Crash of a Douglas C-47B-30-DK on Mt Boca: 27 killed
Date & Time:
Mar 2, 1963 at 1005 LT
Operator:
Registration:
PI-C489
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Zamboanga – Cotabato – Davao
MSN:
16115/32863
YOM:
1945
Flight number:
PR984
Crew on board:
3
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
24
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
27
Captain / Total hours on type:
6500.00
Circumstances:
Flight 984 was on a scheduled domestic flight from Zamboanga to Davao, with an intermediate stop at Cotabato. It departed Cotabato at 0940 hours, with a crew of three and twenty-four passengers, estimating Davao at 1025 hours. At 1002 hours the flight reported to the Company radio station at Cotabato that it was halfway to Davao, at Flight level 60, descending. Later on, it contacted the Company radio station at Davao and requested the Davao weather. After having received weather information the flight advised that its arrival would be delayed on account of bad weather. No aircraft difficulty was reported and this was the last message from the flight. When the aircraft failed to arrive, 30 minutes after its ETA a search was started. The aircraft was subsequently found on Mt. Boca, approximately 50 miles SE of Davao Airport, where it had crashed at an altitude of 3 000 ft around 1130 hours. All 27 occupants were killed.
Probable cause:
The probable cause of the accident was due to navigational error, en-route and during let-down. Contributory factors were the limited visibility and the crosswind, all existing on the final phase of the flight.
Final Report:
