List of accidents and incidents involving the DC-3 in 1978

2 January

Douglas DC-3 N15598 of Aero Virgin Islands ditched in the sea 1,000 feet (300 m) off San Juan, Puerto Rico. The aircraft was on an international scheduled passenger flight from Saint Thomas Airport, United States Virgin Islands to San Juan. All five people on board survived.[1] The cause of the accident was that the pilot mismanaged the fuel system, running the starboard tanks dry when there was fuel available in the port tanks.[2]

27 January[3]

In Colombia, Douglas DC-3D HK-1351 of SADELCA crashed into a mountain at Cerro Granada,[4] Caquetá,[3] killing all twelve people on board. The altitude of the crash site is 6,800 feet (2,100 m), and the mountain was obscured by clouds at the time. The aircraft was on a scheduled passenger flight.[4]

28 January[5]

In Chad, Douglas C-47 TT-EAB of Air Tchad[6] was reportedly shot down by rebels near Tibesti.[5] The damaged aircraft apparently landed at N'Djamena International Airport where it was to be seen in 1980, but has since been scrapped.[7]

8 February

Douglas C-49J N189UM of Aero Service Corporation was damaged beyond repair in a landing accident at Tamanrasset Airport in Algeria.[8]

10 February

Douglas C-47A CX-BJH of TAMU crashed shortly after take-off from Artigas Airport on a domestic scheduled passenger flight to Carrasco International Airport, Montevideo. All 44 people on board were killed, making this the second-worst involving a DC-3 and the worst aviation accident in Uruguay at the time.[9]

21 February

Douglas DC-3 FAC-668 of SATENA crashed at an unknown location in Colombia.[10]

15 March

In Thailand, Douglas C-47 L2/48/18/100937 of the Royal Thai Air Force was damaged beyond repair in an accident at Don Nok Royal Thai Air Force Base. The port engine failed shortly after take-off and an emergency landing was being attempted.[11]

23 March

Douglas C-47A N1546A of Dominicana Air Services ditched off Grand Turk Island in the Turks and Caicos Islands following an onboard fire. One of the three crew was killed.[12]

19 May

Douglas C-47A VT-DEU of the India Civil Aviation Department crashed at Badkhalsa in India following a failure of the port engine. All eight people on board were killed.[13]

30 May

Douglas C-47B TG-LAM of Oneida crashed near Volcán Santo Tomás in Guatemala.[14]

9 July

Douglas C-47A N45873 was damaged beyond repair in a take-off accident at Richmond Municipal Airport in the American state of Indiana. All 42 people on board survived. The aircraft was on a local flight dropping parachutists. The cause of the accident was a jam in the elevator control system.[15]

20 July

Douglas C-47A TG-PAW of Aero Express was damaged beyond repair in an accident at Guatemala's Lake Peten Itza whilst on a flight from Dos Lagunas Airport to Flores International Airport.[16]

26 July

Douglas DC-3 TG-AFA of Aviateca overran the runway at Flores International Airport in Guatemala following a birdstrike on take-off and was reported to have been damaged beyond economic repair.[17] The aircraft was later repaired and returned to service.[18]

28 July

Douglas C-47B F-BIEE crashed into the Mediterranean Sea off Italy whilst on an illegal flight from France to an unknown African destination.[19]

The preserved cockpit of G-AMSM

17 August

In the United Kingdom, Douglas C-47B G-AMSM of Skyways Cargo Airline was damaged beyond economic repair in a take-off accident at Lydd (Ferryfield) Airport.[20] The nose section of this aircraft is preserved at Brenzett Aeronautical Museum, Kent.[21]

DC-3 of Kenn Borek Air

18 September

In Canada, Douglas C-47A C-FCRW of Kenn Borek Air was damaged beyond economic repair in a landing accident at Komakuk Airport, Northwest Territories.[22]

21 September

Douglas DC-3 N407D of Argosy Airlines crashed into the Caribbean Sea off the coast of the United States whilst on a ferry flight from Florida's Fort Lauderdale International Airport to José Martí International Airport in Havana, Cuba. All four people on board were killed.[23] The aircraft disappeared off radar screens at 12:43 local time (17:43 UTC). A search was initiated, which USCGC Steadfast coordinated, but was called off on 24 September without any trace of N407D being found.[24]

