Balair Douglas DC-6 Basle Airport - 1976

The

Douglas DC-6 The Douglas DC-6 is a piston-powered airliner and cargo aircraft built by the Douglas Aircraft Company from 1946 to 1958. Originally intended as a military transport near the end of World War II, it was reworked after the war to compete with th ...

is a piston-powered

airliner An airliner is a type of aircraft for transporting passengers and air cargo. Such aircraft are most often operated by airlines. Although the definition of an airliner can vary from country to country, an airliner is typically defined as an ...

and

transport aircraft Transport aircraft is a broad category of aircraft that includes: * Airliners, aircraft, usually large and most often operated by airlines, intended for carrying multiple passengers or cargo in commercial service * Cargo aircraft or freighters, fix ...

built by the

Douglas Aircraft Company The Douglas Aircraft Company was an American aerospace manufacturer based in Southern California. It was founded in 1921 by Donald Wills Douglas Sr. and later merged with McDonnell Aircraft in 1967 to form McDonnell Douglas; it then operated as ...

from 1946 to 1958. Originally intended as a

military transport Military supply-chain management is a cross-functional approach to procuring, producing and delivering products and services for military materiel applications. Military supply chain management includes sub-suppliers, suppliers, internal info ...

near the end of

World War II World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposin ...

, it was reworked after the war to compete with the

Lockheed Constellation The Lockheed Constellation ("Connie") is a propeller-driven, four-engined airliner built by Lockheed Corporation starting in 1943. The Constellation series was the first pressurized-cabin civil airliner series to go into widespread use. Its press ...

in the long-range commercial transport market. More than 700 were built and many still fly today in cargo, military and wildfire control roles. The DC-6 was known as the C-118 Liftmaster in

United States Air Force The United States Air Force (USAF) is the air service branch of the United States Armed Forces, and is one of the eight uniformed services of the United States. Originally created on 1 August 1907, as a part of the United States Army Signal ...

service and as the R6D Liftmaster in

United States Navy The United States Navy (USN) is the maritime service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the eight uniformed services of the United States. It is the largest and most powerful navy in the world, with the estimated tonnage ...

service prior to 18 September 1962, after which all U.S. Navy variants were also designated as the C-118 under the

1962 United States Tri-Service aircraft designation system The Tri-Service aircraft designation system is a unified system introduced in 1962 by the United States Department of Defense for designating all U.S. military aircraft. Previously, the U.S. armed services used separate nomenclature systems. ...

Notable accidents and incidents

Like every other major type in long service and operation, accidents and incidents have been recorded that have substantially reduced the numbers flying. The following list is typical of such a record of operational use.

1940s

;October 24, 1947:

United Airlines Flight 608 United Air Lines Flight 608 was a Douglas DC-6 airliner, registration NC37510, on a scheduled passenger flight from Los Angeles to Chicago when it crashed at 12:29 pm on October 24, 1947 about southeast of Bryce Canyon Airport, Utah, United S ...

crashed near

Bryce Canyon, Utah Bryce Canyon National Park () is an American national park located in southwestern Utah. The major feature of the park is Bryce Canyon, which despite its name, is not a canyon, but a collection of giant natural amphitheaters along the eastern ...

while attempting an emergency landing after an inflight fire broke out, killing all 52 on board. ;June 17, 1948:

United Airlines Flight 624 United Airlines Flight 624, a Douglas DC-6 airliner, registration NC37506, was a scheduled passenger flight from San Diego, California to New York City. The four-engined, propeller-driven airplane crashed at 1:41 pm Eastern Daylight Time on ...

crashed near

Aristes, Pennsylvania Aristes is a census-designated place (CDP) in Conyngham Township, Columbia County, Pennsylvania, United States. It is part of Northeastern Pennsylvania. The population was 311 at the 2010 census. It is part of the Bloomsburg-Berwick micropolitan ...

after a false fire alarm. All 43 on board were killed. ;July 4, 1948: An

SAS SAS or Sas may refer to: Arts, entertainment, and media * ''SAS'' (novel series), a French book series by Gérard de Villiers * ''Shimmer and Shine'', an American animated children's television series * Southern All Stars, a Japanese rock ba ...

DC-6 collided in mid-air with RAF Avro York ''MW248'' over Northwood, London, killing all 39 on board both aircraft. ;November 29, 1949:

American Airlines Flight 157 American Airlines Flight 157, a Douglas DC-6, departed on November 29, 1949, from New York City bound for Mexico City with 46 passengers and crew. After one engine failed in mid-flight, a series of critical mistakes by the flight crew caused the ...

crashed while attempting a three-engine landing at Love Field; 28 of 46 people were killed.

1950s

;June 30, 1951:

United Airlines Flight 610 On June 30, 1951, United Air Lines Flight 610, a US transcontinental San Francisco– Oakland–Salt Lake City–Denver–Chicago service flown by the Douglas DC-6 aircraft ''Mainliner Overland Trail'' (registration N37543) cra ...

struck the side of Crystal Mountain, Colorado after the crew deviated from the flight path for reasons unknown, killing all 50 passengers and crew on board. ;August 24, 1951:

United Airlines Flight 615 United Air Lines Flight 615 was a US transcontinental east–west airline service from Boston to Hartford, Cleveland, Chicago, Oakland and San Francisco. On August 24, 1951, the Douglas DC-6 with registration operating the service, crashed on ap ...

crashed into

Tolman Peak The surname Tolman may refer to: *Aiden Tolman (born 1988), Australian Rugby League player *Andrew Tolman (born 1986), American drummer, co-founder of alternative rock groups Imagine Dragons and The Moth & The Flame *Brett Tolman (born 1970), Unite ...

and into

Dry Gulch Canyon Dry or dryness most often refers to: * Lack of rainfall, which may refer to **Arid regions **Drought * Dry or dry area, relating to legal prohibition of selling, serving, or imbibing alcoholic beverages * Dry humor, deadpan * Dryness (medical) * ...

below, southeast of

Oakland, California Oakland is the largest city and the county seat of Alameda County, California, United States. A major West Coast of the United States, West Coast port, Oakland is the largest city in the East Bay region of the San Francisco Bay Area, the third ...

; all 44 passengers and six crew were killed. ;February 11, 1952:

National Airlines Flight 101 National Airlines Flight 101 was a scheduled flight from Newark Airport, New Jersey, to Miami, Florida, that on February 11, 1952 crashed in the town of Elizabeth, New Jersey, shortly after take-off. It was the third plane crash occurring in El ...

(a DC-6, N90891) crashed at

Newark International Airport Newark Liberty International Airport , originally Newark Metropolitan Airport and later Newark International Airport, is an international airport straddling the boundary between the cities of Newark, New Jersey, Newark in Essex County, New Jerse ...

after a propeller reversed in flight, killing 29 of 63 on board and four on the ground. ;March 22, 1952:

KLM Flight 592 KLM Flight 592, a KLM Douglas DC-6 was a scheduled passenger flight from Rome-Ciampino Airport (CIA/LIRA) to Frankfurt International Airport (FRA/EDDF). On Saturday 22 March 1952, Flight 592 crashed on final approaching to Frankfurt Internation ...

, a DC-6 (PH-TPJ, ''Koningin Juliana''), crashed in a forest 7 mi northeast of

Frankfurt International Airport Frankfurt Airport (; german: link=no, Flughafen Frankfurt Main , also known as ''Rhein-Main-Flughafen'') is a major international airport located in Frankfurt, the fifth-largest city of Germany and one of the world's leading financial centres. ...

, killing 45 of 47 on board. ;June 28, 1952:

American Airlines Flight 910 American Airlines Flight 910, a four-engine Douglas DC-6 propliner, collided in mid-air with a single engine Temco Swift on final approach to Dallas Love Field on June 28, 1952, over Dallas, Texas. The DC-6 was carrying 55 passengers and 5 crew ...

collided in mid-air with a private single-engine

Temco Swift The Globe GC-1 Swift, also known as the Globe/Temco Swift, is a light, two-seat sport monoplane from the post-World War II period. Design and development The Swift was designed by R.S. "Pop" Johnson in 1940, despite the fanciful story whic ...

on final approach to

Dallas Love Field Dallas Love Field is a city-owned public airport northwest of downtown Dallas, Texas., effective April 10, 2008 It was Dallas' main airport until 1974 when Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport (DFW) opened. Love Field covers an area of a ...

; both occupants of the Swift were killed but the DC-6 landed safely. ;February 14, 1953:

National Airlines Flight 470 National Airlines Flight 470 was a regularly scheduled flight between Tampa and New Orleans that crashed on February 14, 1953 after encountering severe turbulence. The crash marked the deadliest accident in the history of National Airlines, ki ...

crashed in the Gulf of Mexico 20 mi SE off Mobile Point, Alabama after it broke up in severe turbulence from a thunderstorm, killing all 46 passengers and crew on board; the aircraft possibly flew into a waterspout. ;April 20, 1953:

Western Air Lines Western Airlines was a major airline based in California, operating in the Western United States including Alaska and Hawaii, and western Canada, as well as to New York City, Boston, Washington, D.C., and Miami and to Mexico City, London and N ...

Flight 636 (a DC-6B, N91303) crashed in San Francisco Bay due to pilot error, killing eight of 10 on board. ;July 12, 1953: Transocean Air Lines Flight 512 crashed in the Pacific Ocean 344 miles east of

Wake Island Wake Island ( mh, Ānen Kio, translation=island of the kio flower; also known as Wake Atoll) is a coral atoll in the western Pacific Ocean in the northeastern area of the Micronesia subregion, east of Guam, west of Honolulu, southeast of To ...

for reasons unknown, killing all 58 passengers and crew on board. ;October 29, 1953: British Commonwealth Pacific Airlines Flight 304 from

Sydney Sydney ( ) is the capital city of the state of New South Wales, and the most populous city in both Australia and Oceania. Located on Australia's east coast, the metropolis surrounds Sydney Harbour and extends about towards the Blue Mountain ...

Nadi Nadi (pronounced ) is the third-largest conurbation in Fiji. It is located on the western side of the main island of Viti Levu, and had a population of 42,284 at the most recent census, in 2007. A 2012 estimate showed that the population had ...

(Fiji),

Canton Island Canton Island (also known as Kanton or Abariringa), previously known as Mary Island, Mary Balcout's Island or Swallow Island, is the largest, northernmost, and , the sole inhabited island of the Phoenix Islands, in the Republic of Kiribati. It i ...

, and

Honolulu Honolulu (; ) is the capital and largest city of the U.S. state of Hawaii, which is in the Pacific Ocean. It is an unincorporated county seat of the consolidated City and County of Honolulu, situated along the southeast coast of the island ...

crashed in the

Santa Cruz Mountains The Santa Cruz Mountains, part of the Pacific Coast Ranges, are a mountain range in central and Northern California, United States. They form a ridge down the San Francisco Peninsula, south of San Francisco. They separate the Pacific Ocean from ...

seven miles (11 km) southeast of

Half Moon Bay, California Half Moon Bay is a coastal city in San Mateo County, California, United States, approximately south of San Francisco. Its population was 11,795 as of the 2020 census. Immediately at the north of Half Moon Bay is Pillar Point Harbor and the un ...

, while preparing to land at

San Francisco Airport San Francisco International Airport is an international airport in an unincorporated area of San Mateo County, south of Downtown San Francisco. It has flights to points throughout North America and is a major gateway to Europe, the Middle E ...

; all 19 on board were killed, including American pianist

William Kapell William Kapell (September 20, 1922October 29, 1953) was an American pianist and recording artist, killed at the age of 31 in the crash of a commercial airliner returning from a concert tour in Australia. Biography William Kapell was born in New ...

, age 31, who was returning to the United States following a three-month concert tour in Australia. ;January 14, 1954: A

Philippine Airlines Philippine Airlines (PAL), a trade name of PAL Holdings, Inc. ( PSEPAL (Philippine Air Lines until 1970), is the flag carrier airline of the Philippines. Headquartered at the PNB Financial Center in Pasay, the airline was founded in 1941 and i ...

DC-6 (PI-C294) crashed near

Rome , established_title = Founded , established_date = 753 BC , founder = King Romulus (legendary) , image_map = Map of comune of Rome (metropolitan city of Capital Rome, region Lazio, Italy).svg , map_caption ...

due to a loss of control caused by possible turbulence, killing all 16 passengers and crew on board. ;August 23, 1954:

KLM Flight 608 KLM Flight 608 was an international scheduled passenger flight from New York City to Amsterdam. On 23 August 1954, the aircraft crashed in the North Sea off IJmuiden during the Shannon-Amsterdam leg of the flight. The crash killed all 21 passen ...

, a DC-6B (PH-DFO, ''Willem Bontekoe''), crashed in the North Sea 37 km north of the Dutch coast, killing all 21 passengers and crew on board; the cause was not determined, but cockpit window failure, autopilot failure, an in-flight explosion or an overheating electrical system were suspected. ;December 18, 1954: Linee Aeree Italiane Flight 451 (a DC-6B, I-LINE) crashed while attempting to land at Idlewild Airport (now

John F. Kennedy International Airport John F. Kennedy International Airport (colloquially referred to as JFK Airport, Kennedy Airport, New York-JFK, or simply JFK) is the main international airport serving New York City. The airport is the busiest of the seven airports in the Ne ...

) due to pilot error and fatigue, killing 26 of 32 on board. ;February 13, 1955:

Sabena Flight 503 The crash of Sabena Flight 503 was an accident involving a Douglas DC-6 of the Belgian airline company Sabena which crashed into Monte Terminillo near Rieti, Italy, 100 km north east of Rome on 13 February 1955, killing all 29 people on boa ...

, a

(OO-SDB), crashed on

Monte Terminillo Monte Terminillo is a massif in the Monti Reatini, part of the Abruzzi Apennine range in central Italy. It is located some 20 km from Rieti and 100 km from Rome and has a highest altitude of . It is a typical Apennine massif, both for ...

, near

Rieti Rieti (; lat, Reate, Sabino: ) is a town and ''comune'' in Lazio, central Italy, with a population of 47,700. It is the administrative seat of the province of Rieti and see of the diocese of Rieti, as well as the modern capital of the Sabina re ...

, Italy; all 29 on board died, including actress and 1953

Miss Italia Miss Italia is a beauty pageant awarding prizes every year to young, female contestants from Italy. Since the first edition of the contest in 1939 many of the contestants have gone on to notable careers in television and film. History The foreru ...

winner Marcella Mariani. ;March 22, 1955:

US Navy The United States Navy (USN) is the maritime service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the eight uniformed services of the United States. It is the largest and most powerful navy in the world, with the estimated tonnage of ...

R6D-1 Liftmaster ''131612''

crashed "Crashed" is the third U.S. rock Single (music), single, (the fifth overall), from the band Daughtry (band), Daughtry's debut album. It was released only to U.S. rock stations on September 5, 2007. Upon its release the song got adds at those stat ...

into

Pali Kea Peak Pali () is a Middle Indo-Aryan liturgical language native to the Indian subcontinent. It is widely studied because it is the language of the Buddhist ''Pāli Canon'' or ''Tipiṭaka'' as well as the sacred language of ''Theravāda'' Buddhism ...

in the

Waianae Range Waianae () is a census-designated place (CDP) in Honolulu County, Hawaii, United States. As of the 2020 census, the CDP population was 13,614. Its name means "waters of the mullet". Its etymology is shared with the far northern Wellington subu ...

near

Territory of Hawaii The Territory of Hawaii or Hawaii Territory ( Hawaiian: ''Panalāʻau o Hawaiʻi'') was an organized incorporated territory of the United States that existed from April 30, 1900, until August 21, 1959, when most of its territory, excluding ...

, after the crew made a navigational error, killing all 66 people on board. ;April 4, 1955: A United Airlines DC-6

at MacArthur Airport during a training flight due to pilot error, killing the three crew. ;November 1, 1955: A

time bomb A time bomb (or a timebomb, time-bomb) is a bomb whose detonation is triggered by a timer. The use (or attempted use) of time bombs has been for various purposes including insurance fraud, terrorism, assassination, sabotage and warfare. They ar ...

exploded aboard

United Airlines Flight 629 United Air Lines Flight 629, registration N37559, was a Douglas DC-6B aircraft also known as "Mainliner Denver", that was blown up on November 1, 1955, by a dynamite bomb placed in the checked luggage. The explosion occurred over Longmont, Colo ...

, a DC-6 flying over

Longmont, Colorado The City of Longmont is a home rule municipality located in Boulder and Weld counties, Colorado, United States. Longmont is located northeast of the county seat of Boulder and north-northwest of the Colorado State Capitol in Denver. Longmont ...

, killing all 44 people on board. A passenger's son was later tried and convicted of placing the bomb on board. ;February 20, 1956: A

TAI Tai or TAI may refer to: Arts and entertainment *Tai (comics) a fictional Marvel Comics supervillain *Tai Fraiser, a fictional character in the 1995 film ''Clueless'' *Tai Kamiya, a fictional character in ''Digimon'' Businesses and organisations ...

DC-6B (F-BGOD) crashed 18 mi NE of Cairo International Airport due to crew error and possible fatigue, killing 52 of 64 on board. ;August 29, 1956:

Canadian Pacific Air Lines Canadian Pacific Air Lines was a Canadian airline that operated from 1942 to 1987. It operated under the name CP Air from 1968 to 1986. Headquartered at Vancouver International Airport in Richmond, British Columbia, it served domestic Canadian a ...

Flight 307 (a DC-6B, CF-CUP, ''Empress of Mexico City'') crashed at Cold Bay, Alaska after the flaps were fully raised at low altitude while circling, killing 15 of 22 on board. ;October 10, 1956: US Navy R6D-1 Liftmaster ''131588''

disappeared An enforced disappearance (or forced disappearance) is the secret abduction or imprisonment of a person by a state or political organization, or by a third party with the authorization, support, or acquiescence of a state or political organiza ...

over the

Atlantic Ocean The Atlantic Ocean is the second-largest of the world's five oceans, with an area of about . It covers approximately 20% of Earth's surface and about 29% of its water surface area. It is known to separate the " Old World" of Africa, Europe ...

with 59 on board; small debris was found 370 mi WSW of Land's End, England. ;November 24, 1956: Linee Aeree Italiane Flight 451, a DC-6B (I-LEAD) flying from Rome to New York, crashed on climbout at midnight from Orly Airport, Paris due to an unexplained loss of altitude, killing 34 of 35 people on board. Captain Attilio Vazzoler, 41, was one of the more experienced pilot of the company with more than 10 thousand hours of flight, and the aircraft was new. The reasons of the disaster remain unknown. Conductor

Guido Cantelli Guido Cantelli (; 27 April 192024 November 1956) was an Italian orchestral conducting, conductor. Toscanini elected him his "spiritual heir" since the beginnings of his career. He was named Musical Director of La Scala, La Scala, Milan in November ...

was one of the passengers that died in this crash. ;January 15, 1957: USAF C-118A ''53-3263'' was destroyed in a hangar fire at McChord AFB along with C-124C Globemaster II ''52-1027''; a Lockheed T-33 and de Havilland Canada L-20 Beaver were damaged. ;February 1, 1957:

Northeast Airlines Flight 823 Northeast Airlines Flight 823 was a scheduled flight from New York City's LaGuardia Airport to Miami International Airport, Florida, which crashed shortly after takeoff on February 1, 1957. The aircraft operating the service was a Douglas DC-6 fo ...

, a DC-6A, crashed due to apparent pilot error onto

Rikers Island Rikers Island is a island in the East River between Queens and the Bronx that contains New York City's main jail complex. Named after Abraham Rycken, who took possession of the island in 1664, the island was originally under in size, but has ...

shortly after taking off from

LaGuardia Airport LaGuardia Airport is a civil airport in East Elmhurst, Queens, New York City. Covering , the facility was established in 1929 and began operating as a public airport in 1939. It is named after former New York City mayor Fiorello La Guardia. ...

in conditions of poor visibility, killing 20 passengers and injuring many more. ;February 1, 1958: USAF C-118A ''53-3277'' collided in mid-air with US Navy

Lockheed P2V Neptune The Lockheed P-2 Neptune (designated P2V by the United States Navy prior to September 1962) is a Maritime patrol aircraft, maritime patrol and anti-submarine warfare (ASW) aircraft. It was developed for the US Navy by Lockheed Corporation, Lockh ...

''127723'' over Norwalk, California, killing 47 of 49 on board both aircraft and one person on the ground. ;August 28, 1958: Northwest Orient Airlines Flight 537, a DC-6B, crashed due to apparent pilot error shortly after taking off from Minneapolis/St Paul Airport resulting in injuries but no deaths. ;December 26, 1958:

Union Aéromaritime de Transport ''Union Aéromaritime de Transport'' (UAT) was a French airline. It had its head office in the 8th arrondissement of Paris.Salisbury Airport, Rhodesia (now Zimbabwe) after a loss of speed caused by a storm, killing three of 70 on board. ;June 22, 1959: A Pan Am DC-6A/B (N5026K, ''Clipper Panama'') caught fire and burned out on takeoff from

Shannon Airport Shannon Airport ( ga, Aerfort na Sionainne) is an international airport located in County Clare in the Republic of Ireland. It is adjacent to the Shannon Estuary and lies halfway between Ennis and Limerick. The airport is the third busiest ai ...

after the number four engine fell off. The aircraft was destroyed but all 8 persons on board survived, although six dogs in the cargo hold did not survive. The number one blade (which had been bent) on the number four propeller failed due to fatigue; this placed unbalanced loads on the engine, causing the engine to separate.

1960s

;January 6, 1960:

National Airlines Flight 2511 National Airlines Flight 2511 was a United States domestic passenger flight from New York City to Miami, Florida. On January 6, 1960, the Douglas DC-6 serving the flight exploded in midair. The National Airlines aircraft was carrying 5 crew m ...

crashed near Bolivia, North Carolina after a suicide bomb exploded on board, killing all 34 passengers and crew. ;February 25, 1960:

Douglas R6D-1 (DC-6A) ''131582'' flying from Buenos Aires-Ezeiza to Rio de Janeiro-Galeão Air Force Base collided in mid-air over

Guanabara Bay Guanabara Bay ( pt, Baía de Guanabara, ) is an oceanic bay located in Southeast Brazil in the state of Rio de Janeiro. On its western shore lie the cities of Rio de Janeiro and Duque de Caxias, and on its eastern shore the cities of Niterói and ...

close to the

Sugarloaf Mountain Sugarloaf Mountain ( pt, Pão de Açúcar, ) is a peak situated in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, at the mouth of Guanabara Bay on a peninsula that juts out into the Atlantic Ocean. Rising above the harbor, the peak is named for its resemblance to ...

with a

Real Transportes Aéreos Real Transportes Aéreos (acronym to Redes Estaduais Aéreas Limitadas, literal translation: State Air Networks Limited) was a Brazilian airline founded in 1945. It was merged into Varig in 1961, when Varig bought the Consórcio Real-Aerovias-Nac ...

Douglas DC-3 The Douglas DC-3 is a propeller-driven airliner manufactured by Douglas Aircraft Company, which had a lasting effect on the airline industry in the 1930s to 1940s and World War II. It was developed as a larger, improved 14-bed sleeper version ...

(registration PP-AXD) operating as Flight 751 from

Campos dos Goytacazes Campos dos Goytacazes () is a municipality located in the northern region of Rio de Janeiro State, Brazil, with a population of 471,737 inhabitants. Location Campos dos Goytacazes has an area of 4,032 km2 (1,557 sq mi), which makes it the ...

to Rio de Janeiro-Santos Dumont. The probable causes of the accident are disputed but include pilot error and faulty equipment. Of the 38 occupants of the American aircraft, three survived. All 26 passengers and crew of the Brazilian aircraft died. ;September 7, 1960:

Aerolíneas Argentinas Aerolíneas Argentinas, formally Aerolíneas Argentinas S.A., is Argentina's largest airline and the country flag carrier. The airline was created in 1949 from the merger of four companies and started operations in . A consortium led by Iberia ...

Flight 205 (a DC-6, LV-ADS) crashed near Salto, Uruguay after the number three propeller separated and struck engine four, causing the aircraft to break up, killing all 31 passengers and crew on board. ;September 13, 1960: World Airways Flight 830 (a DC-6A/B, N90779) struck Mount Barrigada near Agana NAS, Guam after the pilot deviated from the departure procedure, killing 80 of 94 on board. ;July 19, 1961:

Aerolíneas Argentinas Flight 644 Aerolíneas Argentinas Flight 644 was a scheduled flight operated by the Douglas DC-6, registration LV-ADW, on 19 July 1961 which was due to operate a domestic scheduled passenger service between Ministro Pistarini International Airport and Genera ...

crashed 8 mi west of Pardo, Buenos Aires, Argentina due to severe turbulence (some reports state that the aircraft was struck by lightning), killing all 67 passengers and crew in the worst air disaster in Argentine history and the deadliest for the airline. ;July 21, 1961: Alaska Airlines Flight 779 (a DC-6A, N6118C) crashed on landing at

Shemya Shemya or Simiya ( ale, Samiyax̂) is a small island in the Semichi Islands group of the Near Islands chain in the Aleutian Islands archipelago southwest of Alaska, at . It has a land area of , and is about southwest of Anchorage, Alaska. It is ...

Alaska Alaska ( ; russian: Аляска, Alyaska; ale, Alax̂sxax̂; ; ems, Alas'kaaq; Yup'ik: ''Alaskaq''; tli, Anáaski) is a state located in the Western United States on the northwest extremity of North America. A semi-exclave of the U.S., ...

, after the airport failed to turn the landing lights on, killing all six on board. ;September 10, 1961: A

President Airlines President Airlines was an airline based in Phnom Penh, Cambodia. It was privately owned and operated scheduled passenger flights from Phnom Penh to domestic destinations, as well as flights to Thailand, Republic of China and Hong Kong out of Phno ...

DC-6 (registration N90773, ''Theodore Roosevelt'')

shortly after takeoff from

, killing all 83 people on board in Ireland's worst air disaster. ;September 18, 1961:

Secretary General of the United Nations The secretary-general of the United Nations (UNSG or SG) is the chief administrative officer of the United Nations and head of the United Nations Secretariat, one of the six principal organs of the United Nations. The role of the secretary-ge ...

Dag Hammarskjöld Dag Hjalmar Agne Carl Hammarskjöld ( , ; 29 July 1905 – 18 September 1961) was a Swedish economist and diplomat who served as the second Secretary-General of the United Nations from April 1953 until his death in a plane crash in September 196 ...

and 15 other passengers and crew died when their DC-6B (registration SE-BDY) crashed near

Ndola Ndola is the third largest city in Zambia and third in terms of size and population, with a population of 475,194 (''2010 census provisional''), after the capital, Lusaka, and Kitwe, and the second largest in terms of infrastructure development aft ...

Northern Rhodesia Northern Rhodesia was a British protectorate in southern Africa, south central Africa, now the independent country of Zambia. It was formed in 1911 by Amalgamation (politics), amalgamating the two earlier protectorates of Barotziland-North-West ...

(now

Zambia Zambia (), officially the Republic of Zambia, is a landlocked country at the crossroads of Central Africa, Central, Southern Africa, Southern and East Africa, although it is typically referred to as being in Southern Africa at its most cent ...

). The plane was owned by

Transair Sweden Transair Sweden AB (ICAO: TB) was a Swedish charter airline that operated until 1981. History Transair Sweden began as Nordisk Aerotransport AB in 1950 with the purpose of flying newspapers from Stockholm to other locations in Sweden using Air ...

and operated for the UN. A

memorial A memorial is an object or place which serves as a focus for the memory or the commemoration of something, usually an influential, deceased person or a historical, tragic event. Popular forms of memorials include landmark objects or works of a ...

is now sited at the scene of the crash. The cause of the crash has not been conclusively established, but is generally believed to have been pilot error, possibly contributed to by an inaccurate map of the airport environs. ;March 15, 1963:

Lloyd Aéreo Boliviano Lloyd Aéreo Boliviano S.A.M. (abbreviated LAB and internationally known as LAB Airlines), was the flag carrier and principal airline of Bolivia from 1925 until it ceased operations in 2010. Before its demise it was headquartered in Cochabamba ...

Flight 915 (a DC-6B, CP-707) struck Chachacomani Peak, Peru, killing all 39 passengers and crew on board. Probable cause for the accident was determined to be VFR flight below flight plan altitude in marginal weather conditions. ;May 3, 1963: An

Air Afrique Air Afrique was a Pan-Africanism, Pan-African airline, that was mainly owned by many West African countries for most of its history. It was established as the official transnationalism, transnational Air carrier, carrier for francophone West Af ...

DC-6B (F-BIAO) struck Mount Cameroon due to pilot error, killing all 55 passengers and crew on board. ;October 2, 1964: A

Union de Transports Aériens Union de Transports Aériens (abbreviated as UTA and sometimes known as UTA French Airlines), was a French airline that was formed in 1963 as a result of a merger between Union Aéromaritime de Transport (UAT) and Transports Aériens Interconti ...

DC-6B (F-BHMS) struck Mount Alcazaba, Spain, killing all 80 passengers and crew on board; the cause was never determined. ;February 6, 1965: LAN Chile Flight 107 flew into the side of a mountain near the San José Volcano in

Chile Chile, officially the Republic of Chile, is a country in the western part of South America. It is the southernmost country in the world, and the closest to Antarctica, occupying a long and narrow strip of land between the Andes to the east a ...

. All 87 passengers and crew on board died in the crash. ;April 23, 1965: Aaxico Airlines Flight 1422A (a DC-6A, N6541C) struck Mount Rainier due to spatial disorientation, killing the five crew. ;July 8, 1965:

Canadian Pacific Air Lines Flight 21 Canadian Pacific Air Lines Flight 21 was a scheduled domestic flight from Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada, to Whitehorse, Yukon, Canada, via Prince George, Fort St. John, Fort Nelson and Watson Lake on July 8, 1965. The Douglas DC-6B pl ...

suffered an explosion in flight and crashed in a forest in

British Columbia British Columbia (commonly abbreviated as BC) is the westernmost province of Canada, situated between the Pacific Ocean and the Rocky Mountains. It has a diverse geography, with rugged landscapes that include rocky coastlines, sandy beaches, ...

, killing all 52 on board. ;February 18, 1966: A Belgian International Air Services DC-6B (OO-ABG) crashed while on approach to Malpensa Airport, Italy due to pilot error, killing all four passengers and crew on board. ;March 10, 1966: A Trans Mediterranean Airways DC-6A (OD-AEL) struck

Parnon Parnon or Parnonas ( el, Πάρνων/Πάρνωνας) or Malevos (Μαλεβός) is a mountain range, or massif, on the east of the Laconian plain and the Evrotas valley. It is visible from Athens above the top of the Argive mountains. The wes ...

massif, Greece, killing the five crew ( ru). ;January 31, 1967: A

Saturn Airways Saturn Airways ( ICAO designator: KS, and Callsign: Saturn) was a US "supplemental carrier", i.e. a charter airline. It operated from 1948 until 1976. Its headquarters were located on the grounds of Oakland International Airport, Oakland, Calif ...

DC-6A (N640NA) crashed while on approach to Kelly AFB, Texas, killing the three crew; the cause was never determined. ;February 20, 1967:

Sahsa ''Servicio Aéreo de Honduras S.A.'' otherwise known as SAHSA Airlines was the national flag carrier airline of Honduras from October 22, 1945, to January 14, 1994. The airline was a subsidiary of Pan American Airways and merged with ''Transpor ...

Flight 203, had an accident at Toncontin International Airport because of a reverse system failure, in the forced braking, both back tires caught on fire, the DC-6 overran the runway and caught on fire, killing four passengers. ;March 9, 1968: French Air Force DC-6B ''43748'' struck a hill near Saint Denis, Reunion due to crew error, killing 16 of 17 on board. ;September 13, 1969: An

Ethiopian Airlines Ethiopian Airlines (commonly referred to as Ethiopian; am, የኢትዮጵያ አየር መንገድ, translit=Ye-Ītyōṗṗyā āyer menged), formerly ''Ethiopian Air Lines'' (EAL), is the flag carrier of Ethiopia, and is wholly owned by t ...

aircraft on a scheduled flight from

Addis Ababa Bole International Airport Addis Ababa Bole International Airport is an international airport in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. It is in the Bole district, southeast of the city centre and north of Bishoftu. The airport was formerly known as ''Haile Selassie I Internationa ...

to Djibouti-Ambouli Airport was hijacked by three Eritreans belonging to the

Eritrean Liberation Front ar, جبهة التحرير الإريترية it, Fronte di Liberazione Eritreo , war = the Ethiopian Civil War, Eritrean War of Independence and the Eritrean Civil Wars , image = , caption = Flag of the ELF ...

and forced to fly to

Aden International Airport Aden International Airport is an international airport in Aden, Yemen and the oldest airport in the Arabian peninsula. Prior to its use as a civil air facility, the aerodrome was known as RAF Khormaksar, which opened in 1917 and closed as an R ...

. One hijacker was shot on board by an Ethiopian security official. The hijackers were arrested after landing in Aden. The one hijacker shot later perished from his injuries. ;September 26, 1969: A Lloyd Aéreo Boliviano DC-6B (CP-698) struck Count Choquetanga, killing all 74 passengers and crew on board; the wreckage was found three days later. ;December 8, 1969:

Olympic Airways Flight 954 Olympic Airways Flight 954 was a Douglas DC-6B aircraft that crashed into a mountain near Keratea (approx. coordinates 37°48' N, 23°57' E), Greece, on December 8th, 1969. All 85 passengers and 5 crew on board died in the crash. The crash The fl ...

crashed near Keratea, to the southeast of Athens. The aircraft was on a domestic flight from Chania to Athens/Hellenicon in poor weather. All 85 passengers and five crew members were killed in the worst-ever accident involving the DC-6. ;December 22, 1969: An

Air Vietnam Active from 1951 to 1975, Air Viet Nam (Air VN) ( vi, Hãng Hàng không Việt Nam) was South Vietnam's first commercial air carrier, headquartered in District 1, Saigon. Established under a decree by Chief of State Bảo Đại, the airline f ...

DC-6B (B-2005) overran the runway while landing at Nha Trang Airport following an in-flight explosion, killing 10 of 77 on board and 24 on the ground.

1970s

;April 28, 1971: A

Brazilian Air Force "Wings that protect the country" , colours = , colours_label = , march = Hino dos Aviadores , mascot = , anniversaries = 22 May (anniver ...

DC-6B ''FAB-2414'' en route from

Manaus Air Force Base Manaus Air Force Base – ALA8 is a base of the Brazilian Air Force, located in Manaus, Brazil. History The base was created in 1970 and between 1970 and 1976 public facilities of Ponta Pelada Airport were shared with the military facilitie ...

Rio de Janeiro Rio de Janeiro ( , , ; literally 'River of January'), or simply Rio, is the capital of the state of the same name, Brazil's third-most populous state, and the second-most populous city in Brazil, after São Paulo. Listed by the GaWC as a b ...

had problems with engine vibrations which forced the crew to return to Manaus. On the ground one of the right hand engines burst into flames. The fire spread to the fuselage causing the death of 16 of the 83 occupants. ;February 8, 1976: Mercer Airlines Flight 901 (a YC-112A, N901MA) crashed 1 mile short of the runway on a golf course attempting to make an emergency landing at Van Nuys Airport, Van Nuys California after a propeller blade on number 3 engine failed and ripped through the fuselage severing hydraulic lines and electrical wiring, then struck the number 2 engine and caused it to fail. Of the 6 persons on board the 3 flight crew members were killed. The airplane was destroyed. ;July 24, 1977:

Chilean Air Force "With full speed to the stars" , colours = Indigo White , colours_label = , march = Alte Kameraden , mascot = , anniversaries = 21 March ...

DC-6B ''989'' crashed in a swamp while attempting to land at

El Tepual Airport El Tepual International Airport is a commercial and private aviation facility which serves the tourist area of Puerto Montt, Chile. It is one of the most important airports in Chile and is considered a gateway to the Chilean Patagonia. Histo ...

amidst heavy rainfall. All seven crew and 31 of the 75 passengers were killed. ;December 8, 1978: An LAC Colombia DC-6A/B (HK-1707X) disappeared over the

Sierra Nevada del Cocuy The Sierra Nevada del Cocuy Chita or Guican National Natural Park (or Sierra Nevada de Chita or Sierra Nevada de Güicán, es, Parque Natural Sierra Nevada del Cocuy Chita o Guican is a national park and a series of highlands and glaciated peaks l ...

on a cargo flight from

El Dorado International Airport El Dorado International Airport is an international airport serving Bogotá, Colombia and its surrounding areas. The airport is located mostly in the Fontibón district of Bogotá, although it partially extends into the Engativá district and ...

, Bogota to

Trinidad, Casanare Trinidad () is a town and municipality in the Department of Casanare, Colombia Colombia (, ; ), officially the Republic of Colombia, is a country in South America with insular regions in North America—near Nicaragua's Caribbean c ...

. A crew of three was lost with the aircraft.Ranter, Harro and Fabian I. Lujan
"ASN Aircraft accident Douglas DC-6A/B HK-1707X Sierra Cucuy."
''Aviation Safety Network,'' 2004. Retrieved: June 27, 2011.

1980s

;July 24, 1985:

Colombian Air Force , "We are the Force" , colours = , colours_label = , march = Colombian Air Force Hymn , mascot = Capitan Paz , anniversaries = 8 November , ...

DC-6B ''FAC-902'' crashed into the jungle in bad weather 20 mi north of Leticia due to an engine fire, killing all 80 on board. ;May 1, 1986:

Salvadoran Air Force The Salvadoran Air Force ( es, Fuerza Aérea Salvadoreña, abbreviated FAS) is the air force component of the Armed Forces of El Salvador, and is an independent branch from the army and navy. Early history The Salvadoran Army Air Force ('' es, ...

DC-6 ''FAS302'' crashed on a hill shortly after takeoff from

Ilopango International Airport Ilopango International Airport is an airport located on the eastern part of the city of San Salvador, El Salvador, once serving the city as its international airport until it was replaced by the larger and more modern El Salvador International A ...

due to a possible engine fire, killing all 37 on board. ;December 23, 1987:

Aeronica Aerolíneas Nicaragüenses S.A., operating as Aeronica, was an airline based in Nicaragua. Headquartered in the capital Managua, it operated scheduled passenger flights within Central America, as well as to Mexico City and the United States from ...

DC-6BF (registered YN-BFO) was shot down by machinegun fire and

FIM-43 Redeye The General Dynamics FIM-43 Redeye is a man-portable surface-to-air missile system. It uses passive infrared homing to track its target. Production began in 1962 andin anticipation of the Redeye II, which later became the FIM-92 Stingerended in t ...

surface-to-air missile whilst en route a cargo flight from Managua to

Panama City Panama City ( es, Ciudad de Panamá, links=no; ), also known as Panama (or Panamá in Spanish), is the capital and largest city of Panama. It has an urban population of 880,691, with over 1.5 million in its metropolitan area. The city is locat ...

, forcing the pilots to execute a

water landing In aviation, a water landing is, in the broadest sense, an aircraft landing on a body of water. Seaplanes, such as floatplanes and flying boats, land on water as a normal operation. Ditching is a controlled emergency landing on the water ...

in San Juan River. All six persons on board survived, although they were wounded and injured.

1990s

;November 26, 1993: While attempting to land in bad weather, Allcair Douglas C-118B registration N1597F crashed seven miles off course while attempting to land on the blue ice runway at Patriot Hills airport in Antarctica. There were no fatalities but damage was extensive and the aircraft was written off. ;July 20, 1996:

Northern Air Cargo Northern Air Cargo, LLC (NAC) is an American cargo airline based in Anchorage, Alaska, Anchorage, Alaska, United States, USA. NAC operates a small fleet of Boeing 737-300s and Boeing 737-400 freighter aircraft within the state of Alaska as well as ...

Flight 33 (a DC-6A, N313RS) was flying a cargo route ( Emmonak- Aniak) when it crashed as it attempted an emergency landing at Russian Mission. The emergency landing was due to the number three engine catching fire. As the plane made its approach and when it was turning to final, its right wing was seen folding up. The plane rolled to the right, nose down and slammed into the ground. All 4 on board were killed. The cause of the crash was determined to be a fatigue failure in the engine and improper procedures regarding an emergency by the pilots on board.

2000s

;September 25, 2001: Northern Air Cargo Flight 690 (a DC-6BF, N867TA) crashed on landing at

Alpine Airstrip Alpine Airstrip is a private-use airport located 53 nautical miles (98 km) west of the central business district of Deadhorse, in Alpine, North Slope Borough in the U.S. state of Alaska. It is privately owned by ConocoPhillips Alaska, Inc. ...

Deadhorse, Alaska Deadhorse is an unincorporated community located within the CDP of Prudhoe Bay in North Slope Borough, Alaska, United States, along the North Slope near the Arctic Ocean. The town consists mainly of facilities for the workers and companies that ...

. The left wing separated and the aircraft veered off the left side of the runway and was destroyed in a post-crash fire. All three crew on board survived, but the aircraft was written off.

2010s

;August 1, 2019:

Everts Air Cargo Everts Air Cargo is an American Part 121 airline based in Fairbanks, Alaska, USA. It operates D.O.D, scheduled and charter airline cargo within Alaska, Canada, Mexico and the continental United States. Its maintenance base is Fairbanks Internat ...

Flight 25 (a C-118A, N451CE) struck a berm on landing at Candle 2 airport in Alaska. The right landing gear was torn from the plane, which veered to the right and off the runway, suffering substantial damage. No injuries were reported.

References

Notes

Bibliography

* Pearcy, Arthur. ''Douglas Propliners: DC-1–DC-7''. Shrewsbury, UK: Airlife Publishing, 1995. . * ''United States Air Force Museum Guidebook''. Wright-Patterson AFB, Ohio; Air Force Museum Foundation, 1975. * Whittle, John A. ''The Douglas DC-6 and DC-7 Series''. Tonbridge, Kent, UK: Air Britain (Historians) Ltd., 1971. No ISBN. * Winchester, Jim, ed. "Douglas DC-6". ''Civil Aircraft'' (The Aviation Factfile). London: Grange Books plc, 2004. . * Yenne, Bill. ''McDonnell Douglas: A Tale of Two Giants''. Greenwich, Connecticut: Bison Books, 1985. .

External links

{{Douglas DC-4 family

* Accidents and incidents involving airliners