Basel-Sternenfeld | Bureau of Aircraft Accidents Archives

En route from Croydon to Basel, while cruising at an altitude of 10,000 feet over France, the crew encountered technical problems on both engines and reduced his altitude. Few minutes later, one engine fired and the captain attempted to make an emergency landing at Luxeuil-les-Bains AFB. On final, the crew lowered the gear and landed in a wheat field located in Saint-Sauveur, northeast of the airbase. Upon touchdown, the aircraft lost its undercarriage and slid for few dozen metres before coming to rest, bursting into flames. All 12 occupants evacuated safely and the airplane was destroyed by fire.

Probable cause:

Engine failure and fire.

Crash of a Koolhoven FK.50 on Mt Kelleköpfli: 3 killed

Date & Time: Sep 10, 1937 at 1517 LT

Type of aircraft:

Koolhoven FK.50

Operator:

Registration:

HB-AMO

Flight Phase:

Flight

Flight Type:

Scheduled Revenue Flight

Survivors:

Yes

Site:

Mountains

Schedule:

Bern – Basel

MSN:

5002

YOM:

1935

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

The airplane departed Bern Airport at 1457LT on a flight to Basel, carrying two passengers and two crew members. While the Jura mountains were shrouded by clouds and mist, weather conditions in Basel were considered as good. While descending to Basel-Sternenfeld Airport, the crew encountered poor visibility due to fog when the aircraft impacted the slope of Mt Kelleköpfli located near Waldenburg, some 25 km southeast from Basel Airport. Both passengers (a couple from Oxford) and the pilot were killed while the radio navigator was seriously injured.
Crew:
Walter Eberschweiler, pilot, †
Hans Huggler, radio navigator.
Crew:
Burnett Hillman Streeter, †
Irene Louisa Streeter. †

Probable cause:

Controlled flight into terrain.

Crash of a General Aviation Clark GA-43A on Mt Rigi: 2 killed

Date & Time: Apr 30, 1936

Type of aircraft:

General Aviation Clark GA-43

Operator:

Registration:

HB-ITU

Flight Phase:

Flight

Flight Type:

Cargo

Survivors:

Site:

Mountains

Schedule:

Frankfurt - Basel

MSN:

2204

YOM:

1935

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

The crew was performing a cargo flight from Frankfurt to Basel. At night and in unfavorable weather conditions, the crew overflew Basel without locating the airport and continued to the southeast, in direction to the center of Switzerland. Dozen minutes later, the single engine aircraft impacted the west slope of the Mt Rigi (1,798 metres high) located 4,5 km southeast of Küssnacht. The wreckage was found in a snow covered forest located some 92 km southeast of Basel-Sternenfeld Airport. Both crew members were killed.
Crew:
Ernst Gerber, pilot,
Arthur Müller, radio navigator.

Probable cause:

Controlled flight into terrain after the crew missed the airport of Basel and apparently got lost overt Switzerland while flying at night and marginal weather conditions.

Crash of a Farman F.301 in Étobon: 2 killed

Date & Time: Oct 31, 1933 at 1120 LT

Type of aircraft:

Farman F.301

Operator:

Registration:

F-AJMI

Flight Phase:

Flight

Flight Type:

Scheduled Revenue Flight

Survivors:

Yes

Site:

Mountains

Schedule:

Zurich – Basel – Paris

MSN:

7184.4

YOM:

1930

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Aircraft flight hours:

1500

Circumstances:

The airplane departed Zurich (Dübendorf) on a flight to Paris with an intermediate stop in Basel. It was carrying four chamois, 132 kilos of various goods, 239 kilos of gold and 20 kilos of mail. The crew departed Basel-Sternenfeld Airport at 1030LT in good weather conditions. But some 50 minutes into the flight, those conditions worsened and the visibility became poor due to fog. While cruising at an altitude of some 600 metres, the aircraft impacted trees and crashed in a wooded area located on a hillside in Étobon, 12 km west of Belfort. A passenger and the radio navigator were killed while all three other occupants were injured. A chamois should be killed due to his injuries while all three others animals went away. All goods, gold and mail were recovered. The aircraft was named 'L'Étoile d'argent'.
Crew:
Gaston Lafannechère, pilot,
Mr. Bloquet, mechanic,
Camille Suply, radio navigator.
The passenger killed was Mr. Werner Spoerri, a Swiss pharmacist leaving in Einsideln.

Probable cause:

Controlled flight into terrain.

Crash of a Hanriot HD.1 in Basel: 1 killed

Date & Time: Aug 20, 1926 at 1605 LT

Type of aircraft:

Hanriot HD.1

Operator:

Registration:

656

Flight Phase:

Flight

Flight Type:

Training

Survivors:

Site:

Airport (less than 10 km from airport)

Schedule:

Basel-Sternenfeld - Basel-Sternenfeld

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

The pilot was performing a training flight at Basel-Sternenfeld Airport. While completing manoeuvre, he lost control of the aircraft that entered a dive and crashed near the airfield. The pilot was killed.