Kunming – Dinjan
Flight / Schedule
Kunming – Dinjan
Aircraft
Douglas C-53 Skytrooper (DC-3)Registration
53
MSN
4904
Year of Manufacture
1942
Date
March 11, 1943 at 12:00 AM
Type
CRASHFlight Type
Cargo
Flight Phase
Flight
Crash Site
Mountains
Crash Location
Pianma Yunnan
Region
Asia • China
Coordinates
26.0120°, 98.6168°
Crash Cause
Human factor
Narrative Report
On March 11, 1943 at 12:00 AM, Kunming – Dinjan experienced a crash involving Douglas C-53 Skytrooper (DC-3), operated by China National Aviation Corporation - CNAC, with the event recorded near Pianma Yunnan.
The flight was categorized as cargo and the reported phase was flight at a mountains crash site.
3 people were known to be on board, 3 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: 0, passenger fatalities: 0, other fatalities: 0.
The listed crash cause is human factor. The crew was performing a cargo flight from Kunming to Dinjan with a load of tungsten on board. Due to the presence of Japanese forces along the normal route, the crew decided to divert and to follow another route passing over the Pianma Pass. In low visibility due to snow falls, the captain reduced his altitude to maintain a visual contact with the ground when the aircraft hit tree tops and crashed in a wooded area located near the Pianma Pass, at the border between China and Burma. All three crew were killed. Some debris of the aircraft were found by hikers in October 1996.
Aircraft reference details include registration 53, MSN 4904, year of manufacture 1942.
Geospatial coordinates for this crash are approximately 26.0120°, 98.6168°.
Fatalities
Total
3
Crew
3
Passengers
0
Other
0
Crash Summary
The crew was performing a cargo flight from Kunming to Dinjan with a load of tungsten on board. Due to the presence of Japanese forces along the normal route, the crew decided to divert and to follow another route passing over the Pianma Pass. In low visibility due to snow falls, the captain reduced his altitude to maintain a visual contact with the ground when the aircraft hit tree tops and crashed in a wooded area located near the Pianma Pass, at the border between China and Burma. All three crew were killed. Some debris of the aircraft were found by hikers in October 1996.
Cause: Human factor
Occupants & Outcome
Crew On Board
3
Passengers On Board
0
Estimated Survivors
0
Fatality Rate
100.0%
Known people on board: 3
Operational Details
Schedule / Flight
Kunming – Dinjan
Flight Type
Cargo
Flight Phase
Flight
Crash Site
Mountains
Region / Country
Asia • China
Aircraft Details
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