Crash of a Douglas C-47B-30-DK Dakota 6 on Mt Montseny: 32 killed

Date & Time: Aug 19, 1959 at 1710 LT
Type of aircraft:
Douglas C-47 Skytrain (DC-3)
Operator:
Registration:
G-AMZD
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Charter/Taxi (Non Scheduled Revenue Flight)
Survivors:
No
Site:
Mountains
Schedule:
Barcelona – London-Gatwick
MSN:
16112/32860
YOM:
1945
Location:
Mt Montseny
Catalonia
Country:
Spain
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
3
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
29
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
32
Circumstances:
Nineteen minutes after it departed Barcelona Airport, while cruising at an altitude of 5,600 feet, the airplane entered clouds and struck the slope of Mt Montseny (1,712 meters high) located about 60 km northeast of Barcelona-El Prat Airport. The airplane was destroyed and all 32 occupants were killed, among them 28 British students and one teacher. At the time of the accident, the airplane deviated about 16 km from the prescribed departure route out from Barcelona, probably following a navigation error on part of the crew. The mountain was shrouded in clouds and the visibility was nil when the airplane impacted terrain.
Probable cause:
From an examination of the evidence it can be concluded that the accident was caused through 'Infringement of the regulations and instructions in force for flight over national territory or of the international standards which are in force in Spain'. As it does not appear from the evidence that Spanish Air Traffic personnel failed in any way in the performance of their duties, or that there was any defect in air navigation aids, the Air Minister has resolved to close the case without allocating responsibility.

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.

Crash of a Douglas C-47-DL in El Palomar AFB

Date & Time: Jul 28, 1959
Type of aircraft:
Douglas C-47 Skytrain (DC-3)
Operator:
Registration:
T-53
Flight Phase:
Takeoff (climb)
Flight Type:
Military
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Airport (less than 10 km from airport)
Schedule:
El Palomar – Tandil
MSN:
6181
YOM:
1942
Location:
El Palomar AFB
Buenos Aires province
Country:
Argentina
Region:
South America
Crew on board:
0
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
Shortly after takeoff from El Palomar AFB, while initial climb, one of the engine caught fire. The crew reduced his altitude and attempted an emergency landing in a wasteland located 4 km east of the airfield. The airplane came to rest and was damaged beyond repair while there were no injuries among the occupants.
Probable cause:
Engine fire during initial climb.

Crash of a Douglas C-47A-30-DL in Santiago del Estero

Date & Time: Jul 14, 1959
Type of aircraft:
Douglas C-47 Skytrain (DC-3)
Operator:
Registration:
LV-ACM
Flight Phase:
Landing (descent or approach)
Flight Type:
Scheduled Revenue Flight
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Plain, Valley
Schedule:
Buenos Aires – Córdoba
MSN:
9490
YOM:
1943
Location:
Santiago del Estero
Santiago del Estero
Country:
Argentina
Region:
South America
Crew on board:
3
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
7
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
Due to weather deterioration at Córdoba and poor visibility due to fog, the crew was diverted to Santiago del Estero. En route, the pilot informed ATC that he was low of fuel and was forced to attempt an emergency landing. The aircraft crash landed in a field and came to rest. All ten occupants escaped uninjured.
Probable cause:
Emergency landing at alternative aerodrome when flying time was exhausted with undercarriage up, in CGO conditions due to unusual fog build-up.

Crash of a Douglas C-47A-40-DL in Córdoba

Date & Time: Jul 3, 1959
Type of aircraft:
Douglas C-47 Skytrain (DC-3)
Operator:
Registration:
T-21
Flight Phase:
Takeoff (climb)
Flight Type:
Military
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Airport (less than 10 km from airport)
MSN:
9936
YOM:
1943
Location:
Córdoba
Córdoba
Country:
Argentina
Region:
South America
Crew on board:
0
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
Shortly after takeoff from Córdoba-Pajas Blancas Airport, the crew encountered an unexpected situation and was forced to make an emergency landing. The airplane crash landed in a field located 6 km northeast of the airport and came to rest. There were no casualties but the aircraft was damaged beyond repair.

Crash of a Douglas SC-47A in the Mediterranean Sea: 1 killed

Date & Time: Jun 7, 1959
Type of aircraft:
Douglas C-47 Skytrain (DC-3)
Operator:
Registration:
43-15689
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Military
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Lake, Sea, Ocean, River
MSN:
20155
YOM:
1944
Location:
Mediterranean Sea
World
Country:
World
Region:
World
Crew on board:
7
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
1
Circumstances:
Message from Penny Black, daughter of the pilot, Captain Guy Marshall Allphin, who was killed in the accident:
My dad did land the plane. The propeller broke off upon landing. The crew put him in a life boat, pulled it over the door that was laying on the ground of the plane and punctured the life boat. My dad called in their coordinates before he had to put the plane down and all were rescued within about 30 minutes. They were flying into a jiblee storm and it used up more fuel and they actually ran out of gas. The plane had the radio from the Lady Be Good in it. The Lady Be Good was found in the Sahara desert in 1959 it went down during WWII, in 1944. They over shot Tripoli and the crew tried to walk out of the desert. I believe they found the remains of all but one of the crew members. Anyhow, they called The Lady Be Good the jinx plane because they took parts from it placed them in other planes and some of those planes went down. As I mentioned above, the C47 that my dad was flying had the radio from the Lady Be Good.
My sincere thanks to Penny Black for her contribution.
Probable cause:
Emergency landing caused by a fuel exhaustion.

