Incident Overview
Date: Sunday 31 January 1943
Aircraft Type: Douglas C-53 Skytrooper (DC-3)
Owner/operator: United States Army Air Force – USAAF
Registration Number: 42-15537
Location: 10 km NW of Castaic, CAÿ –
ÿ United States of America
Phase of Flight: En route
Status: Destroyed, written off
Casualties: Fatalities: 3 / Occupants: 6
Component Affected: Tail section of the Douglas C-53 Skytrooper aircraft.Tail section of the Douglas C-53 Skytrooper aircraft.
Category: Accident
A Douglas C-53 Skytrooper aircraft, towing a Waco CG-4A glider, crashed after experiencing severe icing and turbulence near Van Nuys. The tail section separated, resulting in the aircraft?s crash. Three passengers ejected and deployed parachutes, while the crew perished in the crash.A Douglas C-53 Skytrooper aircraft, towing a Waco CG-4A glider, crashed after experiencing severe icing and turbulence near Van Nuys. The tail section separated, resulting in the aircraft?s crash. Three passengers ejected and deployed parachutes, while the crew perished in the crash.
Description
The Douglas C-53 Skytrooper departed Van Nuys on a flight to Victorville. The aircraft was towing a Waco CG-4A glider (42-46327) with two crew on board. After passing the San Fernando Valley both aircraft entered clouds and started picking up ice. Severe turbulence complicated the flight. Then suddenly the tail section separated from the fuselage and the C-53 crashed. The three passengers were ejected and deployed their parachutes. The crew died in the crash. The glider pilots saw the tow rope going down and immediately released the rope. Unable to continue flight due to severe icing, both pilots bailed out of their CG-4A.
Primary Cause
Severe icing conditions and turbulence caused by the aircraft’s flight path.Severe icing conditions and turbulence caused by the aircraft’s flight path.Share on:
