Kuopio - Helsinki

On October 3, 1978 at 09:31 PM, Kuopio - Helsinki experienced a crash involving Douglas C-47 Skytrain (DC-3), operated by Finnish Air Force - Suomen Ilmavoimat, with the event recorded near Kuopio Northern Savonia.

The flight was categorized as military and the reported phase was takeoff (climb) at a lake, sea, ocean, river crash site.

15 people were known to be on board, 15 fatalities were recorded, 0 survivors were identified or estimated. This corresponds to an estimated fatality rate of 100.0%.

Crew on board: 3, crew fatalities: 3, passengers on board: 12, passenger fatalities: 12, other fatalities: 0.

The listed crash cause is technical failure. Shortly after a night takeoff from Kuopio Airport, while climbing, the right engine failed. The captain elected to return for an emergency landing and initiated a turn to the left when the airplane lost height and crashed in the Juurusvesi Lake, about one km from the airport. The aircraft was totally destroyed and all 15 occupants were killed, among them politicians and businessmen who were flying back to Helsinki after attending a National Defence Course meeting organized by the Finnish Defence Forces. Crew: 1st Lt Kari Halmetoja, pilot, M/Sgt Seppo Raninen, copilot, Sgtm Heikki Mannila, flight engineer. Passengers: Risto K. Alanko, Kirsti Hollming, Aaro Kenttä, Pekka Lahdensuu, Olavi Majlander, Arto Merisaari, Antti Pohjonen, Kari Sinisalo, Viljo Särkkä, Olli Varho, Col Aarno Hukari, Lt Col Tapio Kokkonen.

Aircraft reference details include registration DO-10, MSN 12050, year of manufacture 1943.