Crash of a Junkers JU.52/3m into the North Sea: 6 killed

Date & Time: Nov 15, 1940
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
RU+AH
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Stavanger - Rantum
MSN:
5729
YOM:
1937
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
5
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
1
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
6
Circumstances:
The three engine floatplane departed Stavanger-Sola on a flight to Rantum (Sylt Island) on behalf of the 406th Coastal Aviation Group. It was shot down by enemy fire and crashed somewhere in the North Sea. All six occupants were killed.
Crew:
Ogefr Fritz Röttgen, pilot,
Gefr Wilhelm Herrmann, radio operator,
Uffz Eduard Rathje, mechanic,
Uffz Heinrich Österheld, mechanic,
Fw Paul SAtephan.
Passenger:
Insp Thielke.
Probable cause:
Shot down by enemy fire.

Crash of a Junkers JU.52/3m off Kiel

Date & Time: Nov 14, 1940
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
DL+AF
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
MSN:
5781
YOM:
1937
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
0
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
The three engine floatplane crashed for unknown reasons while taking off from the harbor of Kiel. There were no casualties.

Crash of a Junkers JU.52 in Rio de Janeiro: 18 killed

Date & Time: Nov 8, 1940 at 1430 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
PP-SPF
Flight Phase:
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Rio de Janeiro – São Paulo
MSN:
5689
YOM:
1937
Country:
Crew on board:
4
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
14
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
18
Circumstances:
Shortly after its departure from Rio de Janeiro-Santos Dumont Airport, while climbing in clouds to an altitude of some 1,500 feet, the three engine aircraft named 'Cidade de Santos' collided with a De Havilland DH.90 Dragonfly registered LV-KAB and operated by the Shell-Mex Company of Argentina. Its pilot was initiated an approach to the same airport when the collision occurred. Following the collision, both aircraft entered a dive and crashed into the Botafogo Bay, killing all 19 occupants.
Probable cause:
Both crews failed to see and avoid each other due to the poor visibility caused by the presence of clouds at low altitude.

Crash of a Junkers JU.52/3mbe near Rincón del Tigre: 17 killed

Date & Time: Nov 4, 1940 at 1910 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
CB-17
Flight Phase:
Survivors:
No
Site:
Schedule:
Santa Cruz – San Ignacio de Velasco – Roboré – Puerto Suárez – Corumbá
MSN:
4008
YOM:
1932
Country:
Crew on board:
3
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
14
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
17
Circumstances:
The crew was performing a flight from Santa Cruz to Corumbá, Brazil, with intermediate stops in San Ignacio de Velasco, Roboré and Puerto Suárez with several officials on board. The stop at San Ignacio de Velasco was longer than scheduled and the aircraft departed late from Roboré to Puerto Suárez. En route, the crew encountered poor weather conditions and lost his bearings. The captain decided to divert to the Rincón del Tigre Airfield but while descending in low visibility, the three engine aircraft named 'Juan del Valle' impacted the slope of a mountain slope and crashed. The wreckage was found in January 1942 in an isolated area. All 17 occupants were killed.
Crew:
Georg Jüterbock +2.
Passengers:
Colonel Jenaro Blacut,
José A. Saavedra Rivero,
Gabriel René Moreno,
Dr. Rómulo Herrera Justiniano,
Blanca Catera de Herrera,
Agustín Landívar Zambrana,
Dr. Adalberto Terceros Mendívil,
Dr. Sócrates Barba Caballero,
Victoria de Lazarte,
Don Salomón Aponte,
Mr. Dolavela,
Lucio Parada +2.
Probable cause:
The aircraft was not on the intended flight track when the accident occurred. A possible navigation error was committed by the crew who was hampered by the lack of visibility caused by poor weather conditions.

