This is a list of accidents and incidents involving Douglas DC-3 variants that have taken place in the year 1954, including aircraft based on the DC-3 airframe such as the Douglas C-47 Skytrain and Lisunov Li-2. Military accidents are included; and hijackings and incidents of terrorism are covered, although acts of war are outside the scope of this list.
January
January 11: An Avianca C-47A (registration HK-160) struck a mountain at Manizales, Colombia, killing all 21 on board. January 12: A Czechoslovakian Airlines C-47A (registration OK-WDS) struck a chimney on climbout from Prague, killing all 13 on board. January 20: A Zantop Air Transport Douglas DC-3A (registration N49551) crashed while on approach to Fairfax Field, Kansas due to icing and resultant loss of control, killing all three on board. January 24: An Autrex C-47A (registration F-BEFS) crashed at Basra International Airport due to pilot error while on a Paris-Hanoi delivery flight; all three on board survived, but the aircraft was written off. January 27: An Aeroflot/Armenia Li-2 (CCCP-L4105) struck the side of Mount Kara-Dag (7.5 mi W of Tsaghkashen) during an atmospheric sounding flight due to a navigation error, killing all six crew. The aircraft had been blown off course by strong winds. January 31: An Aigle Azur C-47A (registration F-BGXD) crashed on takeoff at Gia Lam Airport after the landing gear was raised before lifting off; there were no casualties, but the aircraft was written off.
February
February 4: A SKOGA Li-2 (13) overran the runway on landing at Beijing Xijiao Airport, China following a go-around; no casualties. The aircraft was completing a Shenyang-Beijing cargo service. February 5: USAF C-47D 45-895 crashed on Kesigi Ridge in what is now Denali State Park. Ten men died and six survived. A memorial plaque was erected in 1998 in the Veterans Memorial Park in Denali State Park by the survivors, their families and families of the men who died. The book, "Touching the Ancient One," written by one of the survivors, tells the story in detail. February 9: An Avianca C-47-DL (registration HK-167) crashed and caught fire at Medellin, Colombia; both pilots survived, but the aircraft was written off. February 25: An Indian Airlines C-47A (registration VT-ATU) crashed at Nagpur while on a test to determine the cause of a 1953 DC-3 accident, killing all three on board.
March
March 4: USAAF C-47A 42-24096 struck a mountain near Saint-Étienne-de-Tinée, France due to a navigation error, killing all 20 on board. March 13: An Autrex C-47-DL (registration F-BCYI) crashed on landing at Xieng Khouang Airport, Laos; there were no casualties, but the aircraft was written off. March 14: A Queensland Airlines C-47A (registration VH-BBV) crashed into sea off Mackay Airport, killing both pilots. March 19: A LOT Polish Airlines Li-2P (registration SP-LAH) flying from Warsaw to Krakow struck Cwilin hill (near Gruszowice, Poland) due to a navigation error after a radio beacon lost power, killing one; the pilot saw rising terrain at the last second and pulled up which reduced the impact. March 25: An Aeronaves de México C-53-DO (registration XA-GUN) struck Friars Peak while waiting to land, killing all 18 on board.
April
April 3: A Devlet Hava Yollari C-47A (registration TC-ARK) crashed 15 min after takeoff from Adana Airport, killing all 25 on board. April 23: An Aerolíneas Argentinas C-47A (registration LV-ACX) crashed at Sierra del Vilgo after an unexplained course change, killing all 25 on board. April 25: An Autrex C-47-DL (registration F-BCYJ) crashed on landing at Nam Bac, Laos; both pilots survived, but the aircraft was written off. April 30: A Darbhanga Aviation C-47A (registration VT-DEM) crashed on climbout from Dum Dum Airport after an unexplained engine failure and resultant loss of altitude, killing five of 11 on board.
May
May 15: A Jamair C-47B (registration VT-DGO) ran off the runway after landing at Saugaon, India; all three on board survived, but the aircraft was written off. May 21: An Autrex C-47-DL (registration F-BEIP) crashed into the Red River near Hanoi, killing all three on board. May 22: New Zealand National Airways Corporation Flight 152 (a Douglas DC-3C, registration ZK-AQT) crashed at Paraparaumu Airport due to fuel exhaustion caused by pilot error, killing three of 28 on board. May 29: A LAN Chile C-47A (registration CC-CLH-0184) was blown off the runway while landing at Porvenir Airport; all 29 on board survived, but the aircraft was written off. May 31: A Transportes Aéreos Nacionales C-47A (registration PP-ANO) crashed in the Serra del Cipo Mountains due to a navigation error and pilot error, killing all 19 on board.