1955 — March 6, USAF C-54 flies into mountain side and burns, ~Taitung, Taiwan –all 14

–14 Aviation Safety Network. USAF Douglas C-54D, mountain crash, 6 March 1955, Taiwan.
–14 INS. “American C-544 Formosa Crash Scene Sighted.” Lubbock Morning Avalanche, TX. 3-7-55, 1
–14 NFPA. “Summary of Large Loss Aircraft Fires [1955].” Vol. 49, No. 4, April 1956, p. 395.

Narrative Information

Aviation Safety Network:
“Date: Sunday 6 March 1955
“Type: Douglas C-54D-15-DC (DC-4)
“Operator: United States Air Force – USAF
“Registration: 43-17208
“MSN: 22158
“First flight: 1945
“Crew: Fatalities: 5 / Occupants: 5
“Passengers: Fatalities: 9 / Occupants: 9
“Total: Fatalities: 14 / Occupants: 14
“Aircraft damage: Damaged beyond repair
“Location: 32 km (20 mls) NW of Taitung (Taiwan)
“Phase: En route (ENR)
“Nature: Military
“Departure airport: Okinawa (unknown airport), Japan
“Destination airport: Hong Kong-Kai Tak International Airport…Hong Kong
“Narrative: The C-54 transport plane impacted the side of a mountain at 9000 feet”

(Aviation Safety Network. USAF Douglas C-54D, mountain crash, 6 March 1955, Taiwan.)

Newspaper

March 7, Lubbock Morning Avalanche: “Taipei, March 7 (Monday) – INS – Wreckage of a plane believed to be the American C-re Skymaster which disappeared on a flight from Okinawa to Hong Kong Sunday with 14 persons aboard was spotted in a rugged area of southern Formosa today. Airmen who flew over the wreck site said that there was no hoe that anyone could have survived the crash. They reported that the debris was that of a new wreck and almost certainly that of the missing C-54. The crashed plane was sighted by an American amphibian plane from the 31st Air-Sea Rescue Squadron. It radioed search headquarters that it could not make positive identification of the wreckage as that of the missing plane because of the ruggedness of the site.

“On Steep Cliff. The wreckage was spotted on a steep, rocky cliff over the 9,000-foot level on a mountain in Tainnan is southern Formosa at 10:05 a.m. today. The missing C-54 was last heard from at 10:30 a.m. Sunday by a radio station in southern Formosa.

“The mountainous terrain made it impossible for either paramedics or helicopters to land at the crash site. The Chinese Air Force began organizing a land party to journey to the wreckage.

“Fourteen Americans, mostly Air Force personnel on rest and recreation leave, were aboard the missing C-54 when it left Kadena air base at Okinawa at 8:30 a.m. Sunday en route to Hong Kong.

“The last message from the plane was received by the Hangchun radio station in southern Formosa. It did not indicate distress other than to say the pilot had lost direction….” (INS. “American C-544 Formosa Crash Scene Sighted.” Lubbock Morning Avalanche, TX. 3-7-1955, p. 1.)

Sources

Aviation Safety Network, Flight Safety Foundation. USAF Douglas C-54D, mountain crash, 6 March 1955, Taiwan. Accessed 4-12-2023 at: https://aviation-safety.net/database/record.php?id=19550306-1

International News Service. “American C-544 Formosa Crash Scene Sighted.” Lubbock Morning Avalanche, TX.3-7-1955, p. 1. Accessed 4-12-2023: https://newspaperarchive.com/lubbock-morning-avalanche-mar-07-1955-p-1/

National Fire Protection Association. “Summary of Large Loss Aircraft Fires [1955].” Vol. 49, No. 4, April 1956, pp. 393-395.