25 fatalities

Aircraft Crashes into Sea Near Oshima Island After In-Flight Control Loss (44-76439)

Ōshima Island, JapanFlight

On July 27, 1950, a Douglas C-47 Skytrain (DC-3) (registration 44-76439) operated by United States Air Force - USAF (since 1947) was involved in an aviation accident near Ōshima Island, Japan in flight. 25 people were killed. 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 2026-06-12Data APIEditorial standards

Twenty minutes after takeoff from Tokyo-Haneda, an aircraft cruising at 3,500 feet lost control and crashed into the sea south of Oshima Island. One passenger survived; 25 others were killed. Survivor reported turbulence and electrical issues.

Accident Details

Twenty minutes after departing Tokyo-Haneda Airport, an aircraft cruising at an altitude of 3,500 feet in marginal weather conditions went out of control, entered a dive, and crashed into the sea approximately 10 miles south of Oshima Island. The aircraft sank to a depth of 1,500 meters. One passenger was rescued, while all 25 other occupants were killed.

Survivor Testimony

The sole survivor testified that the aircraft encountered turbulence while flying into adverse weather and thunderstorm activity. Several electrical problems occurred shortly before the loss of control, with cabin lights turning on and off repeatedly.