Crash of a Douglas C-39 in Molesworth

Date & Time: Mar 9, 1944
Type of aircraft:
Douglas C-39 (DC-2)
Operator:
Registration:
VH-CCF
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Military
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Plain, Valley
MSN:
2087
YOM:
1939
Location:
Molesworth
Victoria
Country:
Australia
Region:
Oceania
Crew on board:
3
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
14
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
En route, crew encountered icing conditions and both engines did not run properly as the carburetor were iced. Captain decided to make an emergency landing when the aircraft hit trees and crashed in a farm land. All 17 occupants were able to evacuated themselves and nobody was hurt. However, the aircraft was damaged beyond repair.
Probable cause:
Engine dysfunction caused by carburetor icing.

Crash of a Douglas C-39 in Sioux City: 3 killed

Date & Time: Jan 31, 1944 at 0032 LT
Type of aircraft:
Douglas C-39 (DC-2)
Operator:
Registration:
38-501
Flight Phase:
Takeoff (climb)
Flight Type:
Military
Survivors:
No
Site:
Plain, Valley
Schedule:
Sioux City - Saint Joseph
MSN:
2059
YOM:
1939
Location:
Sioux City
Iowa
Country:
United States of America
Region:
North America
Crew on board:
3
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
3
Circumstances:
The aircraft left Sioux City Airport at 0028LT bound for the Saint Joseph-Rosecrans Airport, Missouri. While climbing, the twin engine aircraft went out of control and crashed 14 km from its departure point. The aircraft was destroyed and all three crewmen were killed.
Probable cause:
Loss of control caused by the explosion of the right engine (number 2) during initial climb.

Crash of a Douglas C-39 in Jeffersonville

Date & Time: Dec 12, 1942
Type of aircraft:
Douglas C-39 (DC-2)
Operator:
Registration:
38-514
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Military
Site:
Plain, Valley
MSN:
2071
YOM:
1939
Location:
Jeffersonville
Indiana
Country:
United States of America
Region:
North America
Crew on board:
0
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
1
Circumstances:
The aircraft crashed in unknown circumstances in Jeffersonville, some 3 km north of Louisville. There was at least one fatality, the captain John Nagel.

Crash of a Douglas C-39 in Bethel: 2 killed

Date & Time: Nov 30, 1942
Type of aircraft:
Douglas C-39 (DC-2)
Operator:
Registration:
38-516
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Training
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Plain, Valley
MSN:
2073
YOM:
1939
Location:
Bethel
Connecticut
Country:
United States of America
Region:
North America
Crew on board:
7
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
2
Circumstances:
En route, the crew encountered poor weather conditions with heavy rain falls. Five crew members were able to bail out. While probably attempting an emergency landing, the crew lost control of the aircraft that crashed in a pasture. Both pilots were killed.

Crash of a Douglas C-39 near Coamo: 22 killed

Date & Time: Oct 1, 1942 at 0930 LT
Type of aircraft:
Douglas C-39 (DC-2)
Operator:
Registration:
38-524
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Military
Survivors:
No
Site:
Mountains
Schedule:
Juana Díaz-Losey Field – San Juan
MSN:
2081
YOM:
1939
Location:
Coamo
All Puerto Rico
Country:
Puerto Rico
Region:
Central America
Crew on board:
5
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
17
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
22
Circumstances:
While flying in a valley in poor weather conditions, the aircraft hit a mountain shrouded in clouds. All 22 occupants were killed, among them three civilians. According to USAF, the aircraft hit the mountain slope sixty metres from the summit and the cloud base was around 1,200 metres. The twin engine aircraft was following a 150° heading and was flying at a cruising speed at the time of the accident.
Crew:
Francis H. Durant, pilot, 4.

Crash of a Douglas C-39 in Alice Springs: 9 killed

Date & Time: May 25, 1942 at 0357 LT
Type of aircraft:
Douglas C-39 (DC-2)
Operator:
Registration:
38-505
Flight Phase:
Takeoff (climb)
Flight Type:
Military
Survivors:
No
Site:
Airport (less than 10 km from airport)
Schedule:
Alice Springs – Daly Waters – Batchelor
MSN:
2062
YOM:
1939
Location:
Alice Springs
Northern Territory
Country:
Australia
Region:
Oceania
Crew on board:
4
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
5
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
9
Circumstances:
Due to poor weather conditions, the captain decided to postpone the departure for more than three hours. Two minutes after take off, while climbing by night, the aircraft stalled and crashed in flames in a desert area located few hundred yards from the airfield. The aircraft was destroyed by impact forces and post crash fire, and all nine occupants were killed.
Crew (21st Troop Carrier Squadron):
2nd Lt Russell L. Callison,
2nd Lt William A. O'Neill,
Pvt Martin J. Law,
Pvt Rolfe M. Smith.
Passengers:
2nd Lt Aubrey Lawless Tobias,
F/Lt Duncan Matheson,
LAC James Emmanuel Skillen 2.
Probable cause:
It appears the total weight of the aircraft was 2,762 pounds above the MTOW at the time of the accident.

Crash of a Douglas C-39 off Stuart: 7 killed

Date & Time: Mar 5, 1942
Type of aircraft:
Douglas C-39 (DC-2)
Operator:
Registration:
38-525
Flight Phase:
Landing (descent or approach)
Flight Type:
Military
Survivors:
No
Site:
Lake, Sea, Ocean, River
Schedule:
Dayton - Stuart
MSN:
2082
YOM:
1939
Location:
Stuart-Witham Field
Florida
Country:
United States of America
Region:
North America
Crew on board:
4
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
3
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
7
Circumstances:
The airplane departed Wright-Patterson AFB in Dayton on a flight to Stuart-Witham Field, Florida. On approach, it entered a sudden squall near Port Sewall. In heavy rain falls and turbulences, the airplane lost a wing, caught fire and plunged into the Saint Lucie River. All seven occupants were killed.
Crew:
2nd Lt John R. Evans, pilot,
1st Lt Harry E. Bullock Jr., copilot,
Sgt Ercel Stallard, flight engineer,
Cpl Clarence F. Ayers, radio operator.
Passengers:
2nd Lt Raymon D. Clements,
2md Lt Newton H. Simpson,
Sgt John A. Rutko.
Probable cause:
Wing failure in heavy turbulences.
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