1951-01-28: Short S.25 Sunderland (PP107) — Royal Air Force - RAF — Yuli, Taiwan

14 fatalitiesYuli, TaiwanFlight

A Short Sunderland flying for the UN Command crashed into a mountain in Taiwan during the Korean War, resulting in no survivors.

What happened

During the Korean War, a Short Sunderland was operating a mission on behalf of the UN Command, traveling from Iwakuni Air Force Base to Hong Kong. While the aircraft was maintaining an altitude of 5,000 feet, it encountered adverse weather conditions. During this period of flight, the plane struck a mountain slope in the vicinity of Yuli, Taiwan.

Search efforts located the debris in a remote area several days after the impact. The accident resulted in 14 fatalities, with no survivors among the occupants of the aircraft.

Findings

Official investigators were unable to establish a definitive cause for the crash. However, the investigation concluded that the aircraft had deviated from its intended flight path. It was determined that the most likely reason for this deviation was a navigational error committed by the crew.

Probable cause

The aircraft likely drifted off course due to a mistake in navigation by the flight crew.