 A Cathay Pacific Douglas DC-4 similar to the aircraft shot down | |
| Accident | |
|---|---|
| Date | 23 July 1954 |
| Summary | A civilian C-54 airliner attacked by two PLAAF La-11 fighters and ditched into the sea. |
| Site | South China Sea, off the coast of Hainan Island, People's Republic of China. 18°N 110°E |
| Aircraft | |
| Aircraft type | Douglas C-54A-10-DC Skymaster |
| Aircraft name | Avro Anson 1 "Silver Wings" |
| Operator | Cathay Pacific Airways |
| Registration | VR-HEU, (ex-USAAF 42-72205)[1] |
| Flight origin | Bangkok International Airport, Bangkok, Thailand |
| Destination | Kai Tak Airport, Hong Kong |
| Passengers | 13[2] |
| Crew | 6[2] |
| Fatalities | 10[2][3] |
| Injuries | 0[2] |
| Survivors | 9 |
The 1954 Cathay Pacific Douglas DC-4 shootdown was an incident on 23 July 1954, when a Cathay Pacific Airways C-54 Skymaster[4] airliner was shot down by People's Liberation Army Air Force fighter aircraft. The event occurred off the coast of Hainan Island, where the plane was en route from Bangkok to Hong Kong, killing 10 of 19 passengers and crew on board.[2][5]
Although the four-engine propeller-driven Douglas (registered VR-HEU) was a C-54 Skymaster, the incident is known as "the DC-4 shootdown" because the C-54 is the military version of the Douglas DC-4.[3][6][7][8] The crew of six was headed by British captain Phil Blown. In all, one flight crew member, two cabin crew members and seven of the thirteen passengers were killed in the attack and subsequent crash of the airliner.[2]
- ^ "1942 USAAF Serial Numbers (42-70686 to 42-91373". www.joebaugher.com.
- ^ a b c d e f The passengers and crew of Silver Wings – 23 July 1954 – and the crew of the rescuing US aircraft Archived 20 August 2008 at the Wayback Machine – The Life & Times of James Harper
- ^ a b Hong Kong – Plane Survivors Archived 27 July 2011 at the Wayback Machine – Movietone News
- ^ Cite error: The named reference
taxiwaywas invoked but never defined (see the help page). - ^ Some sources indicate the total as 18 but according to this site "The Passengers & Crew of Cathay Pacific Airways VR-HEU 'Silver Wings' & The Crew of the SA-16 Albatross - 31st Air Rescue Squadron 23rd July, 1954 Passenger List". Archived from the original on 20 August 2008. Retrieved 17 October 2008., it appears to be 19; the discrepancy requires further reconciliation.
- ^ Accident details – VR-HEU – Plane Crash Info
- ^ VR-HEU Account by passenger: Valerie Parish Archived 27 January 2009 at the Wayback Machine – Major Commercial Airline Disasters
- ^ VR-HEU Archived 20 August 2008 at the Wayback Machine – The Life & Times of James Harper