Technical failure | Bureau of Aircraft Accidents Archives

Shortly after take off from Comilla Airport, while in initial climb, an engine failed. The pilot retracted the gear and attempted an emergency belly landing in a paddy field. While there were no casualties, the aircraft was damaged beyond repair.

Probable cause:

Engine failure.

Crash of a Martin B-26B-50-MA Marauder in Saint-Just-Chaleyssin

Date & Time: Jan 19, 1945 at 1125 LT

Type of aircraft:

Martin B-26 Marauder

Operator:

Registration:

42-95995

Flight Phase:

Flight Type:

Survivors:

Site:

Location:

Saint-Just-Chaleyssin

Isère

Country:

France

Region:

Europe

Crew on board:

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About four minutes after takeoff from Lyon-Bron Airport, the right engine caught fire. The pilot attempted an emergency landing in a snow covered field but the aircraft collided with poplars and crashed, bursting into flames. While the aircraft was destroyed by fire, all five crew members evacuated safely. The crew was returning to his base following a bombing mission over Rhine bridges. It is believed that the aircraft may have been damaged by the German Flak during the operation. The crew was attached to the Groupe de Bombardement Moyen 2/63 Sénégal.
Crew:
Lt Willy Pinhede, pilot,
Lt Duwernell, copilot,
S/Lt Stoff, navigator,
Adj Sagazan, radio operator,
Victor Schoenenberger, flight engineer.

Probable cause:

Engine fire.

Crash of an Airspeed AS.10 Oxford I in Wassell Wood: 1 killed

Date & Time: Jan 19, 1945

Type of aircraft:

Airspeed AS.10 Oxford

Operator:

Registration:

AT655

Flight Phase:

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While cruising in a snowstorm, the pilot encountered a double engine failure and was forced to attempt an emergency landing. While trying to land, the aircraft impacted trees and crashed in a wooded area. A crew member was killed while both other occupants were injured.
Crew:
F/Lt Norman Butler Worswick, pilot,
F/Sgt J. R. Payne,
F/O Frank Reid Miller. †

Probable cause:

Double engine failure.

Crash of a Junkers JU.52/3m near Stalinabad: 3 killed

Date & Time: Jan 14, 1945

Type of aircraft:

Junkers JU.52

Operator:

Registration:

CCCP-L46

Flight Phase:

Flight

Flight Type:

Cargo

Survivors:

Site:

Mountains

Schedule:

Stalinabad – Kulyab

MSN:

6053

YOM:

1938

Location:

Dushanbe

Districts of Republican Subordination

Country:

Tajikistan

Region:

Asia

Crew on board:

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On a cargo flight from Stalinabad to Kulyab when the right wing caught fire some 20 minutes into the flight (probably due to a leak in a fuel pipe). The fuel tanks in the right wing exploded, the aircraft dove into the ground and crashed into rocks in the Rangon Mountain Range located southeast of Stalinabad. All three crew members were killed.

Probable cause:

The Tadjik investigation commission reported that the accident was caused by several errors committed by the crew. The NII GVF inspection disagreed with these results and reported that the crash may have been caused by a technical issue on a fuel line (carburetor and/or collector) linked to the right BMW-132 engine.

Crash of a Martin PBM-3D Mariner off San Jose: 2 killed

Date & Time: Jan 14, 1945

Type of aircraft:

Martin PBM Mariner

Operator:

Registration:

45266

Flight Phase:

Takeoff (climb)

Flight Type:

Survey / Patrol / Reconnaissance

Survivors:

Yes

Site:

Lake, Sea, Ocean, River

MSN:

45266

Location:

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Shortly after take off, an engine caught fire and exploded. The seaplane lost height and crashed on the reef off San Jose, in the Mangarin Bay. Quickly on the scene, crew from the USS Half Moon Bay and USS San Pablo were able to evacuated eight injured crew while two others were killed. The aircraft was registered 45266 (VPB-28).

Probable cause:

Explosion on one engine shortly after take off.

Crash of a Douglas DC-3 Dakota IV in Sileby: 3 killed

Date & Time: Jan 10, 1945

Type of aircraft:

Douglas DC-3

Operator:

Registration:

KJ835

Flight Phase:

Flight

Flight Type:

Military

Survivors:

Site:

Plain, Valley

MSN:

25619/14174

YOM:

1944

Location:

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Few minutes after take off from a local RAF station, the crew encountered poor weather conditions with snow falls and icing. After the carburetors got iced, control was lost and the aircraft dove into the ground and crashed in a field, killing all three crew members.
Crew (108th OTU):
W/O Frederick Edward Henry Dobson, pilot,
Sgt Edgar James Wilmot, navigator,
Sgt Ronald James Hillsdon, wireless operator.

Crash of a Curtiss C-46A-40-CU Commando near Dali

Date & Time: Jan 10, 1945

Type of aircraft:

Curtiss C-46 Commando

Operator:

Registration:

42-107304

Flight Phase:

Flight Type:

Survivors:

Site:

MSN:

26991

YOM:

1944

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Crashed on a mountain slope near Dali following an engine failure. Crew fate unknown.

Probable cause:

Engine failure.

Crash of a Curtiss C-46A-45-CU Commando on Siakwan Island

Date & Time: Jan 8, 1945

Type of aircraft:

Curtiss C-46 Commando

Operator:

Registration:

42-96673

Flight Phase:

Flight Type:

Survivors:

Site:

MSN:

30335

YOM:

1944

Location:

Siakwan Island (Nanjing)

Jiangsu

Country:

China

Region:

Asia

Crew on board:

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Circumstances:

An technical failure of unknown origin forced the crew to attempt an emergency landing. The pilot performed a belly landing on the Siakwan Island, in the Yangtze River, off Nanjing. While all occupants were uninjured, the aircraft was damaged beyond repair.

Crash of a Curtiss C-46A-35-CU Commando in Langtai

Date & Time: Jan 8, 1945

Type of aircraft:

Curtiss C-46 Commando

Operator:

Registration:

42-3683

Flight Phase:

Flight Type:

Survivors:

Site:

MSN:

26816

YOM:

1944

Location:

Country:

Region:

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Crashed in a field in Langtai following a fuel exhaustion. There were no casualties but the aircraft was written off.

Probable cause:

Fuel exhaustion.

Crash of a Douglas C-47 in Dali: 3 killed

Date & Time: Jan 7, 1945

Type of aircraft:

Douglas C-47 Skytrain (DC-3)

Operator:

Registration:

102

Flight Phase:

Flight

Flight Type:

Cargo

Survivors:

Site:

Mountains

Schedule:

Kunming – Dinjan

MSN:

20805

YOM:

1944

Location:

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Region:

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Circumstances:

While overflying the Dali Lake, the airplane suffered an engine failure. It lost height, hit obstacles and eventually crashed in a cemetery overhanging the city of Dali. All three crew members were killed.

Probable cause:

Engine failure in flight.