No fatalities

Aircraft Accident: Engine Failure at Liftoff Leads to Belly Landing (AP-AAF)

Skardu, PakistanTakeoff (climb)

On October 13, 1954, a Douglas C-47 Skytrain (DC-3) (registration AP-AAF) operated by Orient Airways was involved in an aviation accident near Skardu, Pakistan during takeoff. No fatalities were reported. Investigators recorded the probable cause as: Engine failure at liftoff. This summary draws on records from the Bureau of Aircraft Accidents Archives (B3A); 3 related events involving the same aircraft type or operator are linked below.

Sourcesthe Bureau of Aircraft Accidents Archives (B3A)Source recordUpdated 2026-09-03Data APIEditorial standards

An aircraft suffered an engine failure shortly after liftoff, resulting in a stall and belly landing. All 11 occupants evacuated safely, but the aircraft was damaged beyond repair.

Incident Overview and Sequence of Events During the incident, the aircraft experienced an engine failure at the moment of liftoff, just as the undercarriage had been raised. This mechanical failure led to a stall, forcing the aircraft to execute a belly landing. Following the landing, the aircraft skidded for a dozen yards before overrunning the runway and coming to a complete stop. The incident resulted in the aircraft being damaged beyond repair. ## Occupant Safety and Evacuation Despite the severity of the crash and the extensive damage to the airframe, all 11 occupants on board were evacuated safely. No injuries or fatalities were reported among the passengers and crew during the evacuation process. ## Official Investigation Findings The official investigation determined that the probable cause of the accident was an engine failure at liftoff. This finding highlights the critical nature of engine reliability during the takeoff phase of flight.