Crash of a Douglas C-47A-75-DL near Cebu City: 25 killed
Date & Time:
Mar 17, 1957 at 0140 LT
Operator:
Registration:
2100925
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Cebu City – Manila
MSN:
19388
YOM:
1944
Crew on board:
5
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
21
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
25
Circumstances:
Christened 'Mount Pinatubo', the airplane departed Cebu City past 0130LT bound for the capital city, carrying journalist, members of the government and Ramon Magsaysay, President of the Republic of The Philippines. While climbing by night, the right engine lost power then failed. The crew was unable to maintain a safe altitude when the airplane struck the slope of Mt Manunggal located about 35 km northwest of the Airport. Rescuers arrived on the scene in the early morning and a passenger, a journalist of the 'Philippine Herald' was seriously injured and evacuated while 25 other occupants were killed.
Probable cause:
The accident was the consequence of the failure of the spindle drive shaft on the carburetor that snapped during climb, causing the right engine to fail.
