Crash of an Ilyushin II-12 in Magdagachi: 5 killed

Date & Time: Nov 4, 1953 at 2155 LT
Type of aircraft:
Ilyushin II-12
Operator:
Registration:
CCCP-L1367
Flight Phase:
Landing (descent or approach)
Flight Type:
Postal (mail)
Survivors:
No
Site:
Airport (less than 10 km from airport)
Schedule:
Irkutsk – Chita – Magdagachi – Khabarovsk
MSN:
30 090
YOM:
31
Flight number:
SU005
Location:
Magdagachi
Amur oblast
Country:
Russia
Region:
Asia
Crew on board:
5
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
5
Aircraft flight hours:
4204
Circumstances:
During a final approach completed by night and marginal weather conditions, the airplane hit tree tops located 5,620 meters short of runway threshold. Upon impact, the left wing was sheared off and the airplane crashed 358 meters farther in a dense wooded area. The aircraft was destroyed and all five crew members were killed.
Probable cause:
The aircraft was approaching Magdagachi Airport at an insufficient altitude following a wrong altimeter setting on part of the flying crew.

Crash of a Beechcraft D18S in Rio de Janeiro

Date & Time: Aug 9, 1953 at 1100 LT
Type of aircraft:
Beechcraft D18
Operator:
Registration:
2837
Flight Phase:
Landing (descent or approach)
Flight Type:
Postal (mail)
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Airport (less than 10 km from airport)
Schedule:
São Francisco – Rio de Janeiro
MSN:
A-409
Location:
Rio de Janeiro-Galeão
Rio de Janeiro
Country:
Brazil
Region:
South America
Crew on board:
3
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
While approaching Rio de Janeiro-Galeão Airport on a mail flight from São Francisco on behalf of the Correio Aéreo Nacional, the crew encountered technical problems with the undercarriage that failed to deploy. He turn for about an hour over Rio de Janeiro and eventually performed a belly landing. The aircraft slid for dozen yards before coming to rest. All three occupants were unhurt while the aircraft was damaged beyond repair.
Probable cause:
Undercarriage failed to deploy.

Crash of a Douglas C-47A-75-DL Dakota 3 in Manchester: 2 killed

Date & Time: Mar 27, 1951
Type of aircraft:
Douglas C-47 Skytrain (DC-3)
Operator:
Air Transport Charter
Registration:
G-AJVZ
Flight Phase:
Takeoff (climb)
Flight Type:
Postal (mail)
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Airport (less than 10 km from airport)
Schedule:
Manchester – Belfast
MSN:
19361
YOM:
1943
Location:
Manchester-Ringway
Great Manchester
Country:
United Kingdom
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
3
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
2
Circumstances:
The crew was performing a mail flight from Manchester-Ringway Airport to Belfast-Nutts Corner Airfield. Just after liftoff from runway 06, the airplane encountered difficulties to gain height and hit a tree located 800 meters pas the runway end. It stalled, crashed in a field and was destroyed upon impact. Two crew members were killed while the third occupant was seriously injured.
Probable cause:
The inability of the aircraft to gain height shortly after becoming airborne, due to loss of engine power caused by ice formation in the carburetor intakes attributable to the captain's failure to make use of the heat controls. An extended undercarriage and the presence of snow on the wings may have been contributory factors.
Final Report:

Crash of a Beechcraft AT-11 Kansan in Rio Bonito: 3 killed

Date & Time: Sep 23, 1950 at 1100 LT
Type of aircraft:
Beechcraft AT-11 Kansan
Operator:
Registration:
1352
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Postal (mail)
Survivors:
No
Site:
Plain, Valley
Schedule:
Rio de Janeiro – Vitória
Location:
Rio Bonito
Rio de Janeiro
Country:
Brazil
Region:
South America
Crew on board:
2
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
1
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
3
Circumstances:
The crew was performing a flight from Rio de Janeiro-Galeão to Vitória for the Corréio Aéreo Nacional. The twin engine aircraft crashed in unknown circumstances in Rio Bonito, east of Rio de Janeiro. All three occupants were killed.

Crash of an Avro 652 Anson in Mons

Date & Time: Apr 26, 1950
Type of aircraft:
Avro 652 Anson
Operator:
Registration:
G-AIXW
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Postal (mail)
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Plain, Valley
Schedule:
London – Paris – Brussels
YOM:
1946
Location:
Mons
Hainaut
Country:
Belgium
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
2
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
The crew was performing a mail flight from London to Brussels with an intermediate stop in Paris, carrying a load of newspapers. En route, he was forced to make an emergency landing in Mons for undetermined reason. The twin engine aircraft was damaged beyond repair and both occupants were injured.

Crash of a Beechcraft D18S in Torres

Date & Time: Sep 28, 1948
Type of aircraft:
Beechcraft D18
Operator:
Registration:
2839
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Postal (mail)
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Plain, Valley
MSN:
A-411
Location:
Torres
Rio Grande do Sul
Country:
Brazil
Region:
South America
Crew on board:
2
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
Crashed in unknown circumstances in Torres while performing a flight for the Correio Aéreo Nacional. The aircraft was destroyed and both crew members were seriously injured.
Crew:
Cpt Lira,
Cpt Lamarão.

Crash of an AAC.1 Toucan in Gémenos: 3 killed

Date & Time: Jun 4, 1947 at 2200 LT
Type of aircraft:
AAC.1 Toucan
Operator:
Registration:
F-BANB
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Postal (mail)
Survivors:
No
Site:
Mountains
Schedule:
Nice – Marseille – Lyon – Paris
MSN:
136
YOM:
1945
Location:
Gémenos
Bouches-du-Rhône
Country:
France
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
3
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
3
Aircraft flight hours:
1226
Circumstances:
On the leg from Nice to Marseille, the crew started the descent to Marignane Airport when the three engine aircraft hit the slope of a mountain located in the Sainte-Beaume Mountain Range, near Gémenos. A crew member was seriously injured while both other occupants were killed. Two days later, the only survivor died from his injuries. Delivered in September 5, 1945, the aircraft entered in service in June 8, 1946 only.
Crew:
Gabriel Cahouet, pilot,
Henri Decoudray, radio navigator,
Robert Salles, mechanic.
Probable cause:
It is believed that the crew encountered a failure of the automatic direction finder while approaching Marseille by night. While cruising in low visibility due to clouds, the crew decided to reduce his altitude in an attempt to establish a visual contact with the ground when the aircraft hit a rocky mountain and crashed in flames.

Crash of a Curtiss C-46F-1-CU Commando in Osaka: 24 killed

Date & Time: Dec 10, 1946 at 1310 LT
Type of aircraft:
Curtiss C-46 Commando
Operator:
Registration:
44-78604
Flight Phase:
Takeoff (climb)
Flight Type:
Postal (mail)
Survivors:
No
Site:
Airport (less than 10 km from airport)
Schedule:
Tachikawa – Osaka – Fukuoka
MSN:
22427
YOM:
1945
Location:
Osaka-Itami
Kansai
Country:
Japan
Region:
Asia
Crew on board:
5
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
19
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
24
Circumstances:
Shortly after takeoff from runway 32, while in initial climb, the aircraft banked left and right, then nosed down and crashed in a paddy field. The aircraft was destroyed by impact forces and all 24 occupants, among them 3 civilians, were killed. The crew was completing a mail flight from Tachikawa AFB to Fukuoka with an intermediate stop in Osaka-Itami Airport. Weather conditions at the time of the accident were considered as marginal and it is believed that the left engine was not running at impact for reason that could not be determined with certainty.

Crash of a Douglas C-47A-25-DK near Bled: 5 killed

Date & Time: Aug 19, 1946
Type of aircraft:
Douglas C-47 Skytrain (DC-3)
Operator:
Registration:
42-93450
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Postal (mail)
Survivors:
No
Site:
Plain, Valley
Schedule:
Langenlebarn – Udine – Venice – Rome
MSN:
13363
YOM:
1944
Location:
Bled
Upper Carniola (Gorenjska)
Country:
Slovenia
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
2
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
3
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
5
Circumstances:
The aircraft was performing a military mail flight from Langenlebarn Airbase located northwest of Vienna to Rome, Italy, with intermediate stops in Udine and Venice, with three passengers and two pilots on board. After passing over Klagenfurt, south Austria, the crew encountered poor weather conditions and entered by mistake into the Yugoslav airspace. Shortly later, the aircraft was shot down by the pilot (Vladimir Vodopivec) of a Yugoslav Air Force Yakovlev Yak-3. Out of control, the aircraft dove into the ground and crashed in a field located near Bled, killing all five occupants. The registration 42-93450 is not confirmed.
Probable cause:
Shot down by the pilot of a Yugoslav Air Force fighter following the violation of the Yugoslav airspace.

Crash of a SNCAC NC.702 Martinet in Pontarmé: 2 killed

Date & Time: Jul 22, 1946
Type of aircraft:
SNCAC NC.701/702 Martinet
Operator:
Registration:
F-BBFA
Flight Phase:
Landing (descent or approach)
Flight Type:
Postal (mail)
Survivors:
No
Site:
Plain, Valley
Schedule:
Nice – Paris
MSN:
0124
Location:
Pontarmé
Oise
Country:
France
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
2
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
2
Aircraft flight hours:
76
Circumstances:
While descending to Paris-Le Bourget Airport while on a mail flight from Nice, the twin engine aircraft went into a nose down attitude and crashed in a huge explosion in a field located in Pontarmé, south of Senlis. The aircraft was destroyed and both crewmen were killed. Brand new, the aircraft was delivered to Air France last February 21st.
Crew:
Jean Moreau, pilot,
André Furelaud, radio navigator.
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