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Crash of a Fairchild C-119G Flying Boxcar at Ashiya AFB

Date & Time: Mar 30, 1956 at 0724 LT
Type of aircraft:
Fairchild C-119 Flying Boxcar
Operator:
Registration:
53-3150
Flight Phase:
Takeoff (climb)
Flight Type:
Military
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Airport (less than 10 km from airport)
Schedule:
Ashiya – Busan East
MSN:
11161
YOM:
1953
Location:
Ashiya AFB
Kyūshū
Country:
Japan
Region:
Asia
Crew on board:
7
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Captain / Total flying hours:
2079
Captain / Total hours on type:
2058.00
Copilot / Total flying hours:
2782
Copilot / Total hours on type:
891
Circumstances:
During the takeoff roll on runway 30 at Ashiya Airbase, at a speed of 70 knots, the right engine lost power. The captain decided to abandon the departure and started an emergency braking procedure. Unable to stop within the remaining distance (runway 30 is 6,000 feet long), the airplane overran, lost its undercarriage and came to a halt in a grassy area. All seven crew members were evacuated safely while the aircraft was damaged beyond repair.
Probable cause:
Loss of power on right engine for undetermined reason.

Crash of a Fairchild C-119G Flying Boxcar in Kagoshima

Date & Time: Nov 30, 1955
Type of aircraft:
Fairchild C-119 Flying Boxcar
Operator:
Registration:
52-5881
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Military
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Plain, Valley
MSN:
11048
YOM:
1952
Location:
Kagoshima
Kyūshū
Country:
Japan
Region:
Asia
Crew on board:
5
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
An engine failed in flight. As the crew was unable to feather the propeller, they decided to bail out and abandoned the aircraft that dove into the ground and crashed in Kagoshima. All five crew members were found uninjured.
Probable cause:
Engine failure in flight.

Crash of a Lockheed PV-2 Harpoon in Kanoya AFB: 5 killed

Date & Time: Jul 8, 1955
Type of aircraft:
Lockheed P-2 Harpoon
Operator:
Flight Phase:
Landing (descent or approach)
Flight Type:
Training
Survivors:
No
Site:
Airport (less than 10 km from airport)
Schedule:
Kanoya - Kanoya
Location:
Kanoya AFB
Kyūshū
Country:
Japan
Region:
Asia
Crew on board:
5
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
5
Circumstances:
On final approach to Kanoya AFB, after completing a local training sortie, the airplane went out of control and crashed about 500 meters short of runway. All five crew members were killed.

Crash of a Fairchild C-119G Flying Boxcar off Ashiya AFB: 3 killed

Date & Time: Mar 1, 1955
Type of aircraft:
Fairchild C-119 Flying Boxcar
Operator:
Registration:
52-5886
Flight Phase:
Takeoff (climb)
Flight Type:
Military
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Lake, Sea, Ocean, River
Schedule:
Ashiya - Ashiya
MSN:
11053
YOM:
1952
Location:
Ashiya AFB
Kyūshū
Country:
Japan
Region:
Asia
Crew on board:
7
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
3
Circumstances:
Few minutes after takeoff from Ashiya AFB, the right propeller malfunctioned and control was lost. Five crew members were able to bail out before the airplane crashed in the sea some 33 km north of the airfield. Four crew members were rescued by the crew of a Japanese fishing boat while both pilots and a third occupant were killed, among them Robert Sullivan.
Probable cause:
Loss of control following a right propeller malfunction.
Final Report:

Crash of a Fairchild C-119G Flying Boxcar off Ashiya AFB

Date & Time: Dec 6, 1954
Type of aircraft:
Fairchild C-119 Flying Boxcar
Operator:
Registration:
52-5921
Flight Phase:
Takeoff (climb)
Flight Type:
Military
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Lake, Sea, Ocean, River
MSN:
11100
YOM:
1952
Location:
Ashiya AFB
Kyūshū
Country:
Japan
Region:
Asia
Crew on board:
0
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
Shortly after takeoff from Ashiya AFB, while climbing, the aircraft suffered an engine failure, stalled and crashed into the sea about 9 km north of the airfield. All occupants were rescued while the aircraft sank and was lost.
Probable cause:
Engine failure after takeoff.

Crash of a Martin PBM-5S2 Mariner on Yakushima Island: 17 killed

Date & Time: Jun 9, 1954
Type of aircraft:
Martin PBM Mariner
Operator:
Registration:
84779
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Military
Survivors:
No
Site:
Mountains
Schedule:
Iwakuni – Hong Kong
MSN:
84779
YOM:
1945
Location:
Yakushima Island
Kyūshū
Country:
Japan
Region:
Asia
Crew on board:
4
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
13
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
17
Circumstances:
Enroute from Iwakuni to Hong Kong, the airplane hit the slope of a mountain located on Yakushima Island. All 17 occupants have been killed. For unknown reason, the crew did not realize his altitude was insufficient and failed to sea the mountain.
Probable cause:
Controlled flight into terrain.

Crash of a Douglas JD-1 Invader in Ashiya: 4 killed

Date & Time: Feb 5, 1954
Type of aircraft:
Douglas A-26 Invader
Operator:
Registration:
77175
Flight Phase:
Landing (descent or approach)
Flight Type:
Training
Survivors:
No
Site:
Mountains
Schedule:
Ashiya - Ashiya
Location:
Ashiya AFB
Kyūshū
Country:
Japan
Region:
Asia
Crew on board:
4
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
4
Circumstances:
The crew was completing a local training flight at Ashiya AFB. During an ILS approach by night, the airplane hit a ridge located few km from the airfield and was destroyed. All four crew members were killed.

Crash of a Short S.25 Sunderland GR.5 off Tsushima

Date & Time: Dec 27, 1953
Type of aircraft:
Short S.25 Sunderland
Operator:
Registration:
RN302
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Military
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Lake, Sea, Ocean, River
Location:
Tsushima
Kyūshū
Country:
Japan
Region:
Asia
Crew on board:
0
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
En route, the engine number four lost power. Ten minutes later, the engine number two suffered a similar issue. The crew attempted an emergency landing off Tsushima Island. There were no casualties but the aircraft was damaged beyond repair.
Probable cause:
Loss of power on two engines in flight.

Crash of a Fairchild C-119C-15-FA Flying Boxcar off Ashiya AFB: 8 killed

Date & Time: Jun 23, 1953
Type of aircraft:
Fairchild C-119 Flying Boxcar
Operator:
Registration:
49-0161
Flight Phase:
Takeoff (climb)
Flight Type:
Military
Survivors:
No
Site:
Lake, Sea, Ocean, River
MSN:
10398
YOM:
1949
Location:
Ashiya AFB
Kyūshū
Country:
Japan
Region:
Asia
Crew on board:
8
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
8
Circumstances:
Few minutes after takeoff from Ashiya AFB, the twin engine aircraft crashed in unknown circumstances into the sea, about 24 km northeast of its departure point. All eight crew members were killed.

Crash of a Grumman SA-16A Albatross in Moji: 8 killed

Date & Time: Feb 13, 1953
Type of aircraft:
Grumman HU-16 (SA-16) Albatross
Operator:
Registration:
51-062
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Military
Survivors:
No
Site:
Mountains
Schedule:
Beppu – Ashiya
MSN:
G-141
YOM:
1952
Location:
Moji
Kyūshū
Country:
Japan
Region:
Asia
Crew on board:
5
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
3
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
8
Circumstances:
En route from Beppu to Ashiya AFB, the seaplane hit the slope of a mountain located three km southwest of Moji, killing all eight occupants. At the time of the accident, the visibility was limited due to marginal weather conditions.
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