Region
Crash of a Douglas C-47B-25-DK in the Krkonoše Mountains: 6 killed
Date & Time:
Oct 13, 1945
Operator:
Registration:
476473
Survivors:
No
MSN:
16057/32805
YOM:
13
Crew on board:
6
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
6
Circumstances:
En route, the aircraft hit a mountain slope in the Krkonoše Mountain range (Giants Mountains), at the border between Poland and Czech Republic. All six occupants were killed.
Crash of a GVF PS-84 near Kielce: 11 killed
Date & Time:
Apr 19, 1945
Operator:
Registration:
CCCP-L3976
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Krakow – Minsk – Moscow
MSN:
184 19 03
YOM:
4
Crew on board:
6
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
7
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
11
Aircraft flight hours:
3087
Circumstances:
The aircraft was performing a flight from Krakow to Moscow with an intermediate stop in Minsk on behalf of the Commissariat for Communications. En route, the pilot encountered poor weather conditions and deviated from the flight prescribed flight path. While flying at an estimated altitude of 250 meters, the aircraft hit the slope of Mt Łysica (611 meters high) located 20 km east of Kielce. All six crew members and five passengers were killed while two others were seriously injured.
Probable cause:
Wrong decision on part of the crew who continued the flight into the clouds without knowing his exact position and the minimum safe altitude for the area.
Crash of a Boeing B-17G-1-BO Flying Fortress in Jaraczewo: 5 killed
Date & Time:
Feb 9, 1945
Operator:
Registration:
42-31060
Survivors:
Yes
Crew on board:
9
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
5
Circumstances:
The crew was engaged in a bombing mission over an oil refinery located in Lützkendorf. Enroute, while approaching Eisenberg, the B-17 registered 43-39149 collided with a second USAAF B-17 registered 42-31060 and also carrying a crew of 9. The first B-17 went out of control, dove into the ground and crash in the city of Eisenberg. Eight crew members were killed and ten people on the ground as well. Only one crew member survived. The second B-17 flew to the east over 400 km and then crashed in a field in Jaraczewo, Poland. Five crew were killed and four others were injured.
Crew of 42-31060:
Sgt Marion L. Canfield, air gunner, †
Sgt Floyd C. Doherty Jr., air gunner, †
F/O Odus C. Litzelfelner, copilot, †
1st Lt Alfred K. Nemer, pilot, †
Sgt Peter M. Volpini, radio operator, †
2nd Lt Harry H. Schultz, navigator,
T/Sgt Howard H. Ganson,
Sgt Floyd S. Bohrer, air gunner,
Sgt Paul L. Kerr, air gunner.
Crew of 43-39149:
2nd Lt Robert J. Barrat, pilot, †
F/O Shirl P. Best, navigator, †
2nd Lt Dean Harvey, copilot, †
S/Sgt William T. Karp, †
S/Sgt Matthew Lazarowicz, radio operator, †
Sgt Louis N. Linhart, air gunner, †
Sgt Herbert D. Link, air gunner, †
Sgt George H. Emerson, air gunner,
S/Sgt Raymond F. Reiss, flight engineer. †
Crew of 42-31060:
Sgt Marion L. Canfield, air gunner, †
Sgt Floyd C. Doherty Jr., air gunner, †
F/O Odus C. Litzelfelner, copilot, †
1st Lt Alfred K. Nemer, pilot, †
Sgt Peter M. Volpini, radio operator, †
2nd Lt Harry H. Schultz, navigator,
T/Sgt Howard H. Ganson,
Sgt Floyd S. Bohrer, air gunner,
Sgt Paul L. Kerr, air gunner.
Crew of 43-39149:
2nd Lt Robert J. Barrat, pilot, †
F/O Shirl P. Best, navigator, †
2nd Lt Dean Harvey, copilot, †
S/Sgt William T. Karp, †
S/Sgt Matthew Lazarowicz, radio operator, †
Sgt Louis N. Linhart, air gunner, †
Sgt Herbert D. Link, air gunner, †
Sgt George H. Emerson, air gunner,
S/Sgt Raymond F. Reiss, flight engineer. †
Crash of a Douglas C-47A-15-DK near Nowy Targ: 6 killed
Date & Time:
Dec 21, 1944 at 2205 LT
Operator:
Registration:
CCCP-L870
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Nowy Targ – Rzeszów
MSN:
12707
YOM:
8
Crew on board:
6
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
6
Circumstances:
The crew was engaged in a supply mission to Polish soldiers from Rzeszów to Nowy Targ and back, with 1,300 kilos of cargo. In flight, the aircraft was apparently shot down by the pilot of a German fighter (a Messerschmitt ?) and crashed, killing all six crew members. The wreckage was never found.
