Country
India

Crash of a Douglas C-47A-20-DK in Rajshahi: 4 killed

Date & Time: May 24, 1962
Type of aircraft:
Douglas C-47 Skytrain (DC-3)
Operator:
Darbhanga Aviation
Registration:
VT-AYG
Flight Phase:
Landing (descent or approach)
Flight Type:
Cargo
Survivors:
No
Site:
Airport (less than 10 km from airport)
MSN:
12848
YOM:
1944
Location:
Rajshahi
Rajshahi
Country:
Bangladesh
Region:
Asia
Crew on board:
4
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
4
Circumstances:
While descending to Rajshahi Airport, the left engine failed. The airplane stalled and crashed in a field located few km short of runway threshold. The aircraft was destroyed and all four crew members were killed.
Probable cause:
Failure of the pilot to take proper emergency action and indiscretion exercised following failure of port engine due to fatigue. Loss of power due to overheating and malfunctioning of the starboard engine and blowing off in air of its three cylinder heads during prolonged single engine flight with aircraft fully loaded.

Crash of a Douglas C-47A-30-DK in Calcutta: 5 killed

Date & Time: Apr 30, 1954 at 0918 LT
Type of aircraft:
Douglas C-47 Skytrain (DC-3)
Operator:
Darbhanga Aviation
Registration:
VT-DEM
Flight Phase:
Takeoff (climb)
Flight Type:
Charter/Taxi (Non Scheduled Revenue Flight)
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Airport (less than 10 km from airport)
Schedule:
Calcutta – Bālurghāt
MSN:
13792/25237
YOM:
1944
Location:
Calcutta
West Bengal
Country:
India
Region:
Asia
Crew on board:
3
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
8
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
5
Circumstances:
Shortly after takeoff from Calcutta-Dum Dum Airport, while in initial climb, the port engine failed. The aircraft pitched up, stalled and eventually crashed in a coconut grove located about one km from the airfield. All three crew members and two passengers were killed while six other occupants were injured. The aircraft was destroyed.
Probable cause:
It was determined that the probable cause of the accident was as follow:
- Delay in feathering after failure of the port engine (due to inexperience of the pilot in emergency procedures), which resulted in a loss of height,
- the subsequent attempt to establish a climb with a nose-high attitude (to get over the obstructions), below the recommended single-engine rate of climb speed, with both gear and flaps up,
- the progressive loss of airspeed which finally resulted in a stall on a coconut tree. Although there is no doubt that the profuse smoke emanating from the port engine was due to the failure of the engine, it was not possible to determine the primary cause of that failure.
Final Report:
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