Crash of an Airspeed AS.10 Oxford II in Turgutlu: 4 killed

Date & Time: Jun 24, 1949
Type of aircraft:
Airspeed AS.10 Oxford
Operator:
Registration:
4780
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Military
Survivors:
No
Site:
Plain, Valley
Schedule:
Afyon – Izmir
MSN:
130
YOM:
1938
Location:
Turgutlu
Aegean Region (Ege Bölgesi)
Country:
Turkey
Region:
Asia
Crew on board:
4
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
4
Circumstances:
Crashed in unknown circumstances in Turgutlu, killing all four crew members.

Crash of a Consolidated PBY-5A Catalina off Luperón: 4 killed

Date & Time: Jun 19, 1949
Type of aircraft:
Consolidated PBY Catalina
Operator:
La Legión Caribe
Registration:
N1096M
Flight Phase:
Takeoff (climb)
Flight Type:
Military
Survivors:
No
Site:
Lake, Sea, Ocean, River
MSN:
56
YOM:
1941
Location:
Luperón
Puerto Plata
Country:
Dominican Republic
Region:
Central America
Crew on board:
4
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
4
Circumstances:
The seaplane was used by personnel from the Legión Caribe to take part of the invasion of the Dominican Republic. As the invasion failed, the crew attempted to flee when the aircraft was shot downy by Dominican soldiers located in a speedboat. The seaplane caught fire and sank. All four crew members were killed.
Probable cause:
Shot down by Dominican soldiers.

Crash of a Douglas R4D-6 near Santa Monica: 7 killed

Date & Time: Jun 13, 1949
Type of aircraft:
Douglas C-47 Skytrain (DC-3)
Operator:
Registration:
17279
Flight Phase:
Landing (descent or approach)
Flight Type:
Military
Survivors:
No
Site:
Airport (less than 10 km from airport)
Schedule:
Moffett - Santa Monica
MSN:
14479/25924
YOM:
1944
Location:
Santa Monica
California
Country:
United States of America
Region:
North America
Crew on board:
7
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
7
Circumstances:
On approach to Santa Monica-Clover Field, the twin engine aircraft hit the slope of a mountain located in the Dry Canyon, some 5 miles north of the airport. All seven crew members were killed.

Crash of a Douglas C-47B-50-DK near Florianópolis: 28 killed

Date & Time: Jun 6, 1949 at 1400 LT
Type of aircraft:
Douglas C-47 Skytrain (DC-3)
Operator:
Registration:
2023
Flight Phase:
Takeoff (climb)
Flight Type:
Military
Survivors:
No
Site:
Mountains
Schedule:
Rio de Janeiro – Florianópolis – Porto Alegre
MSN:
17098/34365
YOM:
1945
Location:
Florianópolis
Santa Catarina
Country:
Brazil
Region:
South America
Crew on board:
6
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
22
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
28
Circumstances:
Few minutes after takeoff from Florianópolis Airport, while climbing in heavy rain falls, the aircraft hit the slope of Mt Cambirela located 14 km southwest of the airfield. Rescuers arrived on scene 27 hours later and all 28 occupants have been killed. Due to poor visibility caused by bad weather conditions, the crew was unable to distinguish the mountainous terrain.

Crash of a Douglas R4D-3 in Stephenville

Date & Time: May 30, 1949
Type of aircraft:
Douglas C-54 Skymaster
Operator:
Registration:
56532
Flight Phase:
Landing (descent or approach)
Flight Type:
Military
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Airport (less than 10 km from airport)
MSN:
22152
YOM:
1945
Location:
Stephenville
Newfoundland & Labrador
Country:
Canada
Region:
North America
Crew on board:
0
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
Crash landed in Stephenville-Ernest Harmon Airport, apparently following technical problems. There were no injuries but the aircraft was damaged beyond repair.