Crash of a Junkers JU.52/3mte in Kunming: 2 killed

Date & Time: Oct 26, 1940
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
XXV
Flight Phase:
Survivors:
Yes
MSN:
6014
YOM:
1938
Location:
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
2
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
2
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
2
Circumstances:
While on a connection flight within China, the three engine aircraft was shot down by the pilot of a Japanese fighter. The crew attempted an emergency landing when the airplane named 'Heinrich Mathy' crashed near Kunming. Both pilots were killed while both passengers were injured.
Probable cause:
Shot down by a Japanese fighter.

Crash of a Junkers JU.52/3mge off Saintes-Maries-de-la-Mer: 13 killed

Date & Time: Oct 10, 1940 at 1630 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
D-APOV
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Montpellier – Marseille
MSN:
1303
YOM:
1936
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
3
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
10
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
13
Circumstances:
En route from Montpellier to Marseille, the three engine airplane crashed in unknown circumstances into the gulf of Beauduc off Saintes-Maries-de-la-Mer. All 13 occupants were killed.
Crew:
Lt Franz Weiss, pilot,
Ernst Oberst van Vloten, pilot,
S/Sgt Hubert Schikora, radio operator.
Passengers:
Sgt Ernst Mauß,
Pvt Hans Stingl,
Maj Otto Augustini,
Cdt Brothier,
S/Sgt Wilhelm Läcke,
Sgt Oskar Merten,
Cpt Robert Schweitzer,
Cdt Servoz,
Cpl Alfred Thiel,
Cpt Thilloy.

Crash of a Junkers JU.52/3m in the Mt Watzmann: 6 killed

Date & Time: Jul 30, 1940
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
VK+BG
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Site:
Schedule:
Schleissheim – Zeltweg
MSN:
6862
YOM:
1940
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
3
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
3
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
6
Circumstances:
The aircraft was on its way from Schleissheim, in the suburb of Munich, to the Zeltweg Airfield located in Styria, Austria. En route, the crew encountered poor weather conditions when the airplane impacted the east slope of Mt Watzmann (2,713 metres high) located in the Berchtesgaden National Park, southeast Bavaria. No trace of the aircraft nor the six occupants was found until Summer 2003.

Crash of a Junkers JU.52/3mge in Strážek: 6 killed

Date & Time: Jul 26, 1940 at 1705 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Region:
Crew on board:
6
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
6
Circumstances:
The airplane crashed in unknown circumstances in a wooded area located near Strážek. All six occupants were killed.
Crew:
Gefr Rudolf Dölitsch,
Uffz Fritz Horst +4.

Crash of a Junkers JU.52/3m off Schleswig: 3 killed

Date & Time: Jul 18, 1940
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
RM+AL
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
MSN:
5701
YOM:
1936
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
4
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
3
Circumstances:
The three engine airplane suffered an in-flight fire in the rear compartment and crashed into a lake off Schleswig. Three crew members were killed and a fourth was injured.
Crew:
Uffz Robert Monde, pilot, †
Lt Günther Krenzien, observer,
Uffz Heinrich Rudolf, radio operator, †
Ogfr Alfred Mendenburg. †
Probable cause:
Unknown in-flight fire in the rear compartment.

Crash of a Junkers JU.52/3mte in Brussels: 9 killed

Date & Time: Jun 22, 1940
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
D-AGBI
Survivors:
Yes
MSN:
6659
YOM:
1939
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
3
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
9
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
9
Circumstances:
On approach to Brussels-Haren Airport, the three engine airplane apparently collided with an unknown aircraft and crashed in Evere, west of the airfield. Two occupants survived while nine others were killed, among them General Major Fritz Löb.
Crew:
Hptm Hans Luft, pilot,
Hptm Anton Lorenz, pilot, †
Obff Heinz Lorenz, navigator, †
Passengers:
Fw Wilhelm Augustin, †
Oblt Werner Kurmeyer, †
Gen Maj Fritz Löb, †
Maj Carl Prümm, †
Ernst Schade, †
Ogfr Willi Schumann, †
Hptm Kurt von Lange,
Hptm Helmut von Schultz. †