Investigation Summary
The flight was a scheduled domestic service operating between Tokyo and Nagoya. While the Douglas C-53 was a reliable derivative of the DC-3, the aircraft encountered an unspecified emergency that prevented the crew from communicating their situation. The wreckage was lost in the sea near Toshima and Shimoda. The lack of survival equipment on board became a focal point of the post-accident review, as the flight path involved significant time over water where such equipment is mandatory for passenger safety. The exact mechanical or human factors that led to the descent into the ocean remain undetermined due to the lack of recovered data and the sudden nature of the event.
Final Conclusions
The investigation concluded that the aircraft crashed into the sea for unknown reasons. A critical finding by the Japanese Authorities was the absence of life-saving equipment, specifically life vests and dinghies, which were not provided on the aircraft despite the route's maritime nature.
Video Analysis
No video analysis linked for this case file yet.
Systems & Failure Modes
Emergency Equipment
The aircraft lacked basic maritime survival gear, including life vests and dinghies, which are standard for flights operating over water.
Communications
The radio systems were either not used or failed, as no emergency declaration reached ground stations before the crash.
Interesting Facts
- 01The aircraft was a Douglas C-53-DO Skytrooper, a military variant of the DC-3.
- 02No distress call was ever transmitted by the flight crew.
- 03The accident resulted in the deaths of all 28 passengers and 5 crew members.
- 04The aircraft was manufactured in 1942 and carried the manufacturer serial number (MSN) 7336.
- 05The flight was not equipped with life vests or life rafts.
Safety Actions & Advisories
Survival Equipment Mandates
Following the discovery that the aircraft lacked flotation devices, Japanese authorities reviewed and reinforced requirements for life vests and emergency rafts on domestic flights traversing coastal waters.
Location
APPROXIMATE POSITION · Position recorded by the wikidata coordinate without a stated precision, so the ring shows roughly where the event occurred rather than an exact point. The ring shows the accuracy the record supports, not the point of impact.