Date & Time:
Jun 3, 1944
Type of aircraft:
Douglas C-47 Skytrain (DC-3)
Operator:
Registration:
FD886
Flight Phase:
Landing (descent or approach)
Flight Type:
Military
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Mountains
Schedule:
Biskra – Oujda
MSN:
9538
YOM:
1943
Country:
Morocco
Region:
Africa
Crew on board:
4
Crew fatalities:
4
Pax on board:
13
Pax fatalities:
12
Other fatalities:
0
Total fatalities:
16
Circumstances:
The aircraft left Biskra at 0643LT on a routine transport flight to Oujda. Five minutes before its own signaled ETA, the pilot took advantage of a hole in the cloud over which he had been flying for some considerable time, to get below the cloud. Upon breaking cloud, the aircraft was seen to circle in a valley. Unaccountably, the aircraft was seen to turn to port and climb into cloud away from a road and valley, which was clear, with visibility 4 to 5 miles below cloud. The mountaintop was covered by drifting cloud at the time and the aircraft was climbing steeply when it crashed. It crashed into the side of a mountain, killing 16 on board. One passenger survived.
Source:
http://aviation-safety.net/database/record.php?id=19440603-2
Source:
http://aviation-safety.net/database/record.php?id=19440603-2
Probable cause:
An Inquiry into the accident found that "the accident was a gross error of judgement by the pilot in flying blind unnecessarily when uncertain of his position, and for the navigator’s poor navigation who did not use all means at his disposal."
