3 fatalities

1951-04-21: Douglas A-26 Invader (44-35783) — United States Air Force - USAF (since 1947) — Sunchon, North Korea

Sunchon, North KoreaFlight

On April 21, 1951, a Douglas A-26 Invader (registration 44-35783) operated by United States Air Force - USAF (since 1947) was involved in an aviation accident near Sunchon, North Korea in flight. 3 people were killed. Investigators recorded the probable cause as: An in-flight fire caused the loss of a wing, leading to the aircraft's destruction. This summary draws on records from the Bureau of Aircraft Accidents Archives (B3A); 8 related events involving the same aircraft type or operator are linked below.

Sourcesthe Bureau of Aircraft Accidents Archives (B3A)Primary reportUpdated 1781256466Data APIEditorial standards

An aircraft crashed approximately 30 km northeast of Sunchon after experiencing an in-flight fire and structural failure.

What happened

During a flight near Sunchon, the aircraft experienced a catastrophic sequence of events that led to its destruction. The aircraft caught fire while airborne, which subsequently resulted in the loss of one of its wings. Following this structural failure, the plane crashed at a location situated roughly 30 km northeast of Sunchon.

All three members of the crew were reported as missing in action following the impact. No survivors were identified from the flight crew during the initial reports of the incident.

Findings

  • The aircraft suffered an onboard fire.
  • The structural integrity of the aircraft was compromised when a wing was lost.
  • The loss of a wing due to fire led to the uncontrolled descent and subsequent crash.

Probable cause

An in-flight fire caused the loss of a wing, leading to the aircraft's destruction.