CNAC Flight 121

China National Aviation Corporation Flight 121 was a scheduled domestic passenger flight that crashed on 5 January 1947 near Qingdao, China, after flying into mountainous terrain in poor visibility. All 39 passengers and 3 crew members on board were killed.

The crash occurred during a period of heightened concern over aviation safety in China following multiple recent accidents. Among those killed were several prominent public figures, including Peking opera performer Li Shifang and representatives to the National Constituent Assembly.

Background

On 25 December 1946, three aircraft accidents occurred in Shanghai in what became known as the Black Christmas disaster crashes, prompting widespread public concern about aviation safety. At the time, adverse weather conditions were widely regarded as the primary cause of aviation accidents.

In January 1947, Qingdao's Cangkou Airport was under the control of the United States Navy, which provided relatively advanced meteorological services. The airport had been rebuilt and expanded by the U.S. Navy Seabees in 1946.

Flight

On 5 January 1947, a Curtiss C-46 Commando, tail number 121, operated by China National Aviation Corporation departed Longhua Airport in Shanghai for Beiping (now Beijing), with scheduled stops in Qingdao and Tianjin.

In the early hours of 5 January, the U.S. Navy issued a warning advising against flight operations due to heavy fog. Despite this warning, Captain Sharkey pressured by passengers and confident in his flying skills, took off from Shanghai at 05:10. At 07:45, the aircraft reached the skies over Qingdao, but was unable to locate the airport due to low visibility. Ground staff of China National Aviation Corporation instructed the aircraft to proceed to Tianjin. However, due to insufficient fuel to reach Tianjin, the captain decided to attempt an emergency landing in farmland. The aircraft ultimately crashed into Langya Mountain (approximately 800 meters above sea level) near Licun, Qingdao, caught fire and all on board were killed.

Accident investigation

The Aviation Committee in Nanjing dispatched Chinese and American experts to jointly investigate the crash site. A participating American pilot noted that due to heavy fog, ground targets were difficult to identify, leading the aircraft to descend in altitude and collide with the mountain. The right wing and engine separated from the fuselage upon impact; having lost its center of gravity, the fuselage violently struck the mountainside, disintegrated, and the fuel tanks ruptured and ignited. As most passengers were seated toward the front of the fuselage near the fuel tanks, their bodies were burned.