24 September

Douglas C-47B G-BFPU was damaged beyond repair in following a forced landing 6.9 nautical miles (12.8 km) north east of Karima, Sudan following problems with both engines. Following a successful belly landing, the aircraft was destroyed by the subsequent fire.[25]

1 October

In the United States, Douglas R4D-6 N47Z of Evergreen Air ditched off Fort Walton Beach, Florida following a failure of the electrical system whilst on a flight from Miami International Airport to an unnamed airport in San Juan, Puerto Rico. One of the four people on board was killed.[26]

3 October

Douglas C-47A DO-10 of the Finnish Air Force crashed into Finland's Lake Juurusvesi when attempting to return to Kuopio Airport. All 15 on board were killed. The aircraft was on a military flight to Helsinki Airport when an engine failed shortly after take-off and the decision was made to return to Kuopio.[27]

5 October

Douglas C-47A PK-NDI of Merpati Nusantara Airlines caught fire whilst parked at Ngurah Rai International Airport on the Indonesian island of Bali and was destroyed.[28]

7 October

In Brazil, Douglas C-47A PT-KVU of RICO Taxi Aéreo was damaged beyond economic repair when it overran the runway on landing at Carlos Prates Airport, Belo Horizonte. All 19 people on board survived.[29]

15 October

Douglas C-47A ET-AGK of Ethiopian Airlines was damaged beyond economic repair in a landing accident at Soddu Airport in Ethiopia following a hydraulic system failure. The aircraft was on a domestic scheduled passenger flight. All 32 people on board survived.[30] The aircraft was later used as an instructional airframe.[31] As of July 2010, the aircraft is reported to be stored at Addis Ababa.[32]

25 October

In Ethiopia, Douglas C-47A ET-AGQ of Ethiopian Airlines was damaged beyond economic repair in a landing accident at Degahbur Airport. Although the aircraft was on a cargo flight, it was carrying nine passengers and four crew, all of whom survived.[33]

14 November

Douglas C-47A 4W-ABY of Yemen Airlines was damaged beyond economic repair in a landing accident at Mareb Airport in Egypt.[34]

21 November

Douglas C-47A HK-1393 of Taxi Aéreo El Venado flew into Colombia's Mount Judio at an altitude of 11,200 feet (3,400 m) whilst on a domestic scheduled passenger flight from Camilo Daza International Airport to Santiago Pérez Quiroz Airport. All 28 people on board were killed.[35]

2 December

In the United States, Douglas C-47A N41447 of SMB Stage Line crashed short of the runway at Des Moines International Airport, Idaho whilst on a cargo flight from Chicago.[36] Airframe icing was a factor in the accident.[37]

5 December

In the United States, Douglas C-53 N25656 of Caribe Air Sales crashed shortly after take-off from Sebring Airport, Florida and was destroyed by fire. The gust locks had not been removed before flight and the aircraft was overloaded. All three people on board were killed.[38]

11 December

In the United States, Douglas C-49J N133AC of Aircraft Sales and Leasing crashed near Port Mayaca, Florida due to fuel exhaustion. The aircraft was being used to smuggle marijuana at the time and both crew were killed.[39]

14 December

In the United States, Douglas C-47A N4996E was written off in a landing in a sugar cane field at Battle Creek, Florida whilst being used to smuggle marijuana.[40] The pilot was not qualified to fly the aircraft and mismanaged the fuel system. both crew were killed.[41]

In France, Douglas C-47A F-BCYX of Trans Europe Air was reported to have been damaged beyond repair at Toulouse-Blagnac Airport sometime during 1978.[42]

• List of accidents and incidents involving the DC-3 in the 1970s

^Note A Military versions of the DC-3 were known as C-47 Skytrain, C-48, C-49, C-50, C-51, C-52, C-53 Skytrooper, C-68, C-84, C-117 Super Dakota and YC-129 by the United States Army Air Forces and as the R4D by the United States Navy. In Royal Air Force (and other British Commonwealth air forces') service, these aircraft were known as Dakotas.