Incident Overview

Date: Friday 3 October 1980
Aircraft Type: Douglas C-47A-35-DK (DC-3)
Owner/operator: Kurfiss Aviation
Registration Number: ECT-025
Location: between Madrid and Perpigan – ÿ Mediterranean Sea
Phase of Flight: En route
Status: Aircraft missing, written off
Casualties: Fatalities: 2 / Occupants: 2
Component Affected: DC-3 aircraftDC-3 aircraft
Category: Accident
On July 1979, a decommissioned DC-3 aircraft was auctioned and purchased by Kurfiss Aviation. It was repaired and ferried to Frankfurt via Perpignan Airport. During a ferry flight, the aircraft departed without authorization, using an unrated runway, and failed to establish communication due to radio malfunctions. The aircraft was presumed to have crashed in the Mediterranean Sea, with no trace found.On July 1979, a decommissioned DC-3 aircraft was auctioned and purchased by Kurfiss Aviation. It was repaired and ferried to Frankfurt via Perpignan Airport. During a ferry flight, the aircraft departed without authorization, using an unrated runway, and failed to establish communication due to radio malfunctions. The aircraft was presumed to have crashed in the Mediterranean Sea, with no trace found.

Description

The DC-3 aircraft had been decommissioned by Spanish Air Force and stored at Madrid-Cuatro Vientos Airport. It was auctioned in July 1979 and bought by Kurfiss Aviation of Germany to become part of an aviation museum. The aircraft was then repaired by mechanics contracted by the new owner. A provisional, restricted Certificate of Airworthiness was issued to allow the airplane to be ferried to Frankfurt via Perpignan Airport (PGF). On the day of the ferry flight a VHF radio was installed but two-way communication could not be established. The departure was delayed until finally took off at 15:29 hours, without authorization, using a runway which was not rated for the weight of the DC-3 aircraft. There was no communication with the flight due to the radio problems. The aircraft presumably reached the zone of Barcelona in very low visibility conditions, due to both the hazy conditions and the diminishing daylight hours. The airplane did not arrive at Perpignan. A search operation was started but no sign of the plane was found. It is presumed to have crashed in the Mediterranean Sea. CONCLUSIONS: “The cases of disappearance of aircraft are surrounded by the mystery that results from the lack of data. In the case of the ECT-025, no one knows what occurred after take-off from the Cuatro Vientos Airport, and as a result, no probable cause of an accident can be determined.”

Source of Information

http://www.ruudleeuw.com/search126.htmhttp://www.ruudleeuw.com/search126.htm

Primary Cause

Radio malfunction and lack of communication.Radio malfunction and lack of communication.

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