Civil Air Transport Flight 106

Civil Air Transport Flight 106

B-908, the aircraft involved in the accident, at Haneda Airport
Accident
Date	20 June 1964 (1964-06-20)
Summary	Engine failure and loss of control (Disputed)
Site	Shenkang, Taiwan
Aircraft
Aircraft type	Curtiss C-46D Commando
Operator	Civil Air Transport
Registration	B-908
Flight origin	Taichung Airport (TXG/RCLG)
Destination	Taipei-Sung Shan Airport (TSA/RCSS)
Occupants	57
Passengers	52
Crew	5
Fatalities	57
Survivors	0

Civil Air Transport Flight 106 was a Curtiss C-46D Commando, registration number B-908 (C/N 32950), that was operated by Civil Air Transport, which was a front company operated by the CIA. On 20 June 1964, the aircraft crashed near the village of Shenkang, western Taiwan, killing all 57 people aboard.

The accident

Shortly after take-off from Taichung, the number one engine oversped. The pilot began a left turn to perform an emergency landing at the airport or a nearby military air base. But while turning, the pilot lost control and the aircraft crashed in a left wing low and a steep nose down attitude.

The aircraft

The flight was being operated by a C-46D, which had accumulated 19,488 operational hours from 1944 to 1964.

Causes

The Taiwanese CAA concluded that the primary cause of the accident was the failure of the #1 engine, compounded by pilot error during attempts at recovery while returning to Taichung Airport (later renamed Shuinan Airport and now closed) or Taichung Air Base.

However, this conclusion was disputed by Civil Air Transport, who seems to favour instead a theory of hijacking by a passenger.

Passengers

Among the dead were 20 Americans, one Briton, and members of the Malaysian delegation to the 11th Film Festival in Asia, including businessman Loke Wan Tho and his wife Mavis.