List of accidents and incidents involving the DC-3 in 1979

An Ethiopian Airlines DC-3

10 January

In the United States Douglas DC-3A N9025R of Waggoner Aircraft was damaged beyond economic repair in a landing accident at Southbay Airport, Florida.[1] The aircraft nosed over when it landed on soft ground.[2]

28 January

Douglas C-47 ET-AGP of Ethiopian Airlines was damaged beyond economic repair in an accident at Heycota in Eritrea. Three people were killed.[3]

19 February

Douglas C-47 ET-AFW of Ethiopian Airlines crashed at Barentu Airport in Eritrea after a bomb exploded on board. All five people on board the aircraft were killed.[4]

5 April

Douglas C-47A L2-26/02 of the Royal Thai Air Force was hit by a car on the ground at an airfield in Thailand. The aircraft was subsequently written off.[5]

8 April

In Nicaragua, an unidentified Douglas C-47 of the Fuerza Aérea Nicaragua was damaged beyond economic repair at Condega.[6]

20 April

In Ethiopia, Douglas C-47A ET-AGU of Ethiopian Airlines was substantially damaged in a landing accident at Oborso Airport. The aircraft was repaired and returned to service.[7]

DC-3 TG-SAB the year after its crash

7 May

In Guatemala, Douglas DC-3 TG-SAB of Transportes Aéreos Profesionales was substantially damaged in a landing accident at Flores International Airport, Flores-Santa Elena when it departed the runway and collided with a car. The aircraft was subsequently repaired and returned to service.[8]

A United States Forest Service DC-3

11 June

In the United States, Douglas C-47A N148Z of the United States Forest Service was damaged beyond repair when an engine caught fire in flight and then fell off. The aircraft was on a domestic non-scheduled passenger flight that had departed from Grangeville County Airport. Although a forced landing was made in the Selway River some 48 nautical miles (89 km) north east of Elk City, Idaho, ten of the twelve people on board were killed.[9]

12 June

In the United States, Douglas DC-3D N427W of Bradley Aviation crashed shortly after take-off from Fort Lauderdale Executive Airport after take-off was attempted at too low an airspeed. Both crew were killed.[10] The pilot did not have a rating to fly the DC-3 and the aircraft did not have a certificate of airworthiness.[11]

31 August

Douglas DC-3 HI-237 of Alas del Caribe was damaged beyond repair by Hurricane David at an airport in Santo Domingo in the Dominican Republic.[12]

21 September

In Eritrea, Douglas C-47A ET-AGU of Ethiopian Airlines was damaged beyond economic repair in a take-off accident at Barentu Airport.[13]

30 October

Douglas C-47B N99663 of Frontier Flying Service was written off in a landing accident at Bettles Airport in the American state of Alaska. The aircraft struck three parked aircraft. It was on a cargo flight from Fairbanks International Airport, Alaska,[14] to Ambler Airport, Alaska via Bettles. All four aircraft were substantially damaged.[15]

10 November

Douglas C-47B ST-AHH of the National Agriculture Organisation crashed at Kadugli Airport in Sudan and was destroyed by the subsequent fire.[16]

13 November

In Brazil, Douglas C-47A PT-KVT of Consultoria Tecnica Operacional de Aviacao crashed 5 nautical miles (9.3 km) north of Cascavel.[17]

27 December

Douglas C-47 313 of the Fuerza Aérea Hondureña crashed at Puerto Lempira in Honduras whilst on a military flight. Both crew were killed and some of the passengers were injured.[18]

• 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.

• Photograph of the wreck of N427W