Crash of a Douglas C-47B-15-DK in Norton AFB

Date & Time: Nov 1, 1951
Type of aircraft:
Douglas C-47 Skytrain (DC-3)
Operator:
Registration:
349384/F-RBFR
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Military
Site:
Airport (less than 10 km from airport)
MSN:
15200/26645
YOM:
1944
Location:
Norton AFB (San Bernardino)
California
Country:
United States of America
Region:
North America
Crew on board:
0
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
Crashed in unknown circumstances.

Crash of a Douglas C-47A-80-DL in the Box Springs Mountains: 6 killed

Date & Time: Oct 30, 1951
Type of aircraft:
Douglas C-47 Skytrain (DC-3)
Operator:
Registration:
43-15109
Flight Phase:
Landing (descent or approach)
Flight Type:
Military
Survivors:
No
Site:
Mountains
Schedule:
Madison – Amarillo – San Bernardino
MSN:
19575
YOM:
1944
Location:
Mt Box Springs
California
Country:
United States of America
Region:
North America
Crew on board:
2
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
4
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
6
Circumstances:
The crew left Madison-Truax Field in the day bound for Amarillo to pick up four US Officers who have to fly to the Norton AFB located in San Bernardino. While approaching Norton AFB from the south at an altitude of 3,000 feet, the airplane hit the ground in the Box Springs Mountains. All six occupants were killed.

Crash of a Douglas C-47 in Flores: 30 killed

Date & Time: Oct 27, 1951 at 1900 LT
Type of aircraft:
Douglas C-47 Skytrain (DC-3)
Operator:
Registration:
0961
Flight Phase:
Takeoff (climb)
Flight Type:
Military
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Airport (less than 10 km from airport)
Schedule:
Flores – Guatemala City
Location:
Flores-Mundo Maya (Santa Elena)
Petén
Country:
Guatemala
Region:
Central America
Crew on board:
5
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
27
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
30
Circumstances:
Shortly after takeoff from Flores Airport, while in initial climb, the aircraft went out of control and crashed in flames in a wooded area located about 2 km from the airport. All five crew members and 25 passengers were killed while two others were seriously injured.
Crew:
Maj Enrique Pérez, pilot,
José Angel Escobar,
Miguel Deleón,
Casiano Castañeda,
Enrique Menéndez.
Probable cause:
It was reported that the loss of control was consecutive to a in-flight fire in the cabin caused by a cigarette that was not properly extinguished.

Crash of an Airspeed AS.10 Oxford II in Copenhagen: 3 killed

Date & Time: Oct 20, 1951
Type of aircraft:
Airspeed AS.10 Oxford
Operator:
Registration:
21-211
Flight Phase:
Landing (descent or approach)
Flight Type:
Military
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Airport (less than 10 km from airport)
Schedule:
Karup – Copenhagen
Location:
Copenhagen-Kastrup
Hovedstaden
Country:
Denmark
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
4
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
3
Circumstances:
On final approach to Copenhagen-Kastrup Airport, the pilot-in-command encountered foggy conditions and decided to reduce his altitude to establish a visual contact with the ground when the aircraft hit the mast of a boat. The aircraft flew dozen yards and crashed near the south harbor. Three crew members were killed while a fourth occupant was injured. The aircraft was destroyed.
Crew:
Lt Arne Schjødt Jensen, †
Cpt Knud Frederik Mørkebjerg, †
V. H. Ibsen, †
K. B. Mogensen.

Crash of a Douglas C-47B-10-DK in the Everglades

Date & Time: Oct 19, 1951
Type of aircraft:
Douglas C-47 Skytrain (DC-3)
Operator:
Registration:
43-49040
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Military
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Plain, Valley
MSN:
26301
YOM:
1944
Location:
Miami
Florida
Country:
United States of America
Region:
North America
Crew on board:
5
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
An engine caught fire in flight and as the crew was unable to extinguish the fire, he decided to bail out and abandon the aircraft that crashed into the Everglades National Park, about 18 miles northwest of Miami. The aircraft was destroyed by impact forces and all five occupants were rescued 12 hours later.
Probable cause:
Engine fire in flight.

