Agartala – Calcutta

En route from Agartala to Calcutta, a fire erupted in the cargo compartment. The captain decided to reduce his altitude and attempted an emergency landing. The four engine aircraft crash landed in a prairie located in Comilla, slid for several yards and came to rest in flames. All three crew members were able to vacate the cabin and were unhurt. It appears that seven villagers were killed while approaching the aircraft that suffered several explosions. The exact cause of the in flight fire remains unknown.

Flight / Schedule

Agartala – Calcutta

Registration

VT-CYK

MSN

3089

Year of Manufacture

1943

Operator

Bharat Airways

Date

December 30, 1949 at 12:00 AM

Type

CRASH

Flight Type

Cargo

Flight Phase

Flight

Crash Site

Plain, Valley

Crash Location

Comilla Chittagong

Region

Asia • Bangladesh

Coordinates

23.4604°, 91.1807°

Crash Cause

Technical failure

Narrative Report

On December 30, 1949 at 12:00 AM, Agartala – Calcutta experienced a crash involving Douglas C-54 Skymaster, operated by Bharat Airways, with the event recorded near Comilla Chittagong.

The flight was categorized as cargo and the reported phase was flight at a plain, valley crash site.

3 people were known to be on board, 7 fatalities were recorded, 0 survivors were identified or estimated. This corresponds to an estimated fatality rate of 233.3%.

Crew on board: 3, crew fatalities: 0, passengers on board: 0, passenger fatalities: 0, other fatalities: 7.

The listed crash cause is technical failure. En route from Agartala to Calcutta, a fire erupted in the cargo compartment. The captain decided to reduce his altitude and attempted an emergency landing. The four engine aircraft crash landed in a prairie located in Comilla, slid for several yards and came to rest in flames. All three crew members were able to vacate the cabin and were unhurt. It appears that seven villagers were killed while approaching the aircraft that suffered several explosions. The exact cause of the in flight fire remains unknown.

Aircraft reference details include registration VT-CYK, MSN 3089, year of manufacture 1943.

Geospatial coordinates for this crash are approximately 23.4604°, 91.1807°.

Fatalities

Total

7

Crew

0

Passengers

0

Other

7

Crash Summary

En route from Agartala to Calcutta, a fire erupted in the cargo compartment. The captain decided to reduce his altitude and attempted an emergency landing. The four engine aircraft crash landed in a prairie located in Comilla, slid for several yards and came to rest in flames. All three crew members were able to vacate the cabin and were unhurt. It appears that seven villagers were killed while approaching the aircraft that suffered several explosions. The exact cause of the in flight fire remains unknown.

Cause: Technical failure

Occupants & Outcome

Crew On Board

3

Passengers On Board

0

Estimated Survivors

0

Fatality Rate

233.3%

Known people on board: 3

Operational Details

Schedule / Flight

Agartala – Calcutta

Operator

Bharat Airways

Flight Type

Cargo

Flight Phase

Flight

Crash Site

Plain, Valley

Region / Country

Asia • Bangladesh

Aircraft Details

Registration

VT-CYK

MSN

3089

Year of Manufacture

1943

Similar Plane Crashes

January 15, 1943 at 12:00 AM35 Fatalities

United States Army Air Forces - USAAF

Douglas C-54 Skymaster

The four-engine aircraft was performing a flight from the US to Casablanca via South America (probably Natal), on behalf of the Air Transport Command. The on board delegation was flying to Morocco to take part to a conference. Rumors of a bomb on board caused the crew to divert to Port of Spain. A screwdriver was found in the hatch containing the IFF device but no trace of a bomb. While flying over Suriname, the aircraft exploded in mid-air, disintegrated and crashed in an isolated area located 30 miles northeast of Paramaribo. All 35 occupants were killed, among them Eric Mowbray Night, author and creator of the fictional collie 'Lassie'. He was Major by the US Army Special Services as well. Two identical C-54 planes traveling just 1/2 hour before and after this plane noticed anti-aircraft fire coming from what appeared to be an enemy submarine. Crew (TWA): Benjamin Hart Dally Jr., pilot, Theodore M. Wagner, copilot, Samuel S. Dorrance, flight surgeon, Everett Lee Bacon, copilot, Jason E. Voss, navigator, James M. Kane, navigator, Clyde E. Quisenberry, flight engineer, Leonard La Frank, radio operator, Leo J. Moriarty, radio operator, Eugene A. Dempf, flight purser. Passengers: Maj Eric Mowbray Knight, Cpt Albert L. Seeman, Cpt Basil D. Gallagher, 1st Lt Charles W. Campbell, 1st Lt Peter D. Barnhart, 1st Lt Donald C. Martin, 2nd Lt Carl A. Matteo, 2nd Lt Robert B. Walker, 2nd Lt John T. Girling, 2nd Lt Thomas L. Gallagher, 2nd Lt Max Solomon, F/O Charles S. Shively, S/Sgt Russell A. Baughman, S/Sgt Ellis H. Roberts Jr., S/Sgt Heyward O. Wylie, S/Sgt Roger M. Stoflet, Sgt Oscar Spahr Jr., Sgt Charles S. Roberts Jr., Percy E. Foxworth, Harold D. Haberfeld, William Hodson, James W. Seeger, Charles Howell Brown, Osmon E. Henryson, Morris Lewis. Source: http://www.lassiecomehome.info/id8.html

July 9, 1943 at 01:27 PM3 Fatalities

United States Army Air Forces - USAAF

Douglas C-54 Skymaster

The C-54 was flying in formation with a Lockheed C-40A Electra Junior registered 38-546, so his crew could photograph the dropping of a dummy combat tank from the C-54. After the tank was released, the pilot of the C-40A made a quick turn to the left, striking the C-54 right wingtip. The C-40A entered a spin and crashed near the runway, killing all five crew members. The C-54 continued on for 700 feet, allowing two passengers to bail out. The plane then crashed in a vertical dive, killing three other crewmen. Source: http://www.joebaugher.com/

January 27, 1944 at 12:00 AM1 Fatalities

United States Army Air Forces - USAAF

Douglas C-54 Skymaster

Crashed on takeoff for unknown reason and came to rest in flames. At least one crew member was killed.

March 23, 1944 at 12:00 AM

United States Army Air Forces - USAAF

Douglas C-54 Skymaster

Crashed in unknown circumstances in the Anguille Mountains, south of Stephenville. Crew fate unknown.

March 25, 1944 at 12:00 AM6 Fatalities

United States Army Air Forces - USAAF

Douglas C-54 Skymaster

The four engine aircraft was shot down by British fighters because it was approaching a ships convoy. The airplane was carrying dive flap modification kits for P-38's.

April 3, 1944 at 12:00 AM

United States Army Air Forces - USAAF

Curtiss C-46 Commando

Crash landed at Chittagong Airport. No casualties.