Military | Bureau of Aircraft Accidents Archives

Shortly after takeoff from Don Mueang Airport in Bangkok, while climbing, the starboard engine failed. The pilot attempted to return for an emergency landing when the aircraft stalled and crashed in a field located 500 meters from the runway threshold. Four passengers were killed while 14 other occupants were injured.

Probable cause:

Engine failure after liftoff.

Crash of a De Havilland L-20A Beaver in Japan

Date & Time: Oct 8, 1954

Type of aircraft:

De Havilland DHC-2 Beaver

Operator:

Registration:

51-16500

Flight Phase:

Flight

Flight Type:

Military

Survivors:

Yes

MSN:

276

YOM:

1952

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

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Circumstances:

Weather conditions deteriorated enroute and the pilot lost his orientation. Due to fuel exhaustion, the pilot and the passenger eventually bailed out and abandoned the aircraft that dove into the ground and crashed in a field somewhere in Japan (exact place remains unknown). The airplane was destroyed while both occupants, pilot David Forbes and Henry H. Hansen, were unhurt.

Probable cause:

Fuel exhaustion.

Crash of a Douglas A-20K Havoc in Piraí: 6 killed

Date & Time: Oct 8, 1954

Type of aircraft:

Douglas A-20 Havoc/DB-7 Boston

Operator:

Registration:

6074

Flight Phase:

Flight

Flight Type:

Military

Survivors:

Site:

Plain, Valley

MSN:

23392

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

Crashed in unknown circumstances, killing all six crew members.

Crash of a Beechcraft RC-45G Expeditor near Recife

Date & Time: Oct 7, 1954

Type of aircraft:

Beechcraft C-45 Expeditor

Operator:

Registration:

51-11846

Flight Phase:

Flight Type:

Survivors:

Site:

MSN:

AF-403

YOM:

1951

Location:

Country:

Region:

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Circumstances:

Following a fuel exhaustion in flight, the crew decided to bail out and abandoned the aircraft that dove into the ground and crashed 19 km northwest of Recife. The airplane was destroyed while both pilots were uninjured.

Probable cause:

Fuel exhaustion.

Crash of a Consolidated C-10A Catalina in Belém: 2 killed

Date & Time: Sep 29, 1954 at 1737 LT

Type of aircraft:

Consolidated PBY Catalina

Operator:

Registration:

6516

Flight Phase:

Flight Type:

Survivors:

Site:

Schedule:

Belém – Manaus

MSN:

1919

YOM:

1944

Location:

Country:

Region:

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Circumstances:

Four minutes after takeoff from Belém, bound for Manaus, the seaplane suffered an engine failure and crashed. Both pilots were killed while 11 other occupants were injured.

Probable cause:

Engine failure.

Crash of a Douglas C-47B-10-DK in Nagoya

Date & Time: Sep 29, 1954

Type of aircraft:

Douglas C-47 Skytrain (DC-3)

Operator:

Registration:

43-49083

Flight Phase:

Landing (descent or approach)

Flight Type:

Military

Survivors:

Yes

Site:

Airport (less than 10 km from airport)

MSN:

14899/26344

YOM:

1944

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

Crash landed in unclear circumstances. No casualties.

Crash of a Fairchild C-82A Packet near Fawnskin: 1 killed

Date & Time: Sep 21, 1954

Type of aircraft:

Fairchild C-82 Packet

Operator:

Registration:

45-57744

Flight Phase:

Flight Type:

Survivors:

Site:

Schedule:

Norton - Ogden-Hill

MSN:

10114

YOM:

1945

Location:

Fawnskin

California

Country:

United States of America

Region:

North America

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

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Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

The crew departed Norton AFB in San Bernardino on a flight to Ogden-Hill AFB, Utah. Few minutes after takeoff, while cruising above the mountains, an engine failed. As the pilot was unable to maintain a safe altitude, he ordered his crew to bail out. Few minutes later, he crashed with the airplane in a wooded and mountainous area located in Fawnskin, near Big Bear Lake. Unfortunately, Captain Charles M. Eckstein was unable to escape in a timely manner and was killed in the crash. All other crew members were found alive.

Probable cause:

Engine failure in flight.

Crash of a Curtiss C-46D-15-CU Commando in Santa Clarita

Date & Time: Sep 20, 1954

Type of aircraft:

Curtiss C-46 Commando

Operator:

Registration:

44-78035

Flight Phase:

Flight Type:

Survivors:

Site:

Schedule:

Burbank - Mather

MSN:

33431

YOM:

1945

Location:

Santa Clarita

California

Country:

United States of America

Region:

North America

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

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Circumstances:

An engine caught fire in flight. All 20 occupants decided to bail out and abandoned the aircraft that dove into the ground and crashed in Santa Clarita. All 20 occupants were found uninjured while the aircraft was destroyed.

Probable cause:

Engine fire in flight.

Crash of a De Havilland DH.104 Dove 1 in Neuquén: 2 killed

Date & Time: Sep 18, 1954

Type of aircraft:

De Havilland DH.104 Dove

Operator:

Registration:

T-72

Flight Phase:

Landing (descent or approach)

Flight Type:

Military

Survivors:

Yes

Site:

Airport (less than 10 km from airport)

Schedule:

Junín – Neuquén

MSN:

04204

YOM:

1948

Location:

Neuquén-Juan Domingo Perón

Neuquén

Country:

Argentina

Region:

South America

Crew on board:

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Circumstances:

On final approach to Neuquén Airport, the airplane hit the ground and crashed in Plottier, about five km short of runway 09. The captain and one passenger were killed while five other occupants were injured.

Crash of an AAC.1 Toucan in Mouzaia: 8 killed

Date & Time: Sep 16, 1954

Type of aircraft:

AAC.1 Toucan

Operator:

Flight Phase:

Takeoff (climb)

Flight Type:

Military

Survivors:

Site:

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

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Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

Few minutes after its takeoff from Boufarik Airbase, while climbing, the three engine aircraft crashed in Mouzaia, about 18 km southwest of its departure point. All eight crew members were killed.