain the control of the airplane until it stall and eventually crashed in a field located few km from the airport. Three crew members were seriously injured and the captain was killed.

Crash of a Douglas C-47A-80-DL in Calcutta

Date & Time: Aug 26, 1961 at 1200 LT
Operator:
Registration:
VT-AXA
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
MSN:
19874
YOM:
1944
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
3
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
Just after liftoff, the airplane stalled and crashed in flames. All three crew members were injured and the aircraft was destroyed.
Probable cause:
It was reported the rotation was completed prematurely and the aircraft's speed was too low, causing it to stall.