Crash of a Douglas C-53D-DO in Assam: 8 killed

Date & Time: Aug 20, 1957
Type of aircraft:
Douglas C-53 Skytrooper (DC-3)
Operator:
Registration:
VT-ARH
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Supply
Survivors:
No
Site:
Plain, Valley
MSN:
4851
YOM:
1942
Location:
Assam State
Assam
Country:
India
Region:
Asia
Crew on board:
8
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
8
Circumstances:
The crew was engaged in a supply mission over Assam, carrying a load of various goods that should be jettisoned. While completing a sharp turn at low height, the pilot lost control of the airplane that stalled and crashed. All eight occupants were killed.

Crash of a Douglas C-47 in Mt Pir Panjal: 1 killed

Date & Time: May 8, 1957
Type of aircraft:
Douglas C-47 Skytrain (DC-3)
Operator:
Registration:
HJ918
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Military
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Mountains
Location:
Pir Panjal Mountain Range
Jammu and Kashmir
Country:
India
Region:
Asia
Crew on board:
3
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
1
Circumstances:
Crashed in unknown circumstances in Pir Panjal Mountain Range. A crew member was killed while two others were rescued.

Crash of a Douglas C-47A-90-DL near Silchar: 1 killed

Date & Time: May 5, 1957
Type of aircraft:
Douglas C-47 Skytrain (DC-3)
Operator:
Registration:
VT-AUV
Flight Phase:
Takeoff (climb)
Flight Type:
Cargo
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Plain, Valley
Schedule:
Silchar – Calcutta
MSN:
20318
YOM:
1944
Location:
Silchar
Assam
Country:
India
Region:
Asia
Crew on board:
3
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
1
Circumstances:
Few minutes after takeoff from Silchar Airport, the crew encountered bad weather. The aircraft went out of control and crashed near the village of Santoshpur. A crewman was killed while two other occupants were injured. It appears the accident occurred in poor weather conditions with thunderstorm activity, turbulences and downdrafts.

Crash of a Douglas C-47A-25-DK in New Delhi: 5 killed

Date & Time: Mar 13, 1957 at 0915 LT
Type of aircraft:
Douglas C-47 Skytrain (DC-3)
Operator:
Registration:
VT-CFB
Flight Phase:
Landing (descent or approach)
Flight Type:
Training
Survivors:
No
Site:
City
Schedule:
New Delhi - New Delhi
MSN:
13626
YOM:
1944
Location:
New Delhi-Safdarjung
National Capital Territory of Delhi
Country:
India
Region:
Asia
Crew on board:
2
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
5
Circumstances:
VT-CFB took off from Safdarjung Airport at approximately 0832LT on a training flight. At 0839 it reported as being 20 miles north of Safdarjung Airport and at 5 000 ft. There was no further radiotelephony contact with the aircraft. At approximately 0915 hours it crashed 10 miles north of Safdarjung Airport and was destroyed by impact and fire. Both occupants were killed as were three inmates of a hut in the labour colony where the crash occurred.
Probable cause:
The accident was attributed to loss of control of the aircraft as a result of a spin, inadvertently entered into at a height too low for recovery.
Final Report:

Crash of a Douglas DC-3 in Agartala: 3 killed

Date & Time: Oct 19, 1956
Type of aircraft:
Douglas DC-3
Operator:
Registration:
VT-DGK
Flight Phase:
Landing (descent or approach)
Flight Type:
Cargo
Survivors:
No
Site:
Airport (less than 10 km from airport)
MSN:
KAL-2
Location:
Agartala
Tripura
Country:
India
Region:
Asia
Crew on board:
3
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
3
Circumstances:
On approach to Agartala Airport, the crew encountered poor weather conditions and the pilot-in-command decided to make a go around. A second attempt to land was abandoned few minutes later. Despite the fact that weather conditions were below minima, the crew started a third attempt to land. On final, as the pilot-in-command was unable to locate the runway, he decided to make a new go around when the aircraft struck trees and crashed in flames few km short of runway. The aircraft was destroyed by impact forces and a post crash fire and all three crew members were killed.
Probable cause:
Decision of the crew to attempt an approach and landing in below minima weather conditions.

Crash of a Douglas C-47A-30-DK Dakota III in Ahmedabad

Date & Time: May 18, 1956
Type of aircraft:
Douglas C-47 Skytrain (DC-3)
Operator:
Registration:
VT-CCD
Flight Phase:
Landing (descent or approach)
Flight Type:
Scheduled Revenue Flight
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Airport (less than 10 km from airport)
MSN:
14023/25468
YOM:
1944
Location:
Ahmedabad
Gujarat
Country:
India
Region:
Asia
Crew on board:
3
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
16
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
The aircraft landed hard and bounced several times on landing, causing the undercarriage to be sheared off. The aircraft came to rest and was damaged beyond repair and all 19 occupants escaped uninjured.

Crash of a Douglas C-47A-20-DK in Kathmandu: 15 killed

Date & Time: May 15, 1956
Type of aircraft:
Douglas C-47 Skytrain (DC-3)
Operator:
Registration:
VT-DBA
Flight Phase:
Landing (descent or approach)
Flight Type:
Scheduled Revenue Flight
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Airport (less than 10 km from airport)
Schedule:
Shimla – Kathmandu
MSN:
13165
YOM:
1944
Location:
Kathmandu
Bagmati
Country:
Nepal
Region:
Asia
Crew on board:
3
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
30
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
15
Circumstances:
The landing at Kathmandu-Tribhuvan was completed at an excessive speed. On touchdown, the aircraft bounced several times before landing firmly. After few dozen yards, the pilot-in-command added power in an attempt to go around when the airplane overran and crashed into a ravine. Nineteen occupants were injured while 14 others plus one person on the ground were killed.

Crash of a Douglas C-47A-60-DL in Indapur: 3 killed

Date & Time: Mar 31, 1956 at 0520 LT
Type of aircraft:
Douglas C-47 Skytrain (DC-3)
Operator:
National Air Operators
Registration:
VT-DCM
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Cargo
Survivors:
No
Site:
Plain, Valley
Schedule:
Asansol – Bagdogra
MSN:
10230
YOM:
1943
Location:
Indapur
Maharashtra
Country:
India
Region:
Asia
Crew on board:
3
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
3
Circumstances:
The crew left Asansol-Burnpur Airport at 0420LT on a cargo flight to Bagdogra. En route, weather conditions worsened and while cruising 48 km southwest of its intended destination at low height, the airplane encountered turbulences, went out of control and crashed in a prairie. All three crew members were killed.
Probable cause:
A downdraught which forced down the fully loaded aircraft to the ground when it was flying under exceptionally severe weather conditions below 1,000 feet, and possibly at a few hundred feet above the terrain.

Crash of a Douglas C-47A-20-DK in Tezpur: 2 killed

Date & Time: Mar 21, 1956
Type of aircraft:
Douglas C-47 Skytrain (DC-3)
Operator:
Registration:
VT-CGN
Flight Phase:
Landing (descent or approach)
Flight Type:
Scheduled Revenue Flight
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Airport (less than 10 km from airport)
MSN:
12989
YOM:
1944
Location:
Tezpur
Assam
Country:
India
Region:
Asia
Crew on board:
3
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
18
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
2
Circumstances:
On touchdown at Tezpur-Salonibari Airport, the airplane bounced several times, causing the right wing to struck the runway surface. Out of control, the airplane veered off runway and crashed. Both pilots were killed while all other occupants were injured. The aircraft was damaged beyond repair.
Probable cause:
Wrong approach configuration on part of the crew who failed to perform the flare according to procedures.
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