On February 20, 1970, a Douglas C-47 Skytrain (DC-3) (registration B-243) operated by Far Eastern Air Transport - FAT was involved in an aviation accident near Taipei-Songshan, Taiwan during takeoff. 2 people were killed. Investigators recorded the probable cause as: The aircraft struck a nearby hill while the crew was executing a turn during the initial climb phase. This summary draws on records from the Bureau of Aircraft Accidents Archives (B3A); 5 related events involving the same aircraft type or operator are linked below.
An aircraft crashed into a hillside shortly after departing from Taipei-Songshan Airport, resulting in the deaths of both crew members.
What happened
During the initial climb phase following departure from runway 10 at Taipei-Songshan Airport, the flight encountered terrain during a maneuver. While the aircraft was ascending, the crew began an intentional turn toward a heading of 240 degrees. During this turn, the aircraft type collided with a hill measuring 374 meters in elevation situated in the vicinity of the airport.
The impact caused the plane to break apart upon hitting the terrain. There were two fatalities recorded, involving both members of the flight crew. No other persons were on board at the time of the accident.
Findings
The collision occurred while the aircraft was performing a turn during its climb.
The impact with the 374-meter hill resulted in the disintegration of the airframe.
Probable cause
The aircraft struck a nearby hill while the crew was executing a turn during the initial climb phase.
An X-AIR HAWK ultralight crashed in Chonburi, Thailand, killing the pilot and injuring a passenger. The accident was caused by deteriorated wing fabric and…
A Challenger II Special ultralight aircraft (U-B23) landed off-runway at Pai Airport, Mae Hong Son, on September 17, 2024, due to a gust of wind. No injuries…
The Polish aviation safety authority is investigating a serious incident involving an AT-3R100 aircraft that occurred on September 2, 2024. The investigation…
A SZD-48-3 glider suffered damage when its left wing struck a ground obstacle during a low final approach at EPWK on June 20, 2025. The pilot was uninjured.
A 39-year-old skydiver died after a hard landing near Leszno on May 1, 2026. The PKBWL preliminary report indicates the fatal impact resulted from a late,…
A student pilot crashed an SZD-50-3 Puchacz glider into the airfield fence during a solo training flight on June 6, 2026. The pilot was uninjured, but the…