Accident description
Last updated: 20 May 2013
| Status: | |
| Date: | 21 APR 1950 |
| Time: | ca 23:25 |
| Type: | Douglas C-54D-10-DC |
| Operator: | United States Air Force - USAF |
| Registration: | 42-72704 |
| C/n / msn: | 10809 |
| First flight: | 1945 |
| Crew: | Fatalities: 8 / Occupants: 8 |
| Passengers: | Fatalities: 27 / Occupants: 27 |
| Total: | Fatalities: 35 / Occupants: 35 |
| Airplane damage: | Written off |
| Airplane fate: | Written off (damaged beyond repair) |
| Location: | 34 km (21.3 mls) SW of Tachikawa AB (Japan)
 |
| Phase: | En route (ENR) |
| Nature: | Military |
| Departure airport: | Okinawa-Kadena AFB (DNA/RODN), Japan |
| Tachikawa AB (RJTC), Japan |
The Skymaster was on a flight from Clark AB to Tachikawa AB in Japan with an enroute stop at Okinawa-Kadena AFB. During the last leg of the flight, the crew reported overhead the O-Shima radio range station and were cleared to descend to 5000 feet. In fact the plane was some 40 km south-west of O-Shima. The crew descended over mountainous terrain until the airplane flew into the side of Mount Hirugatake, a 1279m high mountain which is located near Mount Fuji.
Events:
Sources:
» Aviation Archaeological Investigation and Research (AAIR)
» USAAS-USAAC-USAAF-USAF Aircraft Serial Numbers--1908 to Present / Joe Baugher
» Military aviation disasters : significant losses since 1908 / D. Gero, 1999
Sample newspaper article from Newspaperarchive.com
Photos
Map
This map shows the airport of departure and the intended destination of the flight. The line between the airports does not display the exact flight path.
Distance from Okinawa-Kadena AFB to Tachikawa AB as the crow flies is 1508 km (942 miles).
Distance from Okinawa-Kadena AFB to Tachikawa AB as the crow flies is 1508 km (942 miles).
This information is not presented as the Flight Safety Foundation or the Aviation Safety Network’s opinion as to the cause of the accident. It is preliminary and is based on the facts as they are known at this time.
languages:
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Douglas DC-4
- 116th loss
- 1242+ built
- 11th worst accident (at the time)
- 37th worst accident (currently)
Japan- 2nd worst accident (at the time)
- 12th worst accident (currently)