12 fatalities

Aircraft collision with residential structure during foggy approach (48)

Kiangwan AFB, ChinaLanding (descent or approach)

On December 25, 1946, a Douglas DC-3 (registration 48) operated by Central Air Transport - China was involved in an aviation accident near Kiangwan AFB, China during landing or approach. 12 people were killed. Investigators recorded the probable cause as: The crew descended below safe altitude limits while attempting to obtain visual reference in thick fog, leading to a controlled flight into terrain. This summary draws on records from the Bureau of Aircraft Accidents Archives (B3A); 6 related events involving the same aircraft type or operator are linked below.

Sourcesthe Bureau of Aircraft Accidents Archives (B3A)Primary reportUpdated 2026-08-05Data APIEditorial standards

An aircraft struck a house roof while descending in thick fog, killing all eleven people on board and one resident on the ground.

What happened

The flight was initiated under conditions of poor visibility caused by dense fog. During the descent phase, the crew attempted to establish visual contact with the terrain. In an effort to improve their view, they reduced the aircraft's altitude. This maneuver resulted in a collision with the roof of a residential building located approximately 3 km short of the runway threshold.

The impact caused the aircraft to crash immediately after striking the structure. The accident resulted in 12 fatalities, comprising all eleven occupants aboard the airplane and one individual inside the house.

Probable cause

The crew descended below safe altitude limits while attempting to obtain visual reference in thick fog, leading to a controlled flight into terrain.