63

The crew was completing a cargo flight to Kunming-Wujiaba Airport. On final approach by night and in poor weather conditions, the crew was unable to localize the airport due to heavy rain falls. In addition to a high workload in the cockpit due to the preceding factors, crew encountered technical problems with the landing gear that could not be deployed properly. The captain decided to abort the landing procedure, increased the engine power and completed a low pass over the airport before attempting a second approach. In a certain confusion, he followed the wrong heading and continued bound to the west. Few minutes later, the aircraft hit a mountain slope near the airport and was destroyed by impact forces. All three crew members were killed.

Flight / Schedule

63

Registration

63

MSN

6034

Year of Manufacture

1942

Date

November 19, 1943 at 12:00 AM

Type

CRASH

Flight Type

Cargo

Flight Phase

Landing (descent or approach)

Crash Site

Mountains

Crash Location

Kunming Yunnan

Region

Asia • China

Coordinates

25.0899°, 102.9152°

Crash Cause

Human factor

Narrative Report

On November 19, 1943 at 12:00 AM, 63 experienced a crash involving Douglas C-47 Skytrain (DC-3), operated by China National Aviation Corporation - CNAC, with the event recorded near Kunming Yunnan.

The flight was categorized as cargo and the reported phase was landing (descent or approach) 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 completing a cargo flight to Kunming-Wujiaba Airport. On final approach by night and in poor weather conditions, the crew was unable to localize the airport due to heavy rain falls. In addition to a high workload in the cockpit due to the preceding factors, crew encountered technical problems with the landing gear that could not be deployed properly. The captain decided to abort the landing procedure, increased the engine power and completed a low pass over the airport before attempting a second approach. In a certain confusion, he followed the wrong heading and continued bound to the west. Few minutes later, the aircraft hit a mountain slope near the airport and was destroyed by impact forces. All three crew members were killed.

Aircraft reference details include registration 63, MSN 6034, year of manufacture 1942.

Geospatial coordinates for this crash are approximately 25.0899°, 102.9152°.

Fatalities

Total

3

Crew

3

Passengers

0

Other

0

Crash Summary

The crew was completing a cargo flight to Kunming-Wujiaba Airport. On final approach by night and in poor weather conditions, the crew was unable to localize the airport due to heavy rain falls. In addition to a high workload in the cockpit due to the preceding factors, crew encountered technical problems with the landing gear that could not be deployed properly. The captain decided to abort the landing procedure, increased the engine power and completed a low pass over the airport before attempting a second approach. In a certain confusion, he followed the wrong heading and continued bound to the west. Few minutes later, the aircraft hit a mountain slope near the airport and was destroyed by impact forces. All three crew members were killed.

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

Flight Type

Cargo

Flight Phase

Landing (descent or approach)

Crash Site

Mountains

Region / Country

Asia • China

Aircraft Details

Registration

63

MSN

6034

Year of Manufacture

1942