Zhejiang | Bureau of Aircraft Accidents Archives

Parked on the apron at Hangzhou-Xiaoshan Airport, the airplane was prepared for a cargo service to Novosibirsk with 8 crew members and a load of 20 tons of various goods on board. A fire erupted in the cargo compartment. The crew evacuated the aircraft and was uninjured while the aircraft was partially destroyed by fire and broke in two.

Crash of a Shijiazhuang Yunsunji Y-5B in Ningbo

Date & Time: Nov 19, 1999

Type of aircraft:

Shijiazhuang Yunsunji Y-5

Operator:

Jiangnan Universal Aviation

Registration:

B-8479

Flight Phase:

Landing (descent or approach)

Flight Type:

Scheduled Revenue Flight

Survivors:

Yes

Site:

Airport (less than 10 km from airport)

MSN:

0107

YOM:

1990

Location:

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Circumstances:

Ten minutes after takeoff from Ningbo Airport, the crew informed ATC about engine problems and was cleared to return. After making a 180 turn, the crew started the descent and was eventually forced to attempt an emergency landing. The aircraft crashed in a rice paddy field located near the runway threshold. All seven occupants escaped uninjured while the aircraft was damaged beyond repair after it lost its undercarriage and one wing.

Probable cause:

Engine failure due to oil exhaustion.

Crash of a Tupolev TU-154M in Wenzhou: 61 killed

Date & Time: Feb 24, 1999 at 1634 LT

Type of aircraft:

Tupolev TU-154

Operator:

Registration:

B-2622

Flight Phase:

Landing (descent or approach)

Flight Type:

Scheduled Revenue Flight

Survivors:

Site:

Airport (less than 10 km from airport)

Schedule:

Chengdu - Wenzhou

MSN:

90A846

YOM:

1990

Flight number:

SZ4509

Location:

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Aircraft flight hours:

14135

Aircraft flight cycles:

7748

Circumstances:

Following an uneventful flight from Chengdu, the crew was cleared to descend to Wenzhou Airport. While passing 9,000 metres on descent, the crew encountered technical difficulties with the control column that was too far forward. At 1629LT, the crew was cleared to descend from 1,200 to 700 metres when the aircraft entered a nose-down attitude. Flaps were selected down (first stage) when the AOA alarm sounded in the cockpit. The aircraft entered an uncontrolled descent and crashed in an open field. It disintegrated on impact and all 61 occupants were killed. Several farmers were injured by debris.

Probable cause:

A self-locking nut, other than castle nut with cotter pin as specified, had been installed at the bolt for connection between pull rod and bellcranck in the elevator control system. The nut screwed off, resulting in bolt loss, which led to the loss of pitch control.

Crash of a Curtiss C-46 near Hangzhou: 26 killed

Date & Time: Jan 28, 1947

Type of aircraft:

Curtiss C-46 Commando

Operator:

Flight Phase:

Flight

Flight Type:

Scheduled Revenue Flight

Survivors:

Site:

Plain, Valley

Schedule:

Shanghai – Hangzhou – Chongqing

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Circumstances:

About 30 minutes after its departure from Hangzhou Airport, the twin engine aircraft crashed in unknown circumstances. 25 occupants were killed while a passenger was seriously injured and evacuated to a local hospital. The only survivor died from his injuries few hours later. Several foreign citizens were among the victims. As this accident was the eighth in China since last December 15, 1946, the State Secretary of Transport decided to suspend the operations of all Chinese operators for few days.

Crash of a Douglas DC-3C near Suichang: 20 killed

Date & Time: Oct 20, 1945 at 0840 LT

Type of aircraft:

Douglas DC-3

Operator:

Registration:

104

Flight Phase:

Flight

Flight Type:

Scheduled Revenue Flight

Survivors:

Site:

City

Schedule:

Shanghai – Hong Kong

MSN:

20868

YOM:

1944

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Circumstances:

The aircraft left Shanghai at 0720LT bound for Hong Kong. At 0840LT, the radio operator contacted Nanking ground control when communication was cut. The aircraft crashed on several houses in a village located about 20 km northeast of Suichang, in the province of Zhejiang. All 13 occupants, among them staff of the Aviation Inspection Institute, were killed. In the village, few houses were destroyed and seven people were killed while four others were injured.
Crew:
Cpt Frank L. Higgs, pilot,
Tang Ji, copilot,
Weng XiJun, radio operator,
Zhou Yuan, flight engineer,
Zhao KeFei,
Yang Qida.

Crash of a Douglas C-47 in Hangzhou: 2 killed

Date & Time: Mar 7, 1944

Type of aircraft:

Douglas C-47 Skytrain (DC-3)

Operator:

Registration:

Flight Phase:

Takeoff (climb)

Flight Type:

Cargo

Survivors:

Site:

Airport (less than 10 km from airport)

MSN:

19452

YOM:

1944

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Circumstances:

Shortly after takeoff from Hangzhou, aircraft encountered problems to gain height. The twin engine aircraft hit trees, stalled and crashed in a huge explosion. The aircraft was destroyed by impact forces and post crash fire and both pilots were killed. Crew was completing a cargo flight with a cargo consisting of alcohol boxes.

Probable cause:

Aircraft was unable to climb after takeoff because its total weight was well above the MTOW.

Crash of a Sikorsky S-38 off Ningbo: 1 killed

Date & Time: Aug 10, 1934

Type of aircraft:

Sikorsky S-38

Operator:

Flight Phase:

Flight

Flight Type:

Scheduled Revenue Flight

Survivors:

Yes

Site:

Lake, Sea, Ocean, River

Location:

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Circumstances:

Crashed in unknown circumstances in the Bay of Ningbo. At least one crew member was killed.

Crash of a Sikorsky S-38B in the Hangzhou Bay: 4 killed

Date & Time: Apr 10, 1934

Type of aircraft:

Sikorsky S-38

Operator:

Registration:

NC17V

Flight Phase:

Flight

Flight Type:

Scheduled Revenue Flight

Survivors:

Site:

Lake, Sea, Ocean, River

Schedule:

Shanghai - Guangzhou

MSN:

414-08

YOM:

1929

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Circumstances:

One hour after his departure from Shanghai, while overflying the Bay of Hangzhou, the crew encountered foggy conditions and informed his base he was returning to Shanghai. A brief message was transmitted with two audible words 'turning back'. Shortly later, the seaplane crashed in the Bay of Hangzhou, south of Shanghai. Some debris were found 10 days later and the dead body of the captain was found four months later. The passenger was a Japanese citizen.
Crew:
Robert H. Gast, pilot,
James Frink, pilot,
Ivan Carlson, radio operator.

Probable cause:

The cause of the accident could not be determined.

Crash of a Sikorsky S-38B in Hangzhou

Date & Time: Nov 24, 1933 at 0830 LT

Type of aircraft:

Sikorsky S-38

Operator:

Registration:

NC16V

Flight Phase:

Landing (descent or approach)

Flight Type:

Scheduled Revenue Flight

Survivors:

Yes

Site:

Mountains

Schedule:

Shanghai – Hangzhou

MSN:

314-20

YOM:

1930

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Circumstances:

On approach to Hangzhou, the crew reduced his altitude due to low visibility caused by foggy conditions. As the Captain was unable to locate the landing area in the Hangzhou Bay, he initiated a go around procedure. During the last turn, while flying too low, the float plane impacted a hill and crashed. All 11 occupants were injured and the aircraft was destroyed.