Prague – Bratislava – Košice
Flight / Schedule
Prague – Bratislava – Košice
Aircraft
Douglas C-47 Skytrain (DC-3)Registration
OK-WDZ
MSN
9385
Year of Manufacture
1943
Date
January 18, 1956 at 02:49 PM
Type
CRASHFlight Type
Scheduled Revenue Flight
Flight Phase
Landing (descent or approach)
Crash Site
Mountains
Crash Location
Torysky Prešov Region
Region
Europe • Slovakia
Coordinates
49.0956°, 20.6777°
Crash Cause
Human factor
Narrative Report
On January 18, 1956 at 02:49 PM, Prague – Bratislava – Košice experienced a crash involving Douglas C-47 Skytrain (DC-3), operated by CSA Czech Airlines - Ceskoslovenské Státní Aerolinie, with the event recorded near Torysky Prešov Region.
The flight was categorized as scheduled revenue flight and the reported phase was landing (descent or approach) at a mountains crash site.
26 people were known to be on board, 22 fatalities were recorded, 4 survivors were identified or estimated. This corresponds to an estimated fatality rate of 84.6%.
Crew on board: 4, crew fatalities: 4, passengers on board: 22, passenger fatalities: 18, other fatalities: 0.
The listed crash cause is human factor. On the leg from Bratislava to Košice, the crew encountered poor weather conditions and was contacted by ATC and diverted to Poprad. Few minutes before its ETA in Poprad, while cruising in bad weather conditions at an altitude of 1,300 meters, the aircraft hit trees and crashed in a snow covered and wooded area located in the Tatra Mountain Range. Four passengers were injured and rescued while all 22 other occupants were killed.
Aircraft reference details include registration OK-WDZ, MSN 9385, year of manufacture 1943.
Geospatial coordinates for this crash are approximately 49.0956°, 20.6777°.
Fatalities
Total
22
Crew
4
Passengers
18
Other
0
Crash Summary
On the leg from Bratislava to Košice, the crew encountered poor weather conditions and was contacted by ATC and diverted to Poprad. Few minutes before its ETA in Poprad, while cruising in bad weather conditions at an altitude of 1,300 meters, the aircraft hit trees and crashed in a snow covered and wooded area located in the Tatra Mountain Range. Four passengers were injured and rescued while all 22 other occupants were killed.
Cause: Human factor
Occupants & Outcome
Crew On Board
4
Passengers On Board
22
Estimated Survivors
4
Fatality Rate
84.6%
Known people on board: 26
Operational Details
Schedule / Flight
Prague – Bratislava – Košice
Flight Type
Scheduled Revenue Flight
Flight Phase
Landing (descent or approach)
Crash Site
Mountains
Region / Country
Europe • Slovakia
Aircraft Details
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