Civil Air Transport Flight 106
{{short description|1964 aviation accident}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=December 2022}}
{{Infobox aircraft occurrence
| name = Civil Air Transport Flight 106
| occurrence_type = Accident
| image = File:Civil Air Transport C-46 Commando B-908 at Haneda Airport.jpg
| image_size = 250
| alt =
| caption = B-908, the aircraft involved in the accident, at Haneda Airport
| date = {{start date|df=yes|1964|06|20}}
| summary = Engine failure and loss of control (Disputed)
| coordinates =
| aircraft_type = Curtiss C-46D Commando
| aircraft_name =
| operator = Civil Air Transport
| tail_number = B-908
| origin = Taichung Airport (TXG/RCLG)
| stopover =
| stopover0 =
| stopover1 =
| stopover2 =
| stopover3 =
| last_stopover =
| destination = Taipei-Sung Shan Airport (TSA/RCSS)
| occupants = 57
| passengers = 52
| crew = 5
| injuries =
| fatalities = 57
| missing =
| survivors = 0
}}
Civil Air Transport Flight 106 was a Curtiss C-46D Commando, registration number B-908 (C/N 32950),[http://www.planecrashinfo.com/Airline/AL%20Ci-Cz.htm "Ci – Cz"] Airplane Crash Info. that was operated by Civil Air Transport, which was a front company operated by the CIA.{{cite web |url=https://www.cia.gov/library/center-for-the-study-of-intelligence/csi-publications/csi-studies/studies/vol50no4/two-cia-prisoners-in-china-1952201373.html |title=Two CIA Prisoners in China, 1952–73 — Central Intelligence Agency |website=cia.gov |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070613045611/https://www.cia.gov/library/center-for-the-study-of-intelligence/csi-publications/csi-studies/studies/vol50no4/two-cia-prisoners-in-china-1952201373.html |archive-date=2007-06-13}} 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.[http://www.planecrashinfo.com/1964/1964.htm 1964] Airplane Crash Info. {{cite web |url=https://www.baaa-acro.com/sites/default/files/2018-01/B-908.pdf |title=ICAO Aircraft Accident Digest No.16 - Volume III, Circular 82-AN/69 (34-37) |last= |first= |date= |website= |publisher=ICAO |access-date= |quote=}}
However, this conclusion was disputed by Civil Air Transport, who seems to favour instead a theory of hijacking by a passenger.[https://www.cia.gov/readingroom/document/report-b-908-aircraft-crash-accident-15-july-1964 Aircraft Accident Investigation Report, 21 August 1964][https://www.cia.gov/readingroom/document/02145427 B-908 CRASH OPERATIONS REPORT]
==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.{{cite news |title= Villagers see blast as 57 die in crash |url= https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=OJotAAAAIBAJ&sjid=jp4FAAAAIBAJ&pg=7113,4202246&hl=en |newspaper= The Montreal Gazette |date=22 June 1964 |access-date=1 June 2011}}
References
{{reflist}}
{{Aviation accidents and incidents in 1964}}
{{Aviation accidents and incidents in Taiwan}}
{{coord missing|Taiwan}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:CAT Flight B-908}}
Category:Aviation accidents and incidents in Taiwan
Category:Aviation accidents and incidents in 1964
Category:Accidents and incidents involving the Curtiss C-46 Commando
Category:Civil Air Transport accidents and incidents
Category:1964 disasters in Taiwan
Category:Aircraft hijackings in Asia
Category:Hijackings in the 1960s
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