Crash of an Aero C.3A in Jevíčko: 7 killed

Date & Time: May 26, 1949 at 2323 LT
Type of aircraft:
Aero C-3A
Operator:
Registration:
S-15
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Military
Survivors:
No
Site:
Plain, Valley
Schedule:
Prostějov – Chrudim
MSN:
350
Location:
Jevíčko
Pardubice Region (Pardubický kraj)
Country:
Czech Republic
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
7
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
7
Circumstances:
The crew completed several maneuvers during the day, taking part to a training mission combined with a second Czech Air Force Aero C.3 registered S-11 and carrying a crew of seven as well. In the afternoon, both crew were instructed to stay at Prostějov due to poor weather conditions. At 2230LT, the headquarter informed both crew they were able to fly back to Chrudim as the weather improved. En route, both airplanes went out of control and crashed in the same time. S-11 crashed in a field northwest of Jaroměřice while S-15 crashed in a wooded area located on km southwest of Jevíčko. All 14 crew members on both aircraft were killed.
Crew:
Jiři Kolař,
Jan Pavliček,
František Hoffmann,
Jan Machalek,
František Kral,
Bartolomiew Jurec,
Zděnek Kolaček.
Probable cause:
At the time of the accident, weather conditions were marginal with the presence of a cold front. Both aircraft went out of control at the same time, apparently due to downdraft, turbulences or weather factors. According to the Czech Authorities, it seems unlikely that the fall of both aircraft is the consequence of a collision in flight. Analysis on S-15 revealed that the aircraft hit the ground at high speed, nose first (angle down to 75°) without its left wing.

Crash of an Aero C.3A in Jaroměřice: 7 killed

Date & Time: May 26, 1949 at 2323 LT
Type of aircraft:
Aero C-3A
Operator:
Registration:
S-11
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Military
Survivors:
No
Site:
Plain, Valley
Schedule:
Prostějov – Chrudim
MSN:
328
Location:
Jaroměřice
Pardubice Region (Pardubický kraj)
Country:
Czech Republic
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
7
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
7
Circumstances:
The crew completed several maneuvers during the day, taking part to a training mission combined with a second Czech Air Force Aero C.3 registered S-15 and carrying a crew of seven as well. In the afternoon, both crew were instructed to stay at Prostějov due to poor weather conditions. At 2230LT, the headquarter informed both crew they were able to fly back to Chrudim as the weather improved. En route, both airplanes went out of control and crashed in the same time. S-11 crashed in a field northwest of Jaroměřice while S-15 crashed in a wooded area located on km southwest of Jevíčko. All 14 crew members on both aircraft were killed.
Crew:
Leopold Margetin,
Jindřich Gubarjev,
Miroslav Tuček,
Antonin Beneš,
Rudolf Ďurčo,
František Drgoň,
Josef Daněk.
Probable cause:
At the time of the accident, weather conditions were marginal with the presence of a cold front. Both aircraft went out of control at the same time, apparently due to downdraft, turbulences or weather factors. According to the Czech Authorities, it seems unlikely that the fall of both aircraft is the consequence of a collision in flight. Analysis on S-15 revealed that the aircraft hit the ground at high speed, nose first (angle down to 75°) without its left wing.

Ground accident of a Douglas C-47B-40-DK Dakota C.4 in RAF North Luffenham

Date & Time: May 23, 1949
Type of aircraft:
Douglas C-47 Skytrain (DC-3)
Operator:
Registration:
KN551
Flight Phase:
Taxiing
Flight Type:
Military
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Airport (less than 10 km from airport)
MSN:
16830/33578
YOM:
1945
Location:
North Luffenham AFB
Rutland
Country:
United Kingdom
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
0
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
While holding for takeoff, the Dakota registered KN551 was hit by another RAF Dakota registered KJ810. The accident occurred in unclear circumstances and there were no injuries. While KJ810 was repaired, KN551 was damaged beyond repair.

Crash of a Consolidated PBY-5A Catalina in Detroit: 2 killed

Date & Time: May 15, 1949
Type of aircraft:
Consolidated PBY Catalina
Operator:
Registration:
34014
Flight Phase:
Landing (descent or approach)
Flight Type:
Military
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Lake, Sea, Ocean, River
Location:
Detroit
Michigan
Country:
United States of America
Region:
North America
Crew on board:
8
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
2
Circumstances:
Water looped while landing in the Detroit River, in Detroit. Two crew members were killed and six others were injured. The aircraft was lost.

Crash of a North American B-25J Mitchell in Kroya: 8 killed

Date & Time: May 14, 1949
Type of aircraft:
North American B-25 Mitchell
Operator:
Registration:
M-409
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Military
Survivors:
No
Site:
Plain, Valley
Location:
Kroya
Central Java
Country:
Indonesia
Region:
Asia
Crew on board:
8
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
8
Circumstances:
Crashed in unknown circumstances near Kroya, killing all eight crew members.
Crew (18th Squadron):
George Edward Durand,
Johan Wilhelm Gerharz,
Reinier Emil Jessurun 5.
Thanks to Bert van Willigenburg for his contribution.
Source & photos: http://www.dornierdo24k.nl/
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