Probable cause:
Shot down by the pilot of a German fighter.
Crash of a Douglas DC-2-211 in Płocicz
Date & Time:
Jan 26, 1944
Operator:
Registration:
D-AAID
Survivors:
Yes
MSN:
1565
YOM:
1937
Crew on board:
0
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
En route, an engine failed, forcing the crew to attempt an emergency landing in an open field located near Płocicz. The aircraft was damaged beyond repair while there was no casualties.
Probable cause:
Engine failure.
Crash of a Junkers JU.52mg8e in Biskupiczki: 15 killed
Date & Time:
Mar 18, 1942
Operator:
Registration:
DG+SL
Survivors:
No
MSN:
7298
YOM:
1941
Crew on board:
4
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
11
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
15
Circumstances:
The airplane iced up in flight and subsequently crashed near Biskupiczki. All 15 occupants were killed.
Crew:
Fw Horst Winkler, pilot,
Uffz Paul Kranich, radio operator,
Fw Werner Meyer, mechanic,
Uffz Heinz Strenger, air gunner.
Passengers:
Ogfr Wilhelm Royla,
Gefr Norbert Sander,
Gefr Georg Herzhauser,
Gefr Berthold Leibold,
Gefr Karl Hardtmann,
Gefr Hermann Höss,
Ogfr Johann Söhla,
Ogfr Ludwig Hagenhoff,
Ogfr Johann Praxenthaler,
Gefr Eugen Fluck,
Gefr Rolf-Horst Schlegel.
Crew:
Fw Horst Winkler, pilot,
Uffz Paul Kranich, radio operator,
Fw Werner Meyer, mechanic,
Uffz Heinz Strenger, air gunner.
Passengers:
Ogfr Wilhelm Royla,
Gefr Norbert Sander,
Gefr Georg Herzhauser,
Gefr Berthold Leibold,
Gefr Karl Hardtmann,
Gefr Hermann Höss,
Ogfr Johann Söhla,
Ogfr Ludwig Hagenhoff,
Ogfr Johann Praxenthaler,
Gefr Eugen Fluck,
Gefr Rolf-Horst Schlegel.
Probable cause:
Icing.
Crash of a Heinkel He.111H-2 in Sobótka: 5 killed
Date & Time:
Mar 7, 1942 at 1630 LT
Operator:
Survivors:
No
MSN:
1122
Crew on board:
5
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
5
Circumstances:
The airplane crashed in the Ślęża mountain near Sobótka, killing the entire crew.
Crew:
Uffz Rudolf Weisszierl, pilot,
Ogfr Günther Raditzki, radio operator,
Ogfr Karl Hoffmann, mechanic,
Ogfr Wilhelm Dirschke, air gunner,
Ogfr Fritz Volkenstein, air gunner.
Crew:
Uffz Rudolf Weisszierl, pilot,
Ogfr Günther Raditzki, radio operator,
Ogfr Karl Hoffmann, mechanic,
Ogfr Wilhelm Dirschke, air gunner,
Ogfr Fritz Volkenstein, air gunner.
Probable cause:
Icing.
Crash of a Heinkel He.111F-2 in Szczaniec: 4 killed
Date & Time:
Mar 7, 1942 at 1530 LT
Operator:
Survivors:
No
MSN:
2415
Crew on board:
3
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
1
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
4
Circumstances:
Crashed in unknown circumstances near Szczaniec, killing all four occupants, three crew members and one civilian.
Crew:
Uffz Heinz Pfütze, pilot,
Uffz Truagott Hickel, observer,
OW Richard Bachert, mechanic.
Crew:
Uffz Heinz Pfütze, pilot,
Uffz Truagott Hickel, observer,
OW Richard Bachert, mechanic.
Probable cause:
It is believed that the accident was the consequence of a pilot error.
Crash of a Junkers W.34 in Stubendorf: 2 killed
Date & Time:
Mar 6, 1942 at 1800 LT
Operator:
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Izbicko - Izbicko
MSN:
2152
YOM:
1928
Crew on board:
2
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
2
Circumstances:
The crew departed Stubendorf (now Izbicko) Airport on a local training exercise. Shortly after takeoff, the airplane suffered an engine failure and crashed. The instructor was killed and the student pilot was seriously injured. He died the following morning from injuries sustained.
Crew:
Ofw Eugen Kagelmann, instructor,
Uffz Herbert Merz, student pilot.
Crew:
Ofw Eugen Kagelmann, instructor,
Uffz Herbert Merz, student pilot.
Probable cause:
Engine failure after takeoff.
