What happened
During the operation of a ski-equipped C-47, an incident occurred involving the jettisoning of Jet Assisted Take-Off (JATO) equipment. While the crew was attempting to discard the canisters, one unit was accidentally triggered.
The discharged canister struck the aircraft's left propeller during the process. The impact resulted in the destruction of the C-47, rendering the airframe a total loss. Despite the severity of the mechanical failure and the resulting damage to the propulsion system, there were no fatalities or injuries reported among the crew.
Findings
- An accidental discharge of a JATO canister occurred during the jettisoning sequence.
- The primary cause of the damage was the physical impact of the canister against the left propeller.