Incident Overview
Date: Saturday 10 February 1945
Aircraft Type: Douglas C-47A-90-DL (DC-3)
Owner/operator: United States Army Air Force – USAAF
Registration Number: 43-16015
Location: near Nichols Field –
ÿ Philippines
Phase of Flight: En route
Status: Destroyed, written off
Casualties: Fatalities: 10 / Occupants: 10
Component Affected: WingWing
A Douglas C-47A transport plane crashed near Nichols Field after being struck by Japanese anti-aircraft fire while en route from Leyte-Dulag Airstrip to Clark Field. The pilot, who made remarks about wanting to photograph the battle scene, entered the battle zone on purpose.A Douglas C-47A transport plane crashed near Nichols Field after being struck by Japanese anti-aircraft fire while en route from Leyte-Dulag Airstrip to Clark Field. The pilot, who made remarks about wanting to photograph the battle scene, entered the battle zone on purpose.
Description
The Douglas C-47A transport plane was en route from Leyte-Dulag Airstrip to Clark Field when it flew into an active battle zone near Nichols Field. It flew at an altitude between 500 and 1000 feet and was hit by Japanese anti-aircraft fire. The wing broke off and the airplane crashed. The pilot may have entered the battle zone on purpose as he made remarks on the day of the accident that he wanted to take photos of the battle scene.
Primary Cause
Pilot’s deliberate entry into the battle zone.Pilot’s deliberate entry into the battle zone.Share on:
