Date & Time:
Mar 29, 1959 at 1045 LT
Type of aircraft:
Douglas C-47 Skytrain (DC-3)
Operator:
Registration:
VT-CGI
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Scheduled Revenue Flight
Survivors:
No
Site:
Plain, Valley
Schedule:
Calcutta – Agartala – Silchar – Imphal
MSN:
20176
YOM:
1944
Country:
India
Region:
Asia
Crew on board:
4
Crew fatalities:
4
Pax on board:
20
Pax fatalities:
20
Other fatalities:
0
Total fatalities:
24
Circumstances:
While descending to Silchar Airport, the crew encountered poor weather conditions with heavy turbulences. The airplane nosed down and eventually crashed in a field located 56 km west of Silchar Airport. The airplane was destroyed upon impact and all 24 occupants were killed.
Probable cause:
Structural failure occurred while the aircraft was flying through a thunderstorm. The failure originated in the port centre section and was due to loads which exceeded the ultimate design value for the structure. It was not possible to establish whether the pilot adopted the correct procedure for flying in turbulence.
