This is a list of accidents and incidents involving the Douglas DC-3[a] that occurred in the early to mid 1970s, including aircraft based on the DC-3 airframe such as the Douglas C-47 Skytrain and Lisunov Li-2. Military accidents are included; and hijackings and incidents of terrorism are covered, although acts of war involving military aircraft are outside the scope of this list.
Crashed while attempting an emergency landing at Laja Airport. The aircraft was operating a non-scheduled passenger flight. All five people on board survived.[5]
February 12, 1970
Douglas C-47B
CC-CBT
None
Ditched of Puerto Montt following the failure of both engines. The aircraft was operating a cargo flight, both crew survived.[6]
February 12, 1970
Douglas C-47
HK-1270
14
Crashed at Puerto Infrida while attempting to return to Puerto Infrida Airport following an engine overspeed. The aircraft was operating a scheduled passenger flight. All twelve people on board were killed, as were a further two on the ground.[7]
February 15, 1970
Douglas C-47A
9Q-CUP
—
This Air Congo plane was reported to have been written off at an unknown location.[8]
February 20, 1970
Douglas DC-3
B-243
2
Crashed into a mountain shortly after take-off from Sung Shan Airport, Taipei. The aircraft was operating a cargo flight, both crew were killed.[9]
March 5, 1970
Lisunov Li-2
CCCP-58340
None
Aeroflot was damaged beyond economic repair when it departed the runway on take-off from Ust-Kut Airport.[10]
Stalled on take-off from Ahwaz Airport and crashed. The aircraft was destroyed by the subsequent fire. It was operating a non-scheduled passenger flight. All 25 people on board survived.[13]
A Delta Air Transport was substantially damaged in a collision with a ground power unit at Schiphol Airport, Amsterdam. Although repaired and ferried to Antwerp Airport on 1 June, the aircraft was subsequently used as a clubhouse.[15] It was scrapped in September 1973.[16]
May 21, 1970
Douglas C-47
N75430
None
This privately owned Douglas C-47 N75430 was damaged beyond repair in a forced landing at Prudhoe, Alaska. The aircraft was on an executive flight from Pingo Airstrip to Fairbanks International Airport when an engine failed after mismanagement prior to take-off. All three people on board survived.[17]
Reeder Flying Service plane crashed on take-off from McGrath Airport, Alaska on a domestic passenger flight to Galena Airport, Alaska. Seven of the 27 people on board were killed.[20]
July 6, 1970
Douglas VC-47
T.3–43
—
This Ejército del Aire aircraft was reported to have been written off in an accident.[21]
This Hunting Surveys flight was substantially damaged when it was subjected to ground fire on take-off from Nova Lisboa Airport. Hydraulic lines were damaged and the fuel tanks ruptured. A successful emergency landing was made at Luanda Airport. The aircraft was repaired and returned to service.[27]
September 30, 1970
Douglas DC-3DST
B-305
3
Crashed into a hill near Da Nang while attempting to divert to Da Nang Airport due to weather conditions at its intended destination of Phu Bai Airport, Huế. Three of the 38 people on board were killed.[28]
October 1, 1970
Douglas R4D-6
N47
2
Crashed shortly after take-off from Anchorage International Airport and was destroyed in the subsequent fire. The aircraft was operating a local training flight. Both crew were killed.[29]
October 6, 1970
Douglas C-47B
ZS-DKR
3
Crashed near Germiston following the failure of the port engine shortly after take-off from Rand Airport on an executive flight. Three of the 11 people on board were killed.[30]
October 7, 1970
Douglas C-47
CF-TAR
—
This Transair aircraft was reported to have been written off.[31]
October 16, 1970
Lisunov Li-2
CCCP-84777
—
Crashed on take-off from Leshukonskoye Airport, Archangelsk. The aircraft was overloaded and its centre of gravity was beyond the aft limit.[32]
November 6, 1970
Douglas C-47B
ZK-AXS
None
Damaged beyond economic repair at Paraparaumu Airport during a simulated downwind takeoff,[33] when the undercarriage collapsed.[34] The aircraft was operating a training flight.[33] The fuselage was subsequently used for fire training purposes, and was last reported to be at Wellington.[34]
Crashed shortly after take-off from Safdarjung Airport,[41]New Delhi following an engine failure. The aircraft was operating a non-scheduled passenger flight. Five of the sixteen people on board were killed.[42]
Crashed on approach to Shawnee Municipal Airport, Shawnee, Oklahoma following the failure of the port engine. All 29 people on board survived. The aircraft was on a local sightseeing flight.[46]
February 19, 1971
Douglas C-47B
N99H
None
Damaged beyond economic repair in a take-off accident at an airport in Houston, Texas. The cause was a maintenance error which cause the starboard brakes to bind.[47]
Damaged beyond economic repair in an accident at an airport in Nairobi.[53]
April 15, 1971
Douglas C-47A
293246
40
Crashed shortly after take-off from Floridablanca Airfield following the failure of the starboard engine. All 40 people on board were killed. The aircraft was operating a military flight to Manila Airport. The accident was the 2nd worst involving the DC-3 at the time, and is the 3rd worst as of 2010.[54]
Crashed on landing at Southend Airport. The aircraft was operating an international non-scheduled passenger flight to the Netherlands carrying supporters of Ajax Football Club when an oil leak was discovered shortly after take-off and it was decided to return to Southend. The aircraft overran the runway on landing and landed up alongside the railway line beyond the airport boundary.[56][57]
Crashed on take-off from Shelter Cove Airport, California on a domestic non-scheduled passenger flight to San Jose International Airport. Seventeen of the 24 people on board were killed. The cause of the accident was that flight was attempted with the rudder and elevator gust locks in place. Inadequate pre-flight inspection was a contributory factor.[60]
Crashed into a hill shortly after take-off from Bamako Airport. The aircraft was operating a scheduled passenger flight. All six people on board were killed.[64]
Crashed at Preševo. The aircraft was operating a non-scheduled passenger flight which had departed from Beograd Airport. All five people on board were killed.[70]
September 28, 1971
Douglas DC-3A
PP-CBV
32
Crashed on approach to Sena Madureira Airport killing all 32 people on board. The aircraft was operating a domestic non-scheduled passenger flight to President Médici Airport when an engine failed shortly after take-off from Sena Madureira.[71]
Crashed on take-off from Eduardo Falla Solano Airport, San Vicente del Caguán, killing all 19 people on board. The aircraft was operating a domestic non-scheduled passenger flight although it was only certified to carry freight and three crew. It was also overloaded by 311 kilograms (686 lb).[73]
Damaged beyond economic repair when the starboard undercarriage collapsed on landing at Madang Airport. The aircraft was operating a domestic cargo flight from Wapenamanda Airport.[91]
Suffered an in-flight engine fire shortly after take-off from NAS Point Mugu, California on a cargo flight to Hollywood-Burbank Airport. The aircraft departed the runway in the emergency landing and was destroyed by the subsequent fire. All three people on board survived.[95]
Suffered a failure of the port engine shortly after take-off from Canaima Airport on a domestic scheduled passenger flight to Tomás de Heres Airport, Ciudad Bolivar. The aircraft crashed whilst attempting to return to Canaima, killing all 34 people on board.[100] The aircraft, c/n 4705, is preserved at the Museo Aeronaútico de Maracay.[101]
September 10, 1972
Douglas C-47
ET-ABQ
11
Crashed near Gondar following the in-flight separation of the starboard wing. The aircraft was operating a domestic scheduled passenger flight from Axum Airport to Gondar Airport. All 11 people on board were killed.[102]
Crashed on take-off from El Alto International Airport, La Paz. The aircraft was operating a non-scheduled passenger flight. All four people on board survived.[104]
Crashed on take-off from Madrid-Barajas Airport. The aircraft was being used for training duties and the student pilot over-rotated and stalled. One of the six people on board was killed.[107]
October 2, 1972
Douglas C-47
XW-TDA
9
Shot down on approach to Kampot Airport. The aircraft was operating a passenger flight, all nine people on board were killed.[108]
October 30, 1972
Douglas C-47B
VH-PNA
—
Overran the runway on landing at Madang Airport. The aircraft was subsequently withdrawn from use and used for fire practice, eventually being scrapped in 1978.[109]
November 1, 1972
Douglas DC-3
4W-ABJ
—
Damaged beyond economic repair in a landing accident at Beihan Airport.[110]
Damaged beyond economic repair when it was hit by a vehicle at an airport in Montreal.[120]
February 12, 1973
Douglas C-47A
CF-OOV
None
Crashed on approach to Iqaluit Airport. The aircraft was on a ferry flight to Resolute Bay Airport when power was lost shortly after take-off from Iqaluit and the decision was made to return. All three people on board survived.[121]
