Date & Time:
Dec 13, 1945
Type of aircraft:
Douglas C-47 Skytrain (DC-3)
Operator:
Registration:
6845
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Test
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Plain, Valley
Schedule:
Swartkop - Swartkop
MSN:
26114/14669
YOM:
1944
Country:
South Africa
Region:
Africa
Crew on board:
4
Crew fatalities:
0
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
0
Other fatalities:
0
Total fatalities:
0
Aircraft flight hours:
1843
Circumstances:
Few minutes after takeoff from Swartkop AFB, in the suburb of Pretoria, the crew noticed fuel streaming from the port fuel tank. The aircraft caught fire, forcing the crew to attempt an emergency landing in an open field. The aircraft came to rest in flames and while all four crew members escaped uninjured, the aircraft was partially destroyed by fire (center section, port engine, port fuselage and port elevator).
Crew:
Cpt W. L. Chiazzari,
Cpl F. O. Burger,
Cpl J. L. du Toit,
Cpl P. Harrall.
Source: http://www.dc-3.co.za
Crew:
Cpt W. L. Chiazzari,
Cpl F. O. Burger,
Cpl J. L. du Toit,
Cpl P. Harrall.
Source: http://www.dc-3.co.za
Probable cause:
The camouflage paint on the wings of the Dakota did not easily reveal the position of the fuel filler caps and the fact that the port filler cap was not locked tightly in place was not noticed during the preflight. After takeoff from Swartkop Airbase, the hot exhaust gases ignited the fumes and the airplane caught fire in flight, requiring an emergency landing.
