Crash of a Fairchild C-119G Flying Boxcar in Augustdorf: 38 killed

Date & Time: Jun 26, 1963 at 1200 LT
Type of aircraft:
Fairchild C-119 Flying Boxcar
Operator:
Registration:
CP-45
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Military
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Plain, Valley
Schedule:
Brussels - Gütersloh
MSN:
246
YOM:
1952
Location:
Augustdorf
North Rhine-Westphalia
Country:
Germany
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
5
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
42
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
38
Aircraft flight hours:
3172
Circumstances:
The aircraft departed Brussels-Melsbroek Airport in the morning on a flight to Gütersloh Airbase, Germany. Approaching Augustdorf, the captain decided to reduce his altitude to 2,500 feet to make a reconnaissance of the military training camp of Senne located 7 km south of Augustdorf. At this time, British troops were engaged in local exercices consisting of mortar shell fire. While flying too low, the aircraft was struck by several mortar shell and caught fire. Nine passengers were able to bail out and were later recovered uninjured. Out of control, the airplane went into a dive and crashed in flames, killing all 38 remaining occupants. It was reported few days after this tragic event that the aircraft should never being in this area at this time as it has been previously delimited by the British Troops for scheduled exercices. For unknown reason, the crew failed to follow the minimum safe altitude that was fixed at 10,000 feet over the area that day.

Crash of a Boeing 707-329 in Brussels: 73 killed

Date & Time: Feb 15, 1961 at 1005 LT
Type of aircraft:
Boeing 707
Operator:
Registration:
OO-SJB
Flight Phase:
Landing (descent or approach)
Flight Type:
Scheduled Revenue Flight
Survivors:
No
Site:
Airport (less than 10 km from airport)
Schedule:
New York – Brussels
MSN:
17624
YOM:
1959
Flight number:
SN548
Location:
Brussels
Flemish Brabant
Country:
Belgium
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
11
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
61
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
73
Captain / Total flying hours:
15384
Captain / Total hours on type:
21.00
Copilot / Total flying hours:
16231
Copilot / Total hours on type:
20
Aircraft flight hours:
3038
Circumstances:
Following an uneventful transatlantic flight from New York, the crew started the approach to runway 20 at Brussels-Zaventem Airport. On short final, while at an altitude of 900 feet, the crew raised the landing gear, increased engine power and made a go around. The plane made three 360° turns to the left and climbed to 1,500 feet. During these turns the bank angle increased more and more until the aircraft was in a near vertical bank. The wings then leveled, followed by an abrupt pitch up. The 707 lost speed, started to spiral rapidly towards the ground nose down, crashed and caught fire. All 72 occupants were killed as well as one farmer working in the field. Among the passengers were 17 members of the US National Hockey Team who were flying to Prague to take part to the World Championship.
Probable cause:
Having carried out all possible reasonable investigations, the Commission concluded that the cause of the accident had to be looked for in the material failure of the flying controls. However, while it was possible to advance certain hypotheses regarding the possible causes, they could not be considered entirely satisfactory. Only the material failure of two systems could lead to a complete explanation, but left the way open to an arbitrary choice because there was not sufficient evidence to corroborate it. The FAA commented that the most plausible hypothesis was a malfunction of the stabilizer adjusting mechanism permitting the stabilizer to run to the 10.5° nose-up position.
Final Report:

Crash of a Douglas DC-6 on Mt Costone dell'Acquasanta: 29 killed

Date & Time: Feb 13, 1955 at 1953 LT
Type of aircraft:
Douglas DC-6
Operator:
Registration:
OO-SDB
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Scheduled Revenue Flight
Survivors:
No
Site:
Mountains
Schedule:
Brussels – Rome – Athens – Cairo – Elisabethville
MSN:
43063
YOM:
1947
Flight number:
SN503
Location:
Mt Costone dell'Acquasanta
Lazio
Country:
Italy
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
8
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
21
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
29
Circumstances:
The aircraft departed the Brussels-Haren Airport for Rome at 1717LