19 fatalities

Aircraft crash into hillside near Kiangwan Airport due to fog (B-140)

Kiangwan AFB, ChinaLanding (descent or approach)

On December 25, 1946, a Douglas DC-3 (registration B-140) operated by China National Aviation Corporation - CNAC was involved in an aviation accident near Kiangwan AFB, China during landing or approach. 19 people were killed. Investigators recorded the probable cause as: The aircraft struck terrain because the crew descended below safe altitudes in an attempt to see the ground during foggy conditions. 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 2026-08-05Data APIEditorial standards

An aircraft struck a hillside slope while on approach to Kiangwan Airport in thick fog, resulting in the deaths of all pilots and most passengers.

What happened

The flight crew initiated an approach to Kiangwan Airport under conditions of poor visibility caused by dense fog. In an effort to obtain visual reference with the ground, the crew descended below the safe altitude. The aircraft subsequently impacted the slope of a hill located several kilometers short of the runway threshold. This collision resulted in the fatalities of both pilots and 17 passengers, while 11 other individuals sustained injuries.

Findings

The accident occurred during the approach phase due to low visibility conditions. The primary contributing factor was the crew's decision to reduce altitude to establish visual contact with the terrain, which led to a controlled flight into terrain event before reaching the runway.

Probable cause

The aircraft struck terrain because the crew descended below safe altitudes in an attempt to see the ground during foggy conditions.