Douglas C-47 Skytrain (DC-3) | Bureau of Aircraft Accidents Archives

About 13 minutes after takeoff from Palembang Airport, the crew reported the failure of the right engine and elected to return for a safe landing. In marginal weather conditions, the captain descended through the clouds with a rate of 300 feet per minute and after passing the last cloud layer, the aircraft banked right and crashed in a swampy area located 5 km short of runway threshold. A pilot was killed while the second crew was injured. The aircraft was destroyed.

Probable cause:

Failure of the right engine, a lack of precaution on the part of the captain and marginal weather. A contributing factor may have been the overloaded condition of the aircraft, however, not to such an extent that it forced the aircraft to descend to a dangerously low altitude.

Crash of a Douglas C-47A-DL in Cumuruxatiba: 6 killed

Date & Time: Dec 4, 1959

Type of aircraft:

Douglas C-47 Skytrain (DC-3)

Operator:

Registration:

2060

Flight Phase:

Flight

Flight Type:

Training

Survivors:

Site:

Plain, Valley

MSN:

20074

YOM:

1944

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

Crashed in unknown circumstances in Cumuruxatiba while conducting a training mission. All six crew members were killed.

Crash of a Douglas VC-47D near Oslo: 4 killed

Date & Time: Dec 2, 1959

Type of aircraft:

Douglas C-47 Skytrain (DC-3)

Operator:

Registration:

43-49024

Flight Phase:

Flight

Flight Type:

Military

Survivors:

Site:

Plain, Valley

MSN:

14840/26285

YOM:

1944

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

Crashed in unknown circumstances 16 km north of Oslo while cruising in foggy conditions. All four crew members were killed.

Crash of a Douglas C-47-DL in Maiquetía: 3 killed

Date & Time: Dec 1, 1959 at 1111 LT

Type of aircraft:

Douglas C-47 Skytrain (DC-3)

Operator:

Registration:

YV-C-AKU

Flight Phase:

Takeoff (climb)

Flight Type:

Test

Survivors:

Site:

Airport (less than 10 km from airport)

Schedule:

Maiquetía – Maiquetía

MSN:

4581

YOM:

1942

Location:

Caracas-Maiquetía-Simón Bolívar

Vargas

Country:

Venezuela

Region:

South America

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

The crew was in charge to perform a local test flight out from Maiquetía-Simon Bolivar Airport. Shortly after takeoff, while climbing, the crew informed ATC about technical problems with the right engine and obtained the permission to return for an emergency landing. Shortly later, the airplane crashed on Mt Playa Grande near the airport. The aircraft was destroyed and all three crew members were killed.

Probable cause:

The accident was caused by an overspeeding propeller followed by failure of the starboard engine.

Crash of a Douglas C-47 in Hong Kong

Date & Time: Nov 15, 1959

Type of aircraft:

Douglas C-47 Skytrain (DC-3)

Operator:

Registration:

L2-28/02

Flight Phase:

Taxiing

Flight Type:

Military

Survivors:

Yes

Site:

Lake, Sea, Ocean, River

Schedule:

Hong Kong - Bangkok

MSN:

20794

YOM:

1944

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

While taxiing, the airplane veered off taxiway and plunged into the bay of Kowloon. There were no injuries but the aircraft was written off. The exact date of the occurrence remains uncertain.

Crash of a Douglas C-47A-20-DK in Tainan: 15 killed

Date & Time: Nov 7, 1959

Type of aircraft:

Douglas C-47 Skytrain (DC-3)

Operator:

Registration:

42-93074

Flight Phase:

Takeoff (climb)

Flight Type:

Military

Survivors:

Site:

Airport (less than 10 km from airport)

Schedule:

Tainan – Clark

MSN:

12945

YOM:

1944

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

Shortly after takeoff from Tainan Airport, en route to Clark AFB in the Philippines, the airplane crashed in unknown circumstances, killing all 15 occupants.

Crash of a Douglas R4D-1 in Cleveland

Date & Time: Nov 5, 1959

Type of aircraft:

Douglas C-47 Skytrain (DC-3)

Operator:

National Aero Sales Company

Registration:

N38G

Flight Phase:

Takeoff (climb)

Flight Type:

Demonstration

Survivors:

Yes

Site:

Airport (less than 10 km from airport)

Schedule:

Cleveland – Dayton

MSN:

4759

YOM:

1942

Location:

Cleveland-Burke Lakefront

Ohio

Country:

United States of America

Region:

North America

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

The aircraft was involved in a demo flight from Cleveland to Dayton for a potential client, Columbus Aviation. Takeoff was completed in strong winds and just after liftoff, the pilot realized it was not possible to continue in such conditions. To avoid to crash into Erie Lake, he attempted an emergency landing in a wasteland. The right wing struck the ground and the airplane crashed. All five occupants escaped uninjured while the aircraft was damaged beyond repair.

Crash of a Douglas C-47A-90-DL on Mt Bucks Elbow: 26 killed

Date & Time: Oct 30, 1959 at 2040 LT

Type of aircraft:

Douglas C-47 Skytrain (DC-3)

Operator:

Registration:

N55V

Flight Phase:

Landing (descent or approach)

Flight Type:

Scheduled Revenue Flight

Survivors:

Yes

Site:

Airport (less than 10 km from airport)

Schedule:

Richmond – Charlottesville – Lynenburg – Roanoke

MSN:

20447

YOM:

1944

Flight number:

PI349

Location:

Mt Bucks Elbow

Virginia

Country:

United States of America

Region:

North America

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Captain / Total flying hours:

5101

Captain / Total hours on type:

4771.00

Copilot / Total flying hours:

2858

Copilot / Total hours on type:

1678

Aircraft flight hours:

26339

Circumstances:

About 2040, October 30, 1959, Piedmont Airlines Flight 349 crashed on Bucks Elbow Mountain located about 13 miles west of the Charlottesville-Albemarle County, Virginia, Airport. The crew of 3 and 23 of 24 passengers were killed; the sole survivor was seriously injured. The aircraft, a DC-3, N55V, was demolished by impact. From the available evidence it is the determination of the Board that this accident occurred during an intended instrument approach. More specifically, it occurred during the inbound portion of the procedure turn which was being flown 6 to 11 miles west of the maneuvering area prescribed by the instrument approach procedure. The Board concludes that the lateral error resulted from a navigational omission which took place when the pilot did not turn left about 20 degrees in conformity to V-140 airway at the Casanova omni range station. Consequently, when the pilots believed the flight was over the Rochelle intersection it was in fact 13 files northwest of tract position. As a result of this position, when the pilot turned left and flew the heading normally flown from Rochelle intersection, the path of the aircraft over the ground was displaced 8 to 11 miles west of the prescribed track. The Board further concludes that the error was undetected because tracking and other instrument approach requirements were not followed precisely. From information regarding the personal background of Captain and expert medical analysis of this information, it is the Board's opinion that preoccupation resulting from mental stress may have been a contributing factor in the accident cause.

Probable cause:

The Board determines that the probable cause of this accident was a navigational omission which resulted in a lateral course error that was not detected and corrected through precision instrument flying procedures. A contributing factor to the accident may have been preoccupation of the captain resulting from mental stress.

Final Report:

Crash of a Douglas C-47A-30-DL near Avlona: 19 killed

Date & Time: Oct 30, 1959 at 1525 LT

Type of aircraft:

Douglas C-47 Skytrain (DC-3)

Operator:

Registration:

SX-BAD

Flight Phase:

Flight

Flight Type:

Scheduled Revenue Flight

Survivors:

Site:

Mountains

Schedule:

Athens – Thessaloniki

MSN:

9491

YOM:

1943

Flight number:

OA214

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

The aircraft departed Athens-Ellinikon Airport at 1501LT bound for Tessaloniki. The crew climbed to an altitude of 3,000 feet with a 240° heading and later received the permission to climb to 9,000 feet. While approaching Mt Parnis in good weather conditions, the captain informed ATC about his position. Five minutes later, the airplane disappeared from radar screens and crashed near Avlona. The airplane was totally destroyed upon impact and all 19 occupants were killed.

Probable cause:

The accident was caused by the failure of the gudgeon pin bearing of no.6 piston of the left engine, which resulted in the abrupt breaking of the engine. Inertia of the propeller at the moment of the breaking of the engine caused failure of the propeller shaft. The broken propeller, rotating, caused serious cuts on the left wing. The latter then separated and loss of control followed.