Crash of a Douglas C-47A-10-DK in Along

Date & Time: Apr 7, 1964
Type of aircraft:
Douglas C-47 Skytrain (DC-3)
Operator:
Registration:
VT-CMD
Flight Phase:
Landing (descent or approach)
Flight Type:
Cargo
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Airport (less than 10 km from airport)
MSN:
12491
YOM:
1944
Location:
Along
Arunachal Pradesh
Country:
India
Region:
Asia
Crew on board:
3
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
4
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
On final approach to Along Airport, during the last segment, the copilot-in-command failed to realize that his altitude was insufficient. The airplane struck a fence, stalled and crashed in flames short of runway threshold. All seven occupants were rescued while the aircraft was partially destroyed by fire.
Probable cause:
The accident is attributed to the copilot's failure to effect a safe landing. The captain was not authorized to permit a landing by the copilot.

Crash of a Douglas C-47A-30-DL near Saku: 6 killed

Date & Time: Aug 3, 1959 at 1030 LT
Type of aircraft:
Douglas C-47 Skytrain (DC-3)
Operator:
Registration:
VT-DGP
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Cargo
Survivors:
No
Site:
Mountains
Schedule:
Mohanbari – Along
MSN:
9549
YOM:
1943
Location:
Saku
Arunachal Pradesh
Country:
India
Region:
Asia
Crew on board:
3
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
3
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
6
Circumstances:
Eleven minutes after he departed Mohanbari-Dibrugarh Airport, the pilot reported his position to ATC. Shortly later, the airplane struck a mountain and crashed near Saku. The aircraft was destroyed upon impact and all six occupants were killed.
Probable cause:
The accident was attributed to an error of navigation on the part of the pilot. He entered a wrong valley and without proper assessment of the performance of his fully-loaded aircraft in the space available attempted to make a steep insufficient to effect a recovery from the stall.
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