Date:	Monday 2 January 1961
Time:	20:17
Type:	Douglas R4D-1 (DC-3)
Owner/operator:	Marine Luchtvaart Dienst - MLD
Registration:	079
MSN:	33285/16537
Year of manufacture:	1945
Engine model:	Pratt & Whitney R-1830-90C
Fatalities:	Fatalities: 5 / Occupants: 5
Aircraft damage:	Destroyed, written off
Category:	Accident
Location:	3 km S off Biak -   Indonesia
Phase:	Manoeuvring (airshow, firefighting, ag.ops.)
Nature:	Military
Departure airport:	Biak-Boroekoe Royal Dutch Navy Air Station
Destination airport:	Biak-Boroekoe Royal Dutch Navy Air Station
Confidence Rating:	Information is only available from news, social media or unofficial sources

Narrative:
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.

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

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