Region
Asia

Crash of a Curtiss C-46D-15-CU Commando off Tomakomai: 35 killed

Date & Time: Feb 1, 1954 at 1350 LT
Type of aircraft:
Curtiss C-46 Commando
Operator:
Registration:
44-78027
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Military
Survivors:
No
Site:
Lake, Sea, Ocean, River
Schedule:
Tachikawa – Misawa – Sapporo
MSN:
33423
YOM:
1945
Flight number:
USAF27A
Location:
Tomakomai
Hokkaidō
Country:
Japan
Region:
Asia
Crew on board:
5
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
30
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
35
Circumstances:
About thirty minutes after it left Misawa AFB, the crew informed ATC that a fire broke out in the main cabin. Shortly later, the airplane went out of control and crashed into the sea about 30 km south of Tomakomai. All 35 occupants were killed.
Probable cause:
Unknown in-flight fire.

Crash of a Short S.25 Sunderland GR.5 off Tsushima

Date & Time: Dec 27, 1953
Type of aircraft:
Short S.25 Sunderland
Operator:
Registration:
RN302
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Military
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Lake, Sea, Ocean, River
Location:
Tsushima
Kyūshū
Country:
Japan
Region:
Asia
Crew on board:
0
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
En route, the engine number four lost power. Ten minutes later, the engine number two suffered a similar issue. The crew attempted an emergency landing off Tsushima Island. There were no casualties but the aircraft was damaged beyond repair.
Probable cause:
Loss of power on two engines in flight.

Crash of a Fairchild C-119C-15-FA Flying Boxcar off Ashiya AFB: 8 killed

Date & Time: Jun 23, 1953
Type of aircraft:
Fairchild C-119 Flying Boxcar
Operator:
Registration:
49-0161
Flight Phase:
Takeoff (climb)
Flight Type:
Military
Survivors:
No
Site:
Lake, Sea, Ocean, River
MSN:
10398
YOM:
1949
Location:
Ashiya AFB
Kyūshū
Country:
Japan
Region:
Asia
Crew on board:
8
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
8
Circumstances:
Few minutes after takeoff from Ashiya AFB, the twin engine aircraft crashed in unknown circumstances into the sea, about 24 km northeast of its departure point. All eight crew members were killed.

Crash of a Douglas C-124A-DL Globemaster II in Tachikawa AFB: 129 killed

Date & Time: Jun 18, 1953 at 1634 LT
Type of aircraft:
Douglas C-124 Globemaster II
Operator:
Registration:
51-0137
Flight Phase:
Landing (descent or approach)
Flight Type:
Military
Survivors:
No
Site:
Airport (less than 10 km from airport)
Schedule:
Tachikawa – Seoul
MSN:
43471
YOM:
1951
Location:
Tachikawa AFB (Tokyo)
Kantō
Country:
Japan
Region:
Asia
Crew on board:
7
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
122
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
129
Captain / Total flying hours:
6302
Circumstances:
The airplane was on its way back to Seoul, carrying 122 soldiers on leave and a crew of seven. Shortly after takeoff, while climbing to a height of 1,000 feet, the pilot contacted ground and informed ATC about the failure of the engine number three. The crew received the permission to return for an emergency landing and the pilot-in-command completed a circuit to return. On final, he requested more power and fully extended the flaps when the aircraft stalled and crashed in a huge explosion in a field located 5,6 km short of runway. The aircraft was totally destroyed by impact forces and a post crash fire consumed the wreckage for several hours. None of the 129 occupants survived. To date, this was the deadliest plane crash in History.
Probable cause:
Failure of the engine number three shortly after takeoff for unknown reason. On final, the aircraft stalled due to the combination of a low approach speed, fully extended flaps (wrong approach configuration).

Crash of a De Havilland L-20A Beaver in Abashiri: 1 killed

Date & Time: May 29, 1953
Type of aircraft:
De Havilland DHC-2 Beaver
Operator:
Registration:
51-16563
Flight Phase:
Takeoff (climb)
Flight Type:
Military
Survivors:
No
Site:
Airport (less than 10 km from airport)
MSN:
373
YOM:
1952
Location:
Abashiri
Hokkaidō
Country:
Japan
Region:
Asia
Crew on board:
1
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
1
Circumstances:
Crashed on takeoff, killing the pilot, sole on board.

Crash of a Short S.25 Sunderland GR.5 off Iwakuni AFB: 4 killed

Date & Time: Mar 25, 1953
Type of aircraft:
Short S.25 Sunderland
Operator:
Registration:
PP148
Flight Phase:
Landing (descent or approach)
Flight Type:
Military
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Lake, Sea, Ocean, River
Location:
Iwakuni AFB
Chūgoku
Country:
Japan
Region:
Asia
Crew on board:
11
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
4
Circumstances:
During a night landing on rough seas off Iwakuni AFB, the seaplane went out of control and came to rest upside down. Four crew members were killed while seven others were rescued. It was determined that the visibility was low at the time the crew tried to land on rough seas with high winds.

Crash of a Grumman SA-16A Albatross in Moji: 8 killed

Date & Time: Feb 13, 1953
Type of aircraft:
Grumman HU-16 (SA-16) Albatross
Operator:
Registration:
51-062
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Military
Survivors:
No
Site:
Mountains
Schedule:
Beppu – Ashiya
MSN:
G-141
YOM:
1952
Location:
Moji
Kyūshū
Country:
Japan
Region:
Asia
Crew on board:
5
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
3
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
8
Circumstances:
En route from Beppu to Ashiya AFB, the seaplane hit the slope of a mountain located three km southwest of Moji, killing all eight occupants. At the time of the accident, the visibility was limited due to marginal weather conditions.

Crash of a Lockheed P2V-5 in Okinawa: 11 killed

Date & Time: Feb 1, 1953
Type of aircraft:
Lockheed P-2 Neptune
Operator:
Registration:
127751
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Survey / Patrol / Reconnaissance
Survivors:
No
Site:
Mountains
MSN:
426-5085
Location:
Okinawa
Okinawa
Country:
Japan
Region:
Asia
Crew on board:
11
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
11
Circumstances:
Engaged in a maritime patrol flight, the crew encountered marginal weather conditions when the aircraft hit the slope of a mountain located on Okinawa Island (Ryukyu Islands). All 11 crew members were killed.
Probable cause:
Controlled flight into terrain.

Crash of a Douglas C-47D into the Tokyo Bay

Date & Time: Dec 21, 1952
Type of aircraft:
Douglas C-47 Skytrain (DC-3)
Operator:
Registration:
43-49084
Flight Phase:
Landing (descent or approach)
Flight Type:
Military
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Lake, Sea, Ocean, River
MSN:
14900/26345
YOM:
1944
Location:
Tokyo
Kantō
Country:
Japan
Region:
Asia
Crew on board:
4
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
Inbound from Korea, the crew was descending to Tachikawa AFB when the aircraft crashed in unknown circumstances into the Tokyo Bay. The aircraft was lost and all four crew members were rescued.

Crash of a Boeing B-29A-45-BN Stratofortress off Kadena: 11 killed

Date & Time: Oct 31, 1952
Type of aircraft:
Boeing B-29 Superfortress
Operator:
Registration:
44-61751
Flight Phase:
Landing (descent or approach)
Flight Type:
Military
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Lake, Sea, Ocean, River
Schedule:
Kadena - Kadena
MSN:
11228
YOM:
1944
Location:
Kadena AFB
Okinawa
Country:
Japan
Region:
Asia
Crew on board:
14
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
11
Circumstances:
While approaching Kadena AFB, the aircraft went out of control and crashed into the sea about 14,5 km northwest of the airbase. Intensive SAR operations were conducted and three crew members were rescued while 11 others were killed.
Crew:
Cpt Donald L. Adams, †
2nd Lt Michael Bochnovic, †
1st Lt Gordon N. Froisness, †
Cpt Robert G. Harvey, †
2nd Lt John H. Haun, †
A2c Robert Q. Hopkins, †
1st Lt James E. Knox,
A1c Edward B. Lemaster III,
A2c Harry T. Peoples Jr., †
1st Lt Robert F. Phalen, †
A2c Charles H. Rees,
A1c Jimmy C. Sides, †
M/Sgt Marvin E. Sleppy, †
A2c Donald H. Wilson. †
Probable cause:
It is believed that the loss of control was caused by the simultaneous failure of three engine due to a fuel starvation.
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