KLM 749 Constellation crash Bombay - 1949

[Centaurus]

On 12th July 1949 a KLM Lockheed 749 Constellation was attempting an approach into Bombay in monsoon weather and flew below the minimim safe altitude into nearby hills killing all 45 aboard. The investigation put the blame down to pilot error. It is probable that the aircraft was on a GCA approach as I doubt if Bombay was equipped with an ILS in 1949.

The aircraft passengers included several journalists from USA who had been invited by the Dutch government to conduct independant investigations in the Dutch East Indies as a result of tensions between the Dutch and the the rising Independance Movement within the now Indonesia. As always there are conspiracy theories but the main fact seems to be the aircraft pranged in bad weather - unfortunately not an uncommon event in those days.

The captain was Vlieger Van Kooy He was experienced and had flown into Bombay on several occasions.

Can anyone suggest where I could go on the internet to find details of the accident - preferably the official report? So far the only info I found on the internet is the registration and type of aircraft.

[Centaurus]

Mike Jenvey. Thanks for that info. I'll try and find someone who can translate the info.

Also can anyone advise the typical range of the L749 series Constellation with say 60 people aboard and whether or not in 1949 KLM would have used a navigator and radio operator as part of the crew. What would have been a normal company alternate airport for Bombay?

[pigboat]

There's a very brief synopsis of the accident here. (www.planecrashinfo.com/1949/1949-27.htm)

[mesosphere]

Here's a quick translation of the article:
The Fatal Flight
On July 10th left the journalists with the Constellation Franeker (PH-TDF) back from the United States, waved good-bye by hundreds interested. One of them was Chris Scheffer: He said to one of the Army public relations officer" If that plane would crash, it will be a big story." Yes, you just say these things, but a few days later, the public relations officer came to see me in my hotel, he was pale and said: "Remember what you said in Kemajoran. That plane crashed at Bombay."
Via a few stops, including stops in Bangkok and New Delhi, the plane encountered bad weather in the vicinity of Bombay. When the plane commenced the landing phase at Santa Cruz airport at a height of 150 meters, the clouds swallowed the plane. Visual orientation then was not possible. In the thick cloud cover, the Franeker was unintentionally getting more distant from the airport then necessary. Seconds later the landing gear under the left wing hit the top from a hill covered in clouds, part of the approximately 200m high Powai-hill ridge. The aircraft, with a speed of 200 kilometers, broke in pieces. All 45 people onboard were killed instantly.
Sabotage?
Quickly it was concluded that the crash was due to pilot error of Captain Van der Vaart and due to the heavy monsoon rains. Though there where some reports about possible sabotage. Only 50 years later, a high official from the intelligence agency of foreign affairs, Jan Bakker, brought forward indirect proof about the (possible) real cause of the crash. Bakker mentioned that one of his friends had eavesdropped a conversation between Head of the Indonesian Air force officer Suryadrma and his Indian counter part. In this conversation, the Indian serviceman said: "We have fixed it for you." Bakker: "Don't forget that Indonesia and India both where young countries and good friends. I am convinced that India had let crash the Franeker as a kind return to Indonesia. In order to avoid publication of negative articles about the republicans in Indonesia."
From other investigations there are clues that the Indian ATC from Bombay Airport at the crucial moment issued wrong instructions to the KLM Captain. It is true that according to the notes in the Indian logbook the pilot received instruction to climb and that he was drawn attention to the mountains in the vicinity. But these instructions where written up in the logbook much later. The original instructions have been fully erased. In reality the Franeker flew in a straight line into the 674 feet high mountain at four kilometers distance from the airport. The hill was invisible to the eye due to low clouds.
Due to the mutilation of the last instructions to the Franeker in the logbook in Bombay, it can be concluded that India held back some factual points. This was also noticed by some external experts that where added to the investigation team. Their statement was in minority in the committee. Their findings where therefore put aside. It will be hard to find evidence of sabotage after more than half a century. But whether it is sabotage or just bad weather, the result is the same. It was extraordinary sad for the sly intriguers within the Dutch government that this seemingly successful PR offensive, that moreover had costed lots of money and efforts, ended on a hill just outside Bombay.

[Centaurus]

Mesosphere. Thank you very much indeed for going to all that trouble to translate. A good "who-dunnit" story indeed - but the real truth lies in modern terms and that is the captain flew below the published circling minima in conditions below the landing minima and therefore CFIT. Similar accidents have filled accident reports since aviation began - and unfortunately will continue to do so.

[Centaurus]

Further to the posts here, I was able to obtain the ICAO report on the KLM Constellation crash at Bombay in 1949. Among other things the report mentioned the aircraft homed over the MF beacon at Santa Cruz. Later in the report it said R/T communications on 6440Kc/s were normal....and when flying over the beacon at 7000 ft the aircraft received instructions on the course to be flown.

First of all, is an MF beacon nothing more than a present day NDB - or is it something else? If so, what indications in the cockpit show the pilot is tracking towards and finally over the MF beacon. I thought all NDB's were in the medium frequency (MF?) range.

In 1949, is true to say the ATC at Bombay used only HF for comms to aircraft in the circuit area or on an instrument let down? - if so would that have been voice or Morse code? Apparently the radio operator kept a log of comms so presumably that meant translating the morse to written.

[411A]

It is quite likely that LF frequencies were used by the tower at the time, as this was more or less common at the time...internationally, and in the USA.
For example, many towers broadcast ATC on 200-340 Kc.

IF LF was not usable, due to thunderstorms in the area, then HF would be a standard alternative, in the era.
At many airports, especially overseas and in underdeveloped nations, VHF was not widely used, in the late forties.
The normal range of the 749 Constallation was approximately 2000 nautical miles, with a standard passenger payload.
These airplanes, unlike the later Constellations, did not have the CurtisWright turbocompound engines, hence were not able to cruise ultra long range.

[kala87]

KLM had several other fatal incidents involving their Connie and Super Connie Fleets during the late 1940's and 1950's. They lost another L749 Connie on the approach to Prestwick, Scotland (1949 I think), with one of their most senior Captains in command (Parmentier?). The aircraft hit high ground on a night approach. The flight was Amsterdam-Prestwick-Gander-New York.

They also lost at least 3 Super Connies. One was lost immediately after take-off at Shannon in 1954, and ended up half-submerged in the River Shannon. The reason was possibly vestibular disorientation of the PF during a night take-off with no outside visual references, and subsequent pitch-down. This flight was Amsterdam-Shannon-Gander-New York.

In 1958, another Super Connie ditched into the Atlantic about 2 hours outbound from Shannon on another Amsterdam-New York schedule. Reason surmised was a PRT (power recovery turbine) failure and subsequent prop overspeed and inability to feather the failed engine, which resulted in a ditching.

Also in 1958, a Super Connie crashed in to the sea at Biak Island, New Guinea (as it was called in those days) after take-off on a Biak-Amsterdam schedule.
The Capt. was giving the pax a low-level flypast of the island (at night!) before resuming the climb-out. They certainly did things differently in those days.

I've always been interested in the old days at KLM as thay have always been one of my favourite airlines, and I made my first ever flights with them, in 1958, on a Viscount and DC6B.

[wonderboysteve]

[QUOTE=kala87]KLM had several other fatal incidents involving their Connie and Super Connie Fleets during the late 1940's and 1950's. They lost another L749 Connie on the approach to Prestwick, Scotland (1949 I think), with one of their most senior Captains in command (Parmentier?). The aircraft hit high ground on a night approach. The flight was Amsterdam-Prestwick-Gander-New York.

Although true to say that the aircraft hit high ground, the reason for this was impact with high-tension electricity cables moments before, with inevitable damage and fire. The aircraft was Nijmegen.

[Centaurus]

411A and others. Again, thanks for adding to the discussion.