Crashed at Seddon following the in-flight structural failure of the starboard wing between the engine nacelle and the fuselage, killing the pilot.[123][124] The aircraft had been modified for aerial topdressing after being retired from Royal New Zealand Air Force service in 1966[123][125] and was owned by topdressing company Southern Air Super at the time of the crash, based at Woodbourne Airport, Blenheim.[124] The accident investigation found that the wing failure had been caused by overstressing of the structure due to the aircraft operating from rough airstrips and that the aircraft was overloaded on its last flight.[123]
March 2, 1973
Douglas C-47
N6574
None
Overran the runway on landing at San Salvador Airport and was damaged beyond economic repair. The cause was pilot error in that a downwind landing was made. The aircraft was operating an international non-scheduled passenger flight from Miami International Airport, United States.[126]
Crashed shortly after take-off from Miritituba Airport, killing all nine people on board.[138]
October 2, 1973
Douglas C-47
T.3-25
—
Involved in an accident and was subsequently withdrawn from use.[139]
October 10, 1973
Lisunov Li-2
CCCP-71209
5
Crashed on take-off from Tashauz Airport, Turkmenistan on a cargo flight to Darvaza Airport following double engine failure. All five people on board were killed. Aeroflot retired all civil Li-2s following this accident.[140]
Overran the runway on landing at Dalat Airport. The aircraft was substantially damaged and was not salvaged due to the presence of land mines in the area. It was operating a non-scheduled passenger flight. All nine people on board survived.[151]
Crashed at Vila Cabral Airport and was damaged beyond economic repair. The aircraft was on a military flight from Mueda Airport and it is reported that it was hit by small arms fire on approach to Vila Cabral.[152]
January 17, 1974
Douglas DC-3A
HK-1216
14
Crashed near Chigorodó killing all 14 people on board. The aircraft was on a scheduled passenger flight which had originated at Gonzalo Mejía Airport.[153]
January 19, 1974
Douglas DC-3
TAM-30
—
Damaged beyond economic repair in a wheels-up landing at Laia.[154]
Damaged beyond economic repair in a forced landing near Cali. The aircraft had departed from Alfonso Bonilla Aragón International Airport. An engine failure and in-flight fire meant a forced landing in a field.[159]
April 10, 1974
Douglas C-47B
A65-111
—
Destroyed by fire on the ground at RAAF Base Laverton, where it had been in storage since October 1972 pending its disposal. The cockpit was salvaged and in 1976 was sold to a private individual who restored it over a period of 13 years. The cockpit is now permanently mounted on a trailer and is displayed at air shows in Australia by its owner.[160][161]
April 20, 1974
Douglas DC-3
XW-TFL
6
Collided with some buildings. Six people were killed.[162]
Crashed in Guatemala killing all six people on board. The aircraft was operating a cargo flight carrying supplies for the relief of flood victims.[171]
October 8, 1974
Douglas DC-3
XW-PKX
None
Damaged beyond economic repair in a take-off accident at Krakor Airport. The cause of the accident was that the pilot did not set the flaps to the take-off position.[172]
Ditched off Calapan following failure of the port engine. One of the eight people on board was killed. The aircraft was operating a domestic non-scheduled passenger flight which had originated at Roxas City Airport.[175]
Damaged beyond economic repair when a forced landing was made in an open field inside Moonwalk Village shortly after take-off from Manila International Airport following failure of the starboard engine. One of the eight people on board was killed along with two children on the ground who were playing up in a fruit tree on the path of horrific crash landing.[179]
November 20, 1974
Douglas C-47A
ET-AAR
2
Crashed on take-off from Soddu Airport. Two of the 24 people on board were killed. The aircraft was operating a domestic scheduled passenger flight to Beica Airport.[180]
Damaged beyond repair during Cyclone Tracy.[183] The wings and tail of A65-104; and the rear fuselage and tail of PK-RDB; are now held in storage at the Australian Aviation Heritage Centre in Darwin.[182]
Notes
^Military versions of the DC-3 were known as C-47 Skytrain, C-48, C-49, C-50, C-51, C-52, C-53 Skytrooper, C-68, C-84, C-117 Super Dakota and YC-129 by the United States Army Air Forces and as the R4D by the United States Navy. In Royal Air Force (and other British Commonwealth air forces') service, these aircraft were known as Dakotas.