List of accidents and incidents involving the DC-3 in 1972
This is a list of accidents and incidents involving the Douglas DC-3A that occurred in 1972, 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.
January
February
- During February, Douglas C-47 T.3-13 of the Ejército del Aire was reported to have been involved in an accident and was subsequently withdrawn from use.[4]
March
- On 14 March, Douglas C-47 HC-SJE of Ecuatoriana de Aviación was reported to have been damaged beyond economic repair in an accident at Sangai.[5]
April
- On 20 April, Douglas C-47D OB-R-653 of SATCO crashed into Mount Killukichu near Moyobamba. The aircraft was operating a domestic cargo flight from Chiclayo Airport to Tarapoto Airport via Moyobamba Airport. All six people on board were killed.[7][8]
May
- On 8 May, Douglas VC-47J YV-C-GAI of Aerotechnica crashed into a mountain whilst on a domestic scheduled passenger flight from Tomás de Heres Airport, Ciudad Bolívar to La Centella Airport. All seven people on board were killed.[9]
July
- On 2 July, Douglas C-47B F-WSGU of Rousseau Aviation was damaged beyond economic repair in an accident at Kulusuk Airport.[10]
- On 7 July, Douglas DC-3 XW-PHW of Cambodia Air Commercial overran the runway on landing at Kompong Som Airport and was damaged beyond economic repair.[11]
- On 17 July, Douglas C-47A VH-MAE of Ansett Airlines of Papua New Guinea was 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.[13]
- On 29 July, Douglas C-53s HK-107 and HK-1341 of Avianca were involved in a mid-air collision over the Las Palomas Mountains. Both aircraft crashed, killing 21 people on HK-107 and 17 people on HK-1341. Both aircraft were operating domestic scheduled passenger flights from La Vanguardia Airport, Villavicencio to El Yopal Airport.[15][16]
August
- On 4 August, Douglas DC-3 N31538 of Mercer Airlines 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.[17]
- On 16 August, Douglas C-47B XY-ACM of Burma Airways crashed shortly after take-off from Thandwe Airport on a scheduled passenger flight. All 28 people on board were killed.[20]
- On 20 August, Douglas DC-3A PK-ZDD of Zamrud Airlines was written off in an accident at Sumbawa Besar.[21]
- On 27 August, Douglas C-47 YV-C-AKE of LAV 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.[22] As of 2010, the aircraft, c/n 4705, is preserved at the Museo Aeronaútico de Maracay.[23]
September
- On 10 September, Douglas C-47 ET-ABQ of Ethiopian Airlines 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.[24]
- On 17 September, Douglas C-47A CP-565 of Aerolíneas Abaroa crashed on take-off from El Alto International Airport, La Paz. The aircraft was operating a non-scheduled passenge flight. All four people on board survived.[26]
- On 30 September, Douglas C-47B EC-AQE of Spantax 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 were killed.[29]
October
- On 2 October, Douglas C-47 XW-TDA of Cambodia Air Commercial was shot down on approach to Kampot Airport. The aircraft was operating a passenger flight, all nine people on board were killed.[30]
- On 30 October, Douglas C-47B VH-PNA of Ansett Airlines of Papua New Guinea 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.[31]
November
- On 1 November, Douglas DC-3 4W-ABJ of Yemen Airlines was damaged beyond economic repair in a landing accident at Beihan Airport.[32]
- On 21 November, Douglas EC-47Q 43-49771 of the United States Air Force crashed at Nakhon Phanom Royal Thai Navy Base, killing two of the 10 people on board.[34] The aircraft was operated by the 361st Tactical Electronic Warfare Squadron, United States Air Force. It had flown a tactical mission under the callsign "Baron 56", and had taken off at about 10:44 local time (03:44 UTC). At 17:00, the aircraft was returning from the mission when it bounced on landing and started to depart the left side of the runway. The pilot over-corrected, causing the aircraft to depart to the right of the runway. Although a go-around was initiated, the aircraft impacted trees damaging the port propellor. The co-pilot considered that the starboard engine was failing and that engine's propellor was feathered. The aircraft then crashed into another bank of trees 2 nautical miles (3.7 km) beyond the end of the runway. The wrecked aircraft was consumed in the post-crash fire.[35]
December
- On 6 December, Douglas C-47B CF-AUQ of Superior Airways crashed 11.9 miles (19 km) south of Lake Randall, Quebec. All three people on board survived.[37]
- On 26 December, a Douglas C-47 of the Philippine Air Force was reported to have been damaged beyond economic repair in an accident at Tonquil Island.[38]
See also
References
Notes
^Note A 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 Force 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.