Narrative:
The Douglas TC-47B was destroyed in an accident near Tampa, FL, killing all thirteen crew members. The airplane was part of a flight of five aircraft on a navigation training flight from Sarasota AAF to Lake Charles AAF. A line of thunderstorms was present in the area north of Tampa. The pilot lost control of he aircraft. Stresses on the airframe caused the failure of the left wing. The airplane spiralled down, breaking up. The wreckage came down in a thick mangrove swamp.
Loss of control
» Fatal Army Air Forces Aviation Accidents in the United States, 1941-1945, Vol. 3: August 1944-December 1945 / Anthony J. Mireles
| Status: | |
| Date: | Wednesday 25 July 1945 |
| Time: | 10:30 |
| Type: |  Douglas TC-47B (DC-3) |
| Operator: | United States Army Air Force - USAAF |
| Registration: | 44-76612 |
| MSN: | 32944/16196 |
| First flight: | 1945 |
| Crew: | Fatalities: 13 / Occupants: 13 |
| Passengers: | Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 0 |
| Total: | Fatalities: 13 / Occupants: 13 |
| Aircraft damage: | Destroyed |
| Aircraft fate: | Written off (damaged beyond repair) |
| Location: | 32 km (20 mls) NE of Tampa, FL ( United States of America)
|
| Phase: | En route (ENR) |
| Nature: | Military |
| Departure airport: | Sarasota AAF, FL (SRQ/KSRQ), United States of America |
| Lake Charles AAF, LA (CWF/KCWF), United States of America |
The Douglas TC-47B was destroyed in an accident near Tampa, FL, killing all thirteen crew members. The airplane was part of a flight of five aircraft on a navigation training flight from Sarasota AAF to Lake Charles AAF. A line of thunderstorms was present in the area north of Tampa. The pilot lost control of he aircraft. Stresses on the airframe caused the failure of the left wing. The airplane spiralled down, breaking up. The wreckage came down in a thick mangrove swamp.
Classification:
Wing failureLoss of control
Sources:
» Aviation Archaeological Investigation and Research (AAIR)» Fatal Army Air Forces Aviation Accidents in the United States, 1941-1945, Vol. 3: August 1944-December 1945 / Anthony J. Mireles
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 Sarasota AAF, FL to Lake Charles AAF, LA as the crow flies is 1071 km (669 miles).
Distance from Sarasota AAF, FL to Lake Charles AAF, LA as the crow flies is 1071 km (669 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.
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Douglas DC-3
- ca 13.000 built
- 2019th loss
- 630th fatal accident
- 96th worst accident (at the time)
- 408th worst accident (currently)
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