Crash of a Douglas C-47A-80-DL off Mar del Plata: 10 killed

Date & Time: May 15, 1959 at 2042 LT
Type of aircraft:
Douglas C-47 Skytrain (DC-3)
Operator:
Registration:
LV-AFW
Flight Phase:
Takeoff (climb)
Flight Type:
Scheduled Revenue Flight
Survivors:
No
Site:
Lake, Sea, Ocean, River
Schedule:
Buenos Aires – Mar del Plata – Bahía Blanca
MSN:
19790
YOM:
1944
Flight number:
AR672
Location:
Mar del Plata
Buenos Aires province
Country:
Argentina
Region:
South America
Crew on board:
4
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
6
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
10
Circumstances:
Shortly after a night takeoff from Mar del Plata-Brigadier General Bartolomé de la Colina Airport, while climbing, the pilot-in-command made a turn according to the procedures when control was lost. The airplane stalled and crashed into the sea some three km off shore. All ten occupants were killed.
Probable cause:
The exact cause of the accident could not be determined with certainty. However, spatial disorientation on part of the pilot-in-command is suspected.

Crash of a Douglas C-47A-1-DK near Palma de Mallorca: 5 killed

Date & Time: May 2, 1959 at 2212 LT
Type of aircraft:
Douglas C-47 Skytrain (DC-3)
Operator:
Austria-Flugdienst
Registration:
OE-FDA
Flight Phase:
Takeoff (climb)
Flight Type:
Charter/Taxi (Non Scheduled Revenue Flight)
Survivors:
No
Site:
Mountains
Schedule:
Palma de Majorca – Vienna
MSN:
13332
YOM:
1944
Location:
Palma de Mallorca
Balearic Islands
Country:
Spain
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
3
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
2
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
5
Circumstances:
After takeoff from Son Bonet Airport at Palma, the crew reported his altitude at 3,000 feet and obtained the permission to continue to 9,000 feet. About two minutes later, the airplane struck the slope of Alfabia Peak located 20 km north of the airfield. The aircraft was destroyed and all five occupants have been killed. At the time of the accident, the visibility was reduced by night.
Probable cause:
It was concluded that the aircraft crashed as a result of insufficient altitude while flying at normal climb power.

Crash of a Douglas C-47B-1-DK in Poitiers

Date & Time: Apr 30, 1959
Type of aircraft:
Douglas C-47 Skytrain (DC-3)
Operator:
Registration:
F-BAII
Flight Phase:
Landing (descent or approach)
Flight Type:
Cargo
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Airport (less than 10 km from airport)
MSN:
15105/25550
YOM:
1944
Location:
Poitiers
Vienne
Country:
France
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
2
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
After touchdown at Poitiers-Biard Airport, the aircraft was unable to stop within the remaining distance. It overran, lost its undercarriage and came to rest few yards farther. While both crew members were uninjured, the aircraft was written off.

Crash of a Douglas C-47A-75-DL on Mt Cerro del Télégrafo: 28 killed

Date & Time: Apr 29, 1959 at 1700 LT
Type of aircraft:
Douglas C-47 Skytrain (DC-3)
Operator:
Registration:
EC-ABC
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Scheduled Revenue Flight
Survivors:
No
Site:
Mountains
Schedule:
Barcelona – Madrid
MSN:
19334
YOM:
1943
Location:
Mt Cerro del Télégrafo (Sierra de Valdemeca)
Castile-La Mancha
Country:
Spain
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
3
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
25
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
28
Circumstances:
The aircraft departed Barcelona-El Prat Airport at 1518LT bound for Barajas in Madrid. Due to poor weather conditions over the Calamocha area, ATC instructed the crew to modify his route. At 1656LT, a last radio contact was made with the crew and four minutes later, while cruising in low visibility, the airplane struck trees and crashed on the east slope of Mt Cerro del Télégrafo (1,900 meters high) located in the Sierra de Valdemeca, about 150 km east of Madrid. Thew wreckage was found 60 meters below the summit and all 28 occupants were killed. At the time of the accident, the airplane was about 600 meters below the prescribed altitude.
Probable cause:
Due to unfavourable weather conditions it was necessary to deviate from the planned route. The exact cause of the accident could not be determined with certainty.
Subscribe to Douglas C-47 Skytrain (DC-3)