No fatalities

Emergency belly landing following in-flight fire near Hartsville (42-72597)

Hartsville, United States of AmericaFlight

On April 26, 1950, a Douglas C-54 Skymaster (registration 42-72597) operated by United States Air Force - USAF (since 1947) was involved in an aviation accident near Hartsville, United States of America in flight. No fatalities were reported. Investigators recorded the probable cause as: An uncontrolled fire developed during flight, necessitating an emergency belly landing. 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

An aircraft crew performed an emergency landing in a field after an onboard fire occurred during flight, resulting in the total loss of the airframe.

What happened

During the flight, an onboard fire developed, prompting the crew to initiate an emergency descent and landing procedure. The aircraft performed a belly landing within a field situated in Hartsville. Following the initial impact, the plane slid across the terrain for a short distance before being overtaken by flames.

Despite the intensity of the post-landing fire, all four crew members successfully evacuated the wreckage. There were no reported injuries among the occupants following the incident.

Findings

  • The aircraft was destroyed by the subsequent fire.
  • An in-flight fire served as the primary driver for the emergency landing sequence.

Probable cause

An uncontrolled fire developed during flight, necessitating an emergency belly landing.