This is a list of accidents and incidents involving the Douglas DC-3 that occurred in 1961, 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 involving military aircraft are outside the scope of this list. January January 2: A Dutch Navy Douglas C-47B (registration 079) crashed off Biak, Indonesia after an in-flight fire during a night time training flight, killing all five on board. January 3: Aero Flight 311 (a Douglas DC-3C) stalled on turn at Kvevlax, Finland due to extremely bad weather, pilot error and loss of control, killing all 25 on board, leading to explosion, fire and full hull loss. This is the worst aviation accident ever happened in Finland and also the worst ever to Aero OY (modern day Finnair). January 24: Garuda Indonesia Flight 424 (a Douglas DC-3C, registration PK-GDI) disappeared on a Jakarta-Surabaya service with 21 on board; the wreckage was found four days later on the slope of Mount Burangrang; pilot error was blamed. February February 3: Garuda Indonesia flight 542 (a Douglas C-47A-20-DK, registration PK-GDY) disappeared off Madura Island on a scheduled domestic passenger flight, from Surabaya-Juanda Airport to Sultan Aji Muhammad Sulaiman Airport. Five crew members and 21 passengers were lost in the accident. The wreckage was never found. March March 9: A Douglas C-47A (registration YV-C-AZQ) operated by Linea Aeropostal Venezolana crashed at Paramo Turmal while operating a San Antonio del Tachira to Caracas service due to a navigation error, killing all 12 on board. March 15: A Douglas C-53 (registration PP-YQS) operated by REAL Transportes Aéreos struck a hill while on approach to Ponta Grossa after diverting due to bad weather, killing all three on board. April April 3: LAN Chile Flight 621 (a Douglas DC-3C, registration CC-CLDP) crashed on La Gotera hill while operating a Castro-Santiago service, killing all 24 on board (including 10 from CD Green Cross) in the worst accident in Chile at the time; the cause was not determined. The tail of the aircraft was found a week after the crash, but the fuselage was not found until 54 years later in February 2015. April 4: A Douglas C-47-DL (registration CF-JNR) operated by Eastern Provincial Airways crashed on takeoff at Saint Pierre Airport after the left main landing gear collapsed; both crew and