Douglas C-47 Skytrain (DC-3) crash, Jan 2, 1961 (5 killed)
Douglas C-47 Skytrain (DC-3) accident on January 2, 1961 near Biak Special Region of Papua, Indonesia with 5 fatalities. Cause: A parachute flare...
- Date: January 2, 1961
- Aircraft: Douglas C-47 Skytrain (DC-3)
- Location: Biak Special Region of Papua, Indonesia
- Fatalities: 5
- Phase of flight: En route
- Cause: A parachute flare ignited prematurely inside the aircraft during night flare dropping practice, and the crew then chose a failed emergency landing on the sea instead of landing at Biak.
A Dutch naval Douglas C 47, Dakota 079, was flying a night flare dropping exercise from Biak in New Guinea on 2 January 1961. A parachute flare ignited inside the cabin, and the crew tried to ditch the aircraft instead of landing at Biak, but it hit the water and exploded. All five crew were killed. The navy inquiry blamed the decision to ditch.