Last updated: 3 December 2021
| Status: | Preliminary |
| Date: | Monday 2 January 1961 |
| Time: | 20:17 |
| Type: |  Douglas R4D-1 (DC-3) |
| Operator: | Marine Luchtvaart Dienst - MLD |
| Registration: | 079 |
| MSN: | 33285/16537 |
| First flight: | 1945 |
| Engines: | 2 Pratt & Whitney R-1830-90C |
| Crew: | Fatalities: 5 / Occupants: 5 |
| Passengers: | Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 0 |
| Total: | Fatalities: 5 / Occupants: 5 |
| Aircraft damage: | Damaged beyond repair |
| Location: | 3 km (1.9 mls) S off Biak ( Indonesia)
|
| Phase: | Maneuvering (MNV) |
| Nature: | Military |
| Departure airport: | Biak-Boroekoe Royal Dutch Navy Air Station, Indonesia |
| Biak-Boroekoe Royal Dutch Navy Air Station, Indonesia |
The C-47 operated on a night time training flight. It took off from the Biak-Boroekoe Royal Dutch Navy Air Station at 18:37. After practicing approach and landings, the crew had to activate light torches off the coast of Biak. The airplane flew along the coast line at an altitude of 3500-4000 feet.
One of these torches activated inside the aircraft and an in-flight fire erupted. The crew attempted to carry out an emergency landing at sea but the airplane crashed.
Sources:
» The Douglas DC-1/DC-2/DC-3 The first seventy years Vol.2 / J.M. Gradidge» Gedenkrol van de Koninklijke Marine 1939-1962 / H. Floor
» Ramp met Dakota 079 nabij Biak op 2 januari 1961 / Anne van Dijk en Kees Leebeek
Photos
Map
This information is not presented as the Flight Safety Foundation or the Aviation Safety Network’s opinion as to the cause of the accident. It is preliminary and is based on the facts as they are known at this time.
