Crash of a Consolidated PB2B-1 Catalina off Wellington

Date & Time: Feb 7, 1950
Type of aircraft:
Consolidated PBY Catalina
Operator:
Registration:
NZ4051
Flight Phase:
Takeoff (climb)
Flight Type:
Military
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Lake, Sea, Ocean, River
MSN:
60958
YOM:
1944
Location:
Wellington
Greater Wellington Regional Council
Country:
New Zealand
Region:
Oceania
Crew on board:
0
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
Sank during takeoff into the Evans Bay in Wellington when seawater flooded aircraft. There were no casualties.

Crash of a Douglas C-47 near Buenaventura: 4 killed

Date & Time: Feb 6, 1950 at 1530 LT
Type of aircraft:
Douglas C-47 Skytrain (DC-3)
Operator:
Registration:
FAC-665
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Military
Survivors:
No
Site:
Mountains
Schedule:
Panama City – Cali
Location:
Buenaventura
Valle del Cauca
Country:
Colombia
Region:
South America
Crew on board:
4
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
4
Circumstances:
The aircraft left Albrook AFB in Panama City at 1315LT bound for Cali. At 1520LT, the crew informed ground that he was flying over Buenaventura. This was the last radio contact as the aircraft disappeared ten minutes later. The wreckage was found two weeks later in a mountain range located near the border of the States of Chocó and Valle del Cauca. All four crew members were killed.
Crew:
Lt Antonio Echandia Rocha, pilot,
Lt Rubén D. Ariza, copilot,
Octavio Arango, mechanic,
Mr. Duarte, mariner.
Probable cause:
Controlled flight into terrain.

Crash of a Douglas C-47B-50-DK near La Tinta: 1 killed

Date & Time: Jan 31, 1950
Type of aircraft:
Douglas C-47 Skytrain (DC-3)
Operator:
Registration:
45-1113
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Military
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Plain, Valley
MSN:
17116/34383
YOM:
1945
Location:
Santa Catalina la Tinta
Alta Verapaz
Country:
Guatemala
Region:
Central America
Crew on board:
0
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
1
Circumstances:
Crashed in unknown circumstances some 8 km north of La Tinta, killing at least one crew member.

Crash of a Douglas C-54D-1-DC Skymaster near Snag: 44 killed

Date & Time: Jan 26, 1950 at 1409 LT
Type of aircraft:
Douglas C-54 Skymaster
Operator:
Registration:
42-72469
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Military
Survivors:
No
Site:
Mountains
Schedule:
Anchorage – Great Falls
MSN:
10577
YOM:
1945
Location:
Snag
Yukon
Country:
Canada
Region:
North America
Crew on board:
8
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
36
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
44
Circumstances:
The four engine aircraft was performing a flight from Anchorage to Great Falls with a crew of eight and 36 passengers on board, among them two civilians, an entrepreneur and his son. Around 1400LT, while flying over the west part of Canada, not far from the US border, the crew informed ground about his position and confirmed that all was running smoothly. About nine minutes later, the aircraft crashed in unknown circumstances somewhere in the region of Snag, Yukon. SAR operations were conducted and considerable helps were deployed, without success. All operations were eventually suspended after few weeks as no trace of the aircraft nor the 44 occupants was ever found. Up to 2016, the wreckage has not been found.
Probable cause:
Due to lack of evidence, it was impossible to determine the exact cause of the accident. However, icing conditions were reported in the area at the time of the accident.

Crash of a Douglas C-47 in Vacas: 33 killed

Date & Time: Jan 20, 1950 at 1200 LT
Type of aircraft:
Douglas C-47 Skytrain (DC-3)
Operator:
Registration:
TAM-10
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Military
Survivors:
No
Site:
Mountains
Schedule:
Vallegrande – Cochabamba
Location:
Vacas
Cochabamba
Country:
Bolivia
Region:
South America
Crew on board:
4
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
28
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
33
Circumstances:
In the region of Vacas, while cruising in poor weather conditions, the crew started the descent to Cochabamba when the aircraft hit the slope of a mountain located 64 km southeast of the Jorge Wilsterman Airport. All 32 occupants (28 soldiers and 4 crew members) and one woman on the ground were killed.
Probable cause:
Apparently due to poor weather conditions and lack of visibility, the crew started the descent prematurely, causing the aircraft to collide with a mountain that was shrouded in clouds.

Crash of a Casa 352 in Tobarra: 16 killed

Date & Time: Jan 19, 1950
Type of aircraft:
Casa 352
Operator:
Registration:
T.2-143
Flight Phase:
Landing (descent or approach)
Flight Type:
Military
Survivors:
No
Site:
Mountains
Schedule:
Murcia-San Javier – Albacete
MSN:
34
Location:
Tobarra
Castile-La Mancha
Country:
Spain
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
3
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
13
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
16
Circumstances:
The aircraft was on its way from Murcia-San Javier AFB to Albacete with a crew of three and 13 passengers (all of them pilots) to take delivery of two others Casa 352 that should be transferred to the Spanish Air Academy based in San Javier. After it started the descent to Albacete, the three engine aircraft hit the slope of a mountain located 6 km northeast of Tobarra. The wreckage was found about 40 km southeast of Albacete Airport. All 16 occupants were killed. For unknown reason, the crew descended too low.

Crash of a Douglas C-54G-5-DO Skymaster in Kodiak

Date & Time: Jan 11, 1950
Type of aircraft:
Douglas C-54 Skymaster
Operator:
Registration:
45-0570
Flight Phase:
Landing (descent or approach)
Flight Type:
Military
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Airport (less than 10 km from airport)
MSN:
36023
YOM:
1945
Location:
Kodiak
Alaska
Country:
United States of America
Region:
North America
Crew on board:
3
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
25
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
After touchdown at Kodiak Airport, the four engine aircraft was unable to stop within the remaining distance. It overran and plunged into the St Paul Bay. The aircraft was damaged beyond repair and among the 28 occupants, six were injured.
Probable cause:
Following a wrong approach configuration, the pilot in command landed long, reducing the landing distance available.

Crash of a Beechcraft C-45F Expeditor in Padova

Date & Time: Jan 10, 1950
Type of aircraft:
Beechcraft C-45 Expeditor
Operator:
Registration:
MM61704
Flight Phase:
Takeoff (climb)
Flight Type:
Military
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Airport (less than 10 km from airport)
MSN:
7215
YOM:
1944
Location:
Padova
Veneto
Country:
Italy
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
0
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
Shortly after takeoff from Padova-Brusegana Airfield, while climbing, the pilot in command was forced to attempt an emergency landing for unknown reason. The aircraft crash landed in a field and came to rest. There were no casualties.

Crash of a Douglas VC-47A-25-DK in Ankara

Date & Time: Jan 6, 1950
Type of aircraft:
Douglas C-47 Skytrain (DC-3)
Operator:
Registration:
42-93509
Flight Phase:
Takeoff (climb)
Flight Type:
Military
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Airport (less than 10 km from airport)
MSN:
13429
YOM:
1944
Location:
Ankara
Central Anatolia Region (İç Anadolu Bölgesi)
Country:
Turkey
Region:
Asia
Crew on board:
0
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
Crashed on takeoff following an engine failure. There were no casualties.
Probable cause:
Engine failure.

Crash of a Boeing B-50A-30-BO Superfortress in Savannah: 11 killed

Date & Time: Dec 22, 1949 at 2117 LT
Type of aircraft:
Boeing B-50 Superfortress
Operator:
Registration:
47-110
Flight Phase:
Takeoff (climb)
Flight Type:
Military
Survivors:
No
Site:
Lake, Sea, Ocean, River
Schedule:
Chatham – Biggs
MSN:
15794
YOM:
1947
Location:
Savannah
Georgia
Country:
United States of America
Region:
North America
Crew on board:
11
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
11
Circumstances:
Five minutes after its takeoff from Chatham AFB, the aircraft went out of control and crashed in a swampy area located along the Savannah River. All 11 crew members were killed.
Crew:
Cpt George V. Scaringen, pilot,
Cpt. Andrew G. Walker, pilot,
Lt Rogers Hornsby Jr.,
1st Lt Robert W. Beckman, bombardier,
Cpt Anthony C. Colandro, radar navigator,
1st Lt James W. Johnson Jr., flight engineer,
T/Sgt Leonard B. Hughes, flight engineer,
S/Sgt Fred W. Cunningham, radio operator and gunner,
S/Sgt Manson L. Gregg, gunner,
S/Sgt Garnell W. Myers, gunner,
S/Sgt Billy C. Bristol, gunner.
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