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National Capital Territory of Delhi

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 C-47A-90-DL in New Delhi: 3 killed

Date & Time: Feb 25, 1954 at 1100 LT
Type of aircraft:
Douglas C-47 Skytrain (DC-3)
Operator:
Registration:
VT-ATU
Flight Phase:
Landing (descent or approach)
Flight Type:
Test
Survivors:
No
Site:
City
Schedule:
New Delhi - New Delhi
MSN:
20358
YOM:
1944
Location:
New Delhi-Safdarjung
National Capital Territory of Delhi
Country:
India
Region:
Asia
Crew on board:
3
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
3
Circumstances:
The crew was completing a local test flight out from New Delhi-Safdarjung Airport, a mission that was part of the official investigations from the Indian Civil Aviation Authorities following the crash of a C-47 at Nagpur on 12 December 1953. On approach to Safdarjung Airport, the aircraft went out of control and crashed in the district of Jammu Bridge, near the airfield. While nobody on the ground was injured, all three crew members were killed.

Crash of a Douglas C-47A-25-DK in New Delhi: 18 killed

Date & Time: May 9, 1953 at 0128 LT
Type of aircraft:
Douglas C-47 Skytrain (DC-3)
Operator:
Registration:
VT-AUD
Flight Phase:
Takeoff (climb)
Flight Type:
Scheduled Revenue Flight
Survivors:
No
Site:
Airport (less than 10 km from airport)
Schedule:
New Delhi – Ahmedabad – Bombay
MSN:
13716
YOM:
1944
Location:
New Delhi-Palam
National Capital Territory of Delhi
Country:
India
Region:
Asia
Crew on board:
5
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
13
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
18
Circumstances:
Shortly after takeoff from runway 09 at New Delhi-Palam Airport, while climbing to a height of about 500 feet, the copilot made a steep turn to the right when the airplane stalled and crashed in a huge explosion in a wasteland located about 2 km southeast of the airfield. The aircraft was destroyed by impact forces and a post crash fire and all 18 occupants were killed.
Probable cause:
The probable cause was an error of judgment on the part of the supernumerary pilot, flying as first officer, who executed a steep starboard turn could not come out of the overbanked turn in time because of the low altitude. Inexperience of the pilot with the type of the aircraft he was flying is deemed to be an indirect cause of the accident.
Final Report:

Crash of a Douglas C-47A-25-DK in New Delhi: 9 killed

Date & Time: Apr 30, 1952
Type of aircraft:
Douglas C-47 Skytrain (DC-3)
Operator:
Registration:
VT-AUN
Flight Phase:
Landing (descent or approach)
Flight Type:
Scheduled Revenue Flight
Survivors:
No
Site:
Airport (less than 10 km from airport)
Schedule:
Madras – New Delhi
MSN:
13405
YOM:
1944
Location:
New Delhi-Safdarjung
National Capital Territory of Delhi
Country:
India
Region:
Asia
Crew on board:
3
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
6
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
9
Circumstances:
While descending to New Delhi-Safdarjung Airport, the pilot-in-command made a last turn to the left to join the approach path when the left engine failed. The airplane stalled and crashed in a field, killing all nine occupants.
Probable cause:
On account of the inclined attitude of the plane at the critical period during a steep turn of some duration, the port engine very likely became starved of fuel, as it was being fed from the port main tank which unlike the starboard which had more than adequate supply, at the time contained only about 18 gallons of petrol, a quantity inadequate to feed the engine in that position.

Crash of a Vickers 604 Viking 1B in New Delhi

Date & Time: Oct 8, 1948
Type of aircraft:
Vickers Viking
Operator:
Registration:
VT-CEJ
Flight Phase:
Takeoff (climb)
Flight Type:
Scheduled Revenue Flight
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Airport (less than 10 km from airport)
Schedule:
New Delhi – Calcutta
MSN:
143
YOM:
1946
Location:
New Delhi-Palam
National Capital Territory of Delhi
Country:
India
Region:
Asia
Crew on board:
4
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
19
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
During the takeoff roll, the left main tire burst. Severe vibrations caused the left main gear to collapse. The aircraft went out of control and veered off runway before coming to rest. All 23 occupants were uninjured while the aircraft was considered as damaged beyond repair.
Probable cause:
Tire burst and undercarriage collapsed during takeoff.

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

Date & Time: Sep 28, 1947
Type of aircraft:
Douglas C-47 Skytrain (DC-3)
Operator:
Flight Phase:
Landing (descent or approach)
Flight Type:
Military
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Airport (less than 10 km from airport)
Schedule:
Agra – New Delhi
Location:
New Delhi-Palam
National Capital Territory of Delhi
Country:
India
Region:
Asia
Crew on board:
5
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
15
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
5
Circumstances:
Crashed on landing in New Delhi-Palam Airport, killing all 5 crew members. The fifteen passengers were injured.

Crash of an Avro 685 York I in New Delhi

Date & Time: Nov 3, 1946
Type of aircraft:
Avro 685 York
Operator:
Registration:
MW225
Flight Phase:
Landing (descent or approach)
Flight Type:
Military
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Airport (less than 10 km from airport)
Schedule:
New Delhi – Northolt
MSN:
MW225
YOM:
1945
Location:
New Delhi-Palam
National Capital Territory of Delhi
Country:
India
Region:
Asia
Crew on board:
0
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
During the takeoff roll, the undercarriage were prematurely raised by one of the crew member. The captain continued and completed the rotation. After takeoff, he informed ATC about the situation and obtained the permission to return for an emergency landing. He completed a turn to the left and landed few minutes later. On touchdown, the undercarriage that were unlocked (due to previous damages) failed and the aircraft sank on its belly and came to rest. There were no casualties while the aircraft was written off.
Probable cause:
Premature raise of the undercarriage during takeoff.
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