Crash of a Douglas C-47B-1-DK near Garneh

Date & Time: Mar 19, 1947
Operator:
Registration:
43-48303
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
MSN:
14119/25564
YOM:
1944
Location:
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
0
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
Enroute, the crew was forces to make an emergency landing near Garneh. The aircraft belly landed and came to rest, written off. There were no casualties.

Crash of a Douglas C-47A-90-DL on Mt Moucherolle: 23 killed

Date & Time: Mar 14, 1947 at 1530 LT
Operator:
Registration:
F-BAXO
Flight Phase:
Survivors:
No
Site:
Schedule:
Nice – Lyon – Paris
MSN:
20488
YOM:
1944
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
5
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
18
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
23
Circumstances:
The aircraft left Nice-Côte d'Azur Airport at 1330LT bound for Paris-Le Bourget with an intermediate stop in Lyon-Bron. The ETA in Bron was 1600LT. About half an hour prior to his scheduled arrival in Lyon, the crew informed ATC in Montélimar-Ancône that he was flying east of Valence, approaching Grenoble, and that he was encountering poor weather conditions with heavy snow falls. Few minutes later, the aircraft hit the east slope of Mt Moucherolle and crashed at an altitude of 2,289 meters. The wreckage was found a day later and all 23 occupants were killed. Apparently due to weather conditions, the aircraft was flying too low and off track at the time of the accident, maybe following a navigational error on part of the crew.
Crew:
Eugène Poulon, pilot,
Yves Lucchesi, copilot,
Roger Bourgne, radio navigator,
Marcel Wauthier, mechanic,
Marcel Bouthien, steward.

Crash of a Douglas C-47 on Mt Burangrang: 26 killed

Date & Time: Mar 12, 1947 at 0930 LT
Operator:
Registration:
VHREZ
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Site:
Schedule:
Batavia - Bandung
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
2
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
24
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
26
Circumstances:
The airplane was completing a flight from Batavia to Bandung, carrying 24 passengers and a crew of two. While descending to Bandung Airport, the crew encountered poor weather conditions with clouds and rain falls. In poor visibility, the airplane struck the slope of Mt Burangrang. The wreckage was found 23 days later and all 26 occupants were killed.
Probable cause:
It was determined that the aircraft drifted off the airway due to strong east winds, resulting in a controlled flight into terrain.

Crash of a Douglas C-47-DL near Villavicencio: 9 killed

Date & Time: Mar 8, 1947 at 1459 LT
Operator:
Registration:
C-400
Flight Phase:
Survivors:
No
Site:
Schedule:
Villavicencio – Bogota
MSN:
4792
YOM:
1942
Country:
Crew on board:
4
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
5
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
9
Circumstances:
Twelve minutes after its takeoff from Villavicencio-La Vanguardia Airport, while climbing in poor weather conditions, the twin engine aircraft hit the slope of a mountain located 25 km northwest of the airport. The wreckage was found four days later. All nine occupants have been killed.

Crash of a Douglas C-47B-15-DK Dakota C.4 on Ischia Island: 13 killed

Date & Time: Mar 8, 1947
Operator:
Registration:
KK122
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Site:
Schedule:
Hassani – Rome – Northolt
MSN:
15131/26576
YOM:
1944
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
3
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
10
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
13
Circumstances:
Enroute from Hassani Airbase, Egypt, to Northolt, with an intermediate stop in Rome, the crew encountered poor weather conditions. Due to low visibility, the crew did not realize he was off track when the aircraft hit the slope of Mt Epomeo (787 meters high) located in the center of the Ischia Island. The aircraft was destroyed and all 13 occupants were killed.
Crew (216th Squadron):
Lt Frederick Thompson Bruce, pilot,
David Paton, copilot,
Frank George Lewis, navigator.
Passengers:
Reginald Charles Arthur Bawler,
Sgt Eric William Rowe,
Mrs Cicely U. R. Pay,
Mr Simon Pay,
Pvt Edmund James Dilley,
Pvt William Malone,
Lt Cdr Leonard Ernest Scotchbrook,
Lt Col W. G. H. Miles,
Mr Thomas Simon Coates Gill.
Mr Aghanur Harouthunian.

Crash of a Douglas C-47B-10-DK in Caucasus: 23 killed

Date & Time: Mar 5, 1947 at 0953 LT
Operator:
Registration:
CCCP-L952
Flight Phase:
Survivors:
No
Site:
Schedule:
Tbilisi – Moscou-Vnoukovo
MSN:
14874/26319
YOM:
14
Flight number:
SU034
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
4
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
19
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
23
Aircraft flight hours:
2236
Circumstances:
About an hour and 13 minutes after departure from Tbilisi Airport, the crew decided to modify his route to save time. Few minutes later, while cruising vertical of the Caucasus Mountain Range, the crew encountered poor weather conditions when the aircraft hit the slope of a mountain. SAR operations were conducted but eventually suspended few days later as no trace of the aircraft nor the 23 occupants was found. The wreckage was found by walkers in an isolated and mountainous area of north Georgia on June 20, 1947.
Probable cause:
Wrong decision on part of the crew to change the itinerary, against all published procedures and navigational rules.

Crash of a Douglas C-47B-20-DK Dakota C.4 in Yangon

Date & Time: Feb 28, 1947
Operator:
Registration:
KN203
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
MSN:
14820/26265
YOM:
1945
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
0
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
On approach, the aircraft overshot and then crashed in an open field located 800 meters past the runway end. There were no casualties but the aircraft was written off.

Crash of a Douglas C-47B-15-DK Dakota C.4 into the China Sea: 12 killed

Date & Time: Feb 26, 1947
Operator:
Registration:
KK120
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Singapore – Saigon
MSN:
14129/26574
YOM:
1944
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
3
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
9
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
12
Circumstances:
Crashed into the China Sea while enroute from Singapore to Saigon. SAR operations were suspended after few days as no trace of the aircraft nor the 12 occupants was found. The exact cause and circumstances of the accident could not be determined with certainty. However, the British Authorities reported that weather conditions were poor at the time of the accident, with turbulence. Among the occupants was the Brigadier James Hill Alms.

Crash of a Douglas C-47 in Chongqing: 21 killed

Date & Time: Feb 21, 1947 at 1600 LT
Operator:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Kunming – Chongqing
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
4
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
17
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
21
Circumstances:
On final approach to Chongqing-Baishiyi Airport, the aircraft stalled and crashed in flames few hundred yards short of runway threshold. All 21 occupants were killed.
Probable cause:
According to Chinese Authorities, the loss of control was caused by an excessive accumulation of ice on all aircraft surfaces.