 B-908, the aircraft involved in the accident, at Haneda Airport | |
| Accident | |
|---|---|
| Date | 20 June 1964 (1964-06-20) |
| Summary | Engine failure and loss of control (Disputed) |
| Site | Shenkang, Taiwan |
| Aircraft | |
| Aircraft type | Curtiss C-46D Commando |
| Operator | Civil Air Transport |
| Registration | B-908 |
| Flight origin | Taichung Airport (TXG/RCLG) |
| Destination | Taipei-Sung Shan Airport (TSA/RCSS) |
| Occupants | 57 |
| Passengers | 52 |
| Crew | 5 |
| Fatalities | 57 |
| Survivors | 0 |
Civil Air Transport Flight 106 was a Curtiss C-46D Commando, registration number B-908 (C/N 32950), that was operated by Civil Air Transport, which was a front company operated by the CIA. On 20 June 1964, the aircraft crashed near the village of Shenkang, western Taiwan, killing all 57 people aboard.
The accident
Shortly after take-off from Taichung, the number one engine oversped. The pilot began a left turn to perform an emergency landing at the airport or a nearby military air base. But while turning, the pilot lost control and the aircraft crashed in a left wing low and a steep nose down attitude.
The aircraft
The flight was being operated by a C-46D, which had accumulated 19,488 operational hours from 1944 to 1964.
Causes
The Taiwanese CAA concluded that the primary cause of the accident was the failure of the #1 engine, compounded by pilot error during attempts at recovery while returning to Taichung Airport (later renamed Shuinan Airport and now closed) or Taichung Air Base.
However, this conclusion was disputed by Civil Air Transport, who seems to favour instead a theory of hijacking by a passenger.
Passengers
Among the dead were 20 Americans, one Briton, and members of the Malaysian delegation to the 11th Film Festival in Asia, including businessman Loke Wan Tho and his wife Mavis.
References
- "Ci – Cz" Airplane Crash Info.
- "Two CIA Prisoners in China, 1952–73 — Central Intelligence Agency". cia.gov. Archived from the original on 13 June 2007.
- ^ 1964 Airplane Crash Info.
- "ICAO Aircraft Accident Digest No.16 - Volume III, Circular 82-AN/69 (34-37)" (PDF). ICAO.
- Aircraft Accident Investigation Report, 21 August 1964
- B-908 CRASH OPERATIONS REPORT
- "Villagers see blast as 57 die in crash". The Montreal Gazette. 22 June 1964. Retrieved 1 June 2011.
| Aviation accidents and incidents in 1964 (1964) | |
|---|---|
| Jan 13 Savage Mountain B-52 crashJan 28 T-39 shootdownFeb 25 Eastern Air Lines Flight 304Feb 29 British Eagle International Airlines Flight 802/6Mar 1 Paradise Airlines Flight 901AApr 5 Machida F-8 crashApr 17 Middle East Airlines Flight 444May 7 Pacific Air Lines Flight 773May 20 Philippine Air Lines Flight F26Jun 20 Civil Air Transport Flight 106Jul 9 United Air Lines Flight 823Sep 2 Aeroflot Flight 721Oct 2 Mt. Alcazaba UTA Douglas DC-6 crashNov 15 Bonanza Air Lines Flight 114Nov 20 Linjeflyg Flight 267VNov 23 TWA Flight 800Dec 24 Flying Tiger Line Flight 282 | |
| 1963 ◄ ► 1965 |
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- Aviation accidents and incidents in Taiwan
- Aviation accidents and incidents in 1964
- Accidents and incidents involving the Curtiss-Wright C-46 Commando
- Civil Air Transport accidents and incidents
- June 1964 events in Asia
- 1964 in Taiwan
- 1964 disasters in Taiwan
- Aircraft hijackings in Asia
- Hijackings in the 1960s
- Aviation accident stubs