China National Aviation Flight 31

The China National Aviation Flight 31 was a Chinese domestic flight from Beiping Nanyuan Airport to Shanghai Longhua Airport operated operated by China National Aviation Corporation on 14 December 1946. It crashed into a mountain, killing all four crew members and two passengers on board in Zhejiang, Changxing County, Lijiaxiang. Among the dead were dental expert dentistry specialist Dai Tianfang and National Government Executive Yuan official Xue Jingshou.

The crash drew attention due to the 500 kilogram of banknotes on board, valued at 1.2 billion Chinese fabi, belonging to the Bank of China. Following the crash, local villagers looted much of the scattered money, and only a portion was later recovered. Despite the large nominal loss, the impact was mitigated by the severe hyperinflation at the time.

This flight was just before the other three Chinese December accidents names as the Black Christmas disaster.

Flight

On 13 December 1946, Flight 31 of the China National Aviation Corporation departed from Beiping bound for Shanghai, operated by a C-47 transport aircraft. The crew consisted of captain Ma Faxiang, co-pilot Hou Ande, radio operator Zhong De, and mechanic Zhang Shudong. The aircraft had a cargo of 500 kilogram of banknotes on board, valued at 1.2 billion Chinese fabi, belonging to the Bank of China. Due to poor weather conditions, the aircraft stopped overnight at Nanjing Ming Palace Airport. At approximately 14:00 on 14 December, the aircraft departed Nanjing for Shanghai, but lost contact about 200 km from Nanjing.

At around 16:00, the aircraft crashed into a mountain near Lijiaxiang, Changxing County.

There were only two passengers on board:

Dai Tianfang, deputy dean of the School of Dentistry at West China University (now part of West China Medical Center of Sichuan University), and editor of China's first dental journal. He was a native of Neijiang, Sichuan, and had studied public dental health in the United States before returning to China.

Xue Jingshou, an Executive Yuan official and president of the International Studies Society at National Chiao Tung University. A native of Xiangshan, Guangdong, he graduated from its civil engineering school and studied abroad at the University of California. He was traveling from the United Kingdom to Shanghai for his engagement.