Investigation Summary
The flight was part of a diplomatic effort during the post-World War II period in China, transporting members of the CCP delegation back to their base in Yan'an. After departing Chongqing and completing a refueling stop at Xi'an, the aircraft proceeded toward Yan'an. During the descent phase, the C-47 struck the Heicha Mountains (also known as Mt. Black Tea) in Shanxi Province. The crash site was located approximately 140 miles northeast of the intended destination. The loss of several key political and military figures, including Ye Ting, Bo Gu, Deng Fa, and Wang Ruofei, forced an immediate reorganization of the Communist Party's negotiating team.
Final Conclusions
The accident was classified as Controlled Flight Into Terrain (CFIT). The aircraft, operated by the 14th Air Force and based at Peishiyi Airfield, struck mountainous terrain while attempting to navigate toward Yan'an. While the primary cause was the impact with Heicha Mountain, the investigation noted that the crew was likely hampered by adverse weather conditions and poor visibility that obscured the peaks. Historical summaries of the military report emphasize the difficulty of navigating the mountainous Shanxi region with the basic radio equipment of the era.
Video Analysis
No video analysis linked for this case file yet.
Systems & Failure Modes
Navigation Equipment
The aircraft relied on basic radio navigation and visual references, which were insufficient to prevent terrain impact in the mountainous Shanxi region under poor visibility.
Interesting Facts
- 01The crash killed several top-tier leaders of the Chinese Communist Party.
- 02The aircraft was a military version of the Douglas DC-3, designated C-47B-1-DL.
- 03General Ye Ting was traveling with his wife, daughter, son, and a nanny; all perished.
- 04The crash site was significantly off-course, located 230 kilometers northeast of Yan'an.
Safety Actions & Advisories
Diplomatic Protocol Revision
Following the loss of key negotiators, the CCP and Kuomintang revised protocols for the transport of high-level delegations, though the subsequent breakdown of the Marshall Mission and the resumption of the Chinese Civil War limited the long-term impact of these safety considerations.
Location
APPROXIMATE POSITION · AIRPORT LEVEL · Coordinates are the estimate published in the official investigation report. The ring shows the accuracy the record supports, not the point of impact.