Crash of a Beechcraft C-45F Expeditor in Sulmona: 3 killed

Date & Time: Oct 17, 1951 at 1630 LT
Type of aircraft:
Beechcraft C-45 Expeditor
Operator:
Registration:
MM61706
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Military
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Plain, Valley
Schedule:
Lecce – Guidonia
MSN:
7815
YOM:
1944
Location:
Sulmona
Abruzzo
Country:
Italy
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
3
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
1
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
3
Circumstances:
The twin engine aircraft encountered severe icing conditions en route. The pilot Gen Giuseppe Gaeta ordered the passenger Lt Col Mario Maragnini to bail out while all three crew members remained seated in the cabin and were killed when the aircraft crashed in a field located near Sulmona.
Crew:
Gen Giuseppe Gaeta, †
Lt Alvise Andrich, †
Mar Giulio Trintinaglia. †
Passenger:
Lt Col Mario Magnanini.
Probable cause:
Icing.

Crash of a Boeing C-97A Stratofreighter into the Atlantic Ocean: 12 killed

Date & Time: Oct 15, 1951
Type of aircraft:
Boeing C-97 Stratofreighter
Operator:
Registration:
49-2602
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Military
Survivors:
No
Site:
Lake, Sea, Ocean, River
Schedule:
Frankfurt – Lajes – Westover
MSN:
16224
YOM:
1949
Location:
Atlantic Ocean
All World
Country:
World
Region:
World
Crew on board:
3
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
9
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
12
Circumstances:
The four engine aircraft left Frankfurt-Main Airport at 0936LT on October 14 bound for Lajes where it landed at 1603LT. After refueling, the airplane left Lajes at 1851LT bound for Westover AFB, Massachusetts. About an hour later, the crew informed ground about technical problems with radio compas and radio altimeters and decided to return to Lajes where it landed safely at 2019LT. According to duty time and rest time, the crew decided to pass the overnight in Lajes and took off on October 15 at 0843LT bound for the US. As the aircraft failed to arrive, SAR operations were conducted but were eventually suspended few days later as no trace of the aircraft nor the crew was found.
Probable cause:
In absence of evidences, the exact cause of the accident remains unknown.

Crash of a Consolidated C-10A Catalina in Conceição do Araguaia: 4 killed

Date & Time: Oct 11, 1951 at 0800 LT
Type of aircraft:
Consolidated PBY Catalina
Operator:
Registration:
6519
Flight Phase:
Landing (descent or approach)
Flight Type:
Military
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Lake, Sea, Ocean, River
Schedule:
Araguacema - Conceição do Araguaia
MSN:
1923
YOM:
1944
Location:
Conceição do Araguaia
Pará
Country:
Brazil
Region:
South America
Crew on board:
7
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
4
Circumstances:
Crashed in unknown circumstances while landing in the Rio Araguaia in Conceição do Araguaia while performing a flight from Araguacema. Four occupants were killed and three others were injured.

Crash of a Consolidated PBY-5A Catalina in Puerto Leguízamo: 1 killed

Date & Time: Oct 9, 1951
Type of aircraft:
Consolidated PBY Catalina
Operator:
Registration:
FAC-616
Flight Phase:
Takeoff (climb)
Flight Type:
Military
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Lake, Sea, Ocean, River
Schedule:
Madrid – Puerto Leguízamo – Leticia
Location:
Puerto Leguizamo
Putumayo
Country:
Colombia
Region:
South America
Crew on board:
2
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
8
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
1
Circumstances:
While taking off from the Río Putumayo in Puerto Leguízamo, the seaplane hit a sand bank and crashed. A pilot was killed while all other occupants were rescued. The airplane was performing a flight from the Madrid AFB in Bogotá to Leticia with several intermediate stops en route, carrying mail, equipment and army personnels.
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