Incident Overview
Date: Monday 9 April 1951
Aircraft Type: Douglas DC-3
Owner/operator: Siamese Airways
Registration Number: HS-SAE
Location: E off Cape d’Arguilar –
ÿ Hong Kong
Phase of Flight: Approach
Status: Destroyed, written off
Casualties: Fatalities: 16 / Occupants: 16
Component Affected: AircraftAircraft
Category: Accident
A DC-3 aircraft diverted to Tainan due to deteriorating weather conditions. The crew attempted a night-time visual approach to Kai Tak, but the approach resulted in a crash into the sea. The captain’s actions ? allowing the aircraft to lose flying speed ? are suspected to be the probable cause.A DC-3 aircraft diverted to Tainan due to deteriorating weather conditions. The crew attempted a night-time visual approach to Kai Tak, but the approach resulted in a crash into the sea. The captain’s actions ? allowing the aircraft to lose flying speed ? are suspected to be the probable cause.
Description
Weather conditions deteriorated when the DC-3 approached Hong Kong. The crew decided to divert to Tainan. Tainan however closed down due to bad weather, forcing the Siamese Airways crew to return to Hong Kong. They attempted a night-time visual approach to Kai Tak beneath the 400 feet cloudbase. On approach, the aircraft crashed into the sea. PROBABLE CAUSE: “The captain allowed the aircraft to lose flying speed while attempting to turn quickly in order to avoid flying into higher ground during the approach to the airport in darkness and rain beneath 400ft cloud base.”
Primary Cause
The captain allowed the aircraft to lose flying speed while attempting to turn quickly in order to avoid flying into higher ground during the approach to the airport in darkness and rain beneath 400ft cloud base.The captain allowed the aircraft to lose flying speed while attempting to turn quickly in order to avoid flying into higher ground during the approach to the airport in darkness and rain beneath 400ft cloud base.Share on:
