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Crash of a Vickers 768D Viscount in Colombo

Date & Time: Nov 15, 1961 at 1421 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
VT-DIH
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Madras – Colombo
MSN:
195
YOM:
1957
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
6
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
36
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Captain / Total flying hours:
11942
Captain / Total hours on type:
632.00
Copilot / Total flying hours:
11184
Copilot / Total hours on type:
683
Circumstances:
During the landing at Ratmalana Airport, Ceylon, following a scheduled flight from Madras, India, the aircraft touched down about one third down the runway and swerved off to the left with its wheels in the 'up' position. The aircraft was substantially damaged. None of the 6 crew members or 36 passengers aboard was injured. The accident took dace at 0851 hours GMT (1421LT).
Probable cause:
The copilot interfered with the controls, and initiated over shoot action without any instructions from the captain, by opening the throttles and retracting the undercarriage at the critical stage of landing just after touchdown. The action of the copilot, however well meant, was both unauthorized and unwarranted.
Final Report:

Crash of a Douglas C-47A-80-DL in Calcutta

Date & Time: Aug 26, 1961 at 1200 LT
Operator:
Registration:
VT-AXA
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
MSN:
19874
YOM:
1944
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
3
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
Just after liftoff, the airplane stalled and crashed in flames. All three crew members were injured and the aircraft was destroyed.
Probable cause:
It was reported the rotation was completed prematurely and the aircraft's speed was too low, causing it to stall.

Crash of a Douglas C-47A-20-DK near Taksing: 9 killed

Date & Time: Jan 3, 1960 at 1040 LT
Operator:
Registration:
VT-CGG
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Site:
Schedule:
Jorhat - Taksing - Jorhat
MSN:
12821
YOM:
1944
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
8
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
1
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
9
Aircraft flight hours:
17868
Circumstances:
The crew left Jorhat on a supply mission to Taksing, Arunachal Pradesh. Following a navigation error, the aircraft went into a narrow valley and the captain, not familiarized with the region, made a turn to leave the area when the airplane stalled and crashed in a mountainous terrain. The aircraft was destroyed and all nine occupants were killed.
Probable cause:
The accident was attributed to an error of navigation which caused the pilot to enter a wrong valley. During an attempt to turn back in a restricted area, the aircraft stalled and crashed. The fact that this was the pilot's first flight to this dropping zone, and he was not familiar with the terrain, contributed to the accident.

Crash of a Douglas C-47A-90-DL near Silchar: 24 killed

Date & Time: Mar 29, 1959 at 1045 LT
Operator:
Registration:
VT-CGI
Flight Phase:
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Calcutta – Agartala – Silchar – Imphal
MSN:
20176
YOM:
1944
Location:
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
4
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
20
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
24
Circumstances:
While descending to Silchar Airport, the crew encountered poor weather conditions with heavy turbulences. The airplane nosed down and eventually crashed in a field located 56 km west of Silchar Airport. The airplane was destroyed upon impact and all 24 occupants were killed.
Probable cause:
Structural failure occurred while the aircraft was flying through a thunderstorm. The failure originated in the port centre section and was due to loads which exceeded the ultimate design value for the structure. It was not possible to establish whether the pilot adopted the correct procedure for flying in turbulence.

Crash of a Douglas C-47A-10-DK near Tobu: 5 killed

Date & Time: Mar 12, 1959 at 1410 LT
Operator:
Registration:
VT-CYH
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Schedule:
Jorhat - Noklok - Jorhat
MSN:
12493
YOM:
1944
Location:
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
3
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
4
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
5
Circumstances:
The aircraft left Jorhat-Rowriah Airport on a supply-dropping mission to Noklok. En route, weather conditions deteriorated and the crew informed ground he was returning to Jorhat. Shortly later, while cruising in low visibility, the airplane struck the slope of a mountain located in the Naga Mountain Range. The wreckage was found near Tobu and two passengers were rescued while five other occupants were killed. The airplane was demolished.
Probable cause:
The aircraft crashed during an attempt by the pilot to clear high terrain under poor visibility conditions. He had previously descended to a low altitude in order to determine his position.

Crash of a Douglas C-54A-DO Skymaster in Chennai

Date & Time: Sep 8, 1958
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
VT-DIA
Survivors:
Yes
MSN:
3094
YOM:
1943
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
4
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
27
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
En route to Madras, the primary hydraulic system failed. The crew failed to identify the failure properly and after touchdown at Madras Airport, the brake systems were partially inoperative. Unable to stop within the remaining distance, the airplane overran, struck obstacles, lost its undercarriage and came to a halt. All 31 occupants were evacuated safely while the aircraft was considered as damaged beyond repair.
Probable cause:
Failure of the primary hydraulic system in flight due a wrong installed gasket.

Crash of a Douglas C-47A-75-DL in Dhaka: 3 killed

Date & Time: Jul 9, 1958 at 1405 LT
Operator:
Registration:
VT-CYM
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Agartala – Dhaka
MSN:
19317
YOM:
1943
Location:
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
3
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
3
Circumstances:
While approaching Dhaka Airport, weather conditions suddenly deteriorated. In thunderstorm activity, the crew lost control of the airplane that crashed few km from the airfield. All three crew members were killed.
Probable cause:
Loss of control due to in-flight structural failure caused by atmospheric turbulences.

Crash of a Douglas C-47A-50-DL near Damroh: 5 killed

Date & Time: Jun 25, 1958 at 1100 LT
Operator:
Registration:
VT-COJ
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Schedule:
Mohanbari – Damroh
MSN:
10051
YOM:
1943
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
3
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
4
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
5
Captain / Total flying hours:
7131
Captain / Total hours on type:
6833.00
Copilot / Total flying hours:
2115
Copilot / Total hours on type:
1797
Aircraft flight hours:
12576
Circumstances:
The aircraft took off from Mohanbari at 0902 hours Indian standard time for a supply dropping sortie to Damroh. It was in contact with Mohanbari at 1028 hours when it was over Pasighat awaiting the weather to clear over Damroh. There was no further contact. At about 1345 hours the Duty Officer, Jorhat Control Tower received a message from Assistant Political Officer, Damroh that the aircraft had crashed at 1100 hours and four crew had been killed. In all there had been 3 flight crew and 4 ejection crew aboard the aircraft. One of the three seriously injured survivors died subsequently. The aircraft was damaged beyond repair.
Probable cause:
While manoeuvring at a low height in mountainous terrain during a supply dropping mission the port wing grazed the side of a hill thus causing the aircraft to slew and crash. A contributory factor might have been the mismanagement of the fuel system which caused temporary loss of engine power and height.
Final Report:

Crash of a Douglas C-47A-85-DL near Kathmandu: 20 killed

Date & Time: Mar 24, 1958
Operator:
Registration:
VT-CYN
Survivors:
No
Site:
Schedule:
Shimla-Katmandou
MSN:
19988
YOM:
1944
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
4
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
16
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
20
Circumstances:
The crew started the descent to Kathmandu in poor weather conditions when the airplane crashed on a mountainous area located about 20 km from the airport. Following a navigational error on part of the pilots, the airplane followed a wrong approach path to Kathmandu Airport and went into the wrong valley. At the last moment, the pilot-in-command made a sharp turn to avoid the mountain but the aircraft stalled due to an insufficient speed and crashed on a rocky slope. The aircraft was destroyed upon impact and all 20 occupants have been killed.
Probable cause:
Navigation error on part of the flying crew. Lack of visibility caused by poor weather conditions was considered as a contributing factor.

Crash of a Douglas C-47A-25-DK in Calcutta: 4 killed

Date & Time: Sep 1, 1957 at 0530 LT
Operator:
Registration:
VT-AUA
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Calcutta - Pasighat
MSN:
13245
YOM:
1944
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
4
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
4
Circumstances:
The crew received the permission to line up on runway 01L at Calcutta-Dum Dum Airport to perform a cargo flight to Pasighat. One minute later, the aircraft was struck by an Airwork Handley Page H.P.81 Hermes IV/A that was landing on the same runway. The C-47 was destroyed upon impact and all four crew members were killed. The Hermes stopped few dozen yards farther and was later considered as damaged beyond repair. At the time of the accident, the visibility was 2,000 yards by night.
Probable cause:
An error on the part of the Commander of the Hermes aircraft in turning down the R/T during the final stage of the radar assisted approach and in deciding to continue the approach under conditions which did not enable him to identify positively the correct runway.
Final Report: