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Test flight crash in Tokyo Bay kills all 13 aboard (J-BGON)

Chiba, JapanFlight

On December 28, 1940, a Mitsubishi MC-20 (registration J-BGON) operated by Dai Nippon Airlines was involved in an aviation accident near Chiba, Japan in flight. 13 people were killed. 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)Source recordUpdated 2026-08-04Data APIEditorial standards

An aircraft conducting a local test flight for the Japan Civil Aviation Authority crashed into Tokyo Bay off Chiba, resulting in the deaths of all 13 occupants on board.

What happened

The incident occurred during a local test flight conducted on behalf of the Japan Civil Aviation Authority. The aircraft departed from Tokyo and was operating in the airspace off Chiba when it experienced a loss of control. Following this event, the plane crashed into the Bay of Tokyo. There were no survivors; all 13 occupants perished in the accident.

Findings

The source material does not provide specific technical findings or contributing factors regarding the loss of control. However, the crash resulted in a total loss of life for everyone on board, including senior aviation officials.

Related events

Same operator

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