Battambang - Phnom Penh

Just after liftoff, while in initial climb, the airplane stalled and crashed in flames shortly after the runway end. Two crew members and 17 passengers were killed while 20 others were injured. The aircraft was destroyed.

Flight / Schedule

Battambang - Phnom Penh

Registration

XW-TFR

MSN

1999

Year of Manufacture

1940

Date

June 27, 1974 at 12:00 AM

Type

CRASH

Flight Type

Scheduled Revenue Flight

Flight Phase

Takeoff (climb)

Crash Site

Airport (less than 10 km from airport)

Crash Location

Battambang Battambang

Region

Asia • Cambodia

Coordinates

13.0901°, 102.4478°

Crash Cause

Human factor

Narrative Report

On June 27, 1974 at 12:00 AM, Battambang - Phnom Penh experienced a crash involving Boeing 307 Stratoliner, operated by Cambodia Air Commercial, with the event recorded near Battambang Battambang.

The flight was categorized as scheduled revenue flight and the reported phase was takeoff (climb) at a airport (less than 10 km from airport) crash site.

39 people were known to be on board, 19 fatalities were recorded, 20 survivors were identified or estimated. This corresponds to an estimated fatality rate of 48.7%.

Crew on board: 6, crew fatalities: 2, passengers on board: 33, passenger fatalities: 17, other fatalities: 0.

The listed crash cause is human factor. Just after liftoff, while in initial climb, the airplane stalled and crashed in flames shortly after the runway end. Two crew members and 17 passengers were killed while 20 others were injured. The aircraft was destroyed.

Aircraft reference details include registration XW-TFR, MSN 1999, year of manufacture 1940.

Geospatial coordinates for this crash are approximately 13.0901°, 102.4478°.

Fatalities

Total

19

Crew

2

Passengers

17

Other

0

Crash Summary

Just after liftoff, while in initial climb, the airplane stalled and crashed in flames shortly after the runway end. Two crew members and 17 passengers were killed while 20 others were injured. The aircraft was destroyed.

Cause: Human factor

Occupants & Outcome

Crew On Board

6

Passengers On Board

33

Estimated Survivors

20

Fatality Rate

48.7%

Known people on board: 39

Operational Details

Schedule / Flight

Battambang - Phnom Penh

Flight Type

Scheduled Revenue Flight

Flight Phase

Takeoff (climb)

Crash Site

Airport (less than 10 km from airport)

Region / Country

Asia • Cambodia

Aircraft Details

Registration

XW-TFR

MSN

1999

Year of Manufacture

1940

Similar Plane Crashes

March 18, 1939 at 01:17 PM10 Fatalities

Boeing Airplane Company

Boeing 307 Stratoliner

The four engine aircraft (first prototype) left Seattle-Boeing Field at 1257LT with few different representative of TWA and KLM. At 1312LT, a radio message was transmitted from NX19901 to the Boeing Aircraft Company radio Station located at Seattle, which message gave the position of the aircraft as being between Tacoma and Mount Rainier at an altitude of 11,000 feet. Some two or three minutes later, while flying at a comparatively slow rate of speed in the vicinity of Alder, the aircraft stalled and began to spin in a nose down attitude. After completing two or three returns in the spin, during which power was applied, it recovered from the spin and began to dive. The aircraft partially recovered from the dive at an altitude of approximately 3,000 feet above sea level, during which recovery it began to disintegrate. Outboard sections of the left and right wings failed upward and broke entirely loose from the aircraft. Major portions of the vertical fin and portions of the rudder were carried away by the wing wreckage. The outboard section of the left elevator separated from the stabilizer and both fell to the ground detached. The right horizontal tail surface, being held on by the fairing along the top surface and also by the elevator trim tab cables, remained with the fuselage. The number one engine nacelle also broke loose from the aircraft and fell to the ground separately. The main body of the aircraft settled vertically and struck the ground in an almost level attitude both longitudinally and laterally at a point approximately 1.200 feet above sea level. Watches and clocks aboard the aircraft, which were broken by force of the impact, indicated the time of the accident as approximately 1317LT. The aircraft was destroyed by impact forces and all ten occupants were killed. Crew: Julius A. Barr, first pilot, Earl A. Ferguson, copilot, Benjamin J. Pearson. alternate copilot, Harlan Hull, alternate copilot, Ralph L. Cram, first aerodynamist, John Kylstra, assistant to aerodynamist, Albert G. von Baumhauer, assistant to aerodynamist, Pieter Guillonard, recorder and photographer, William C. Doyle, operator of the oscillograph, Harry T. West, engineering officer.

November 1, 1945 at 12:00 AM

Royal Air Force - RAF

Douglas C-47 Skytrain (DC-3)

Enroute, both engines failed simultaneously, forcing the crew to reduce his altitude and to attempt an emergency landing. The aircraft belly landed in a field located 48 km north of Phnom Penh, skidded for several yards and eventually came to rest in flames. There were no casualties but the aircraft was destroyed by fire.

February 13, 1953 at 12:00 AM

Aigle Azur

De Havilland DH.89 Dragon Rapide

During start up, the left engine caught fire. All five occupants were able to evacuate the cabin before the aircraft would be totally destroyed by fire.

May 10, 1958 at 12:00 AM

Quaker City Airways

Boeing 307 Stratoliner

Parked since few months on a regional airport, the aircraft was recently purchased by a new owner who wanted to know the exact consumption of oil and fuel. A test flight was scheduled with two test pilots. To be able to perform a longer flight, additional fuel tanks were installed in the cabin. While cruising at a relative low altitude, the crew informed ATC that a fire erupted in the cabin and elected to make an emergency landing. The airplane crash landed in flames in a field located 15 miles from Madras and came to rest. While both pilots were able to evacuate with no injury, the aircraft was destroyed by fire.

May 22, 1961 at 11:48 AM

Aigle Azur

Boeing 307 Stratoliner

Shortly after takeoff from Saigon-Tan Son Nhat Airport, while climbing, the crew informed ground about the failure of the engine n°4 and was cleared to return for a safe landing. At this time, the visibility was estimated between 500 and 1,000 meters. While returning to the airport, the crew was informed about the deterioration of the weather conditions with a visibility reduced to 80 meters and strong winds. In such conditions, the captain decided to attempt a go around when the airplane banked right and crashed near the runway 25 threshold. All 28 occupants were evacuated safely while the aircraft was damaged beyond repair.

December 29, 1962 at 01:12 PM25 Fatalities

Air Nautic

Boeing 307 Stratoliner

The Boeing SA.307 Stratoliner F-BELZ arrived at Bastia (BIA), France from Nice (NCE) at 05:25 UTC. The plane took off again for the return flight via Ajaccio (AJA), Corsica at 11:49 and was cleared for a cruising altitude of FL120, estimating Ajaccio at 12:20 UTC. Last radio contact with the flight was at 12:09 when the flight crew replied to the weather and active runway information from Ajaccio Approach. At 12:12 the flight flew into a sheer rock face of Monte Renoso which is located 45 km from the Ajaccio VOR on the 048 radial. Impact was at an altitude of 2,285 m (7,500 feet) and about 50 m (165 feet) below the summit. The aircraft rebounded after impact and fell about 100 m down the slope of the mountain. All 25 occupants were killed, among them members of the Bastia Basketball team who were flying to Nice for the National Championship. The aircraft was totally destroyed. Crew: Roger Mercier, pilot, Fernand Delime, copilot, Antoine Blois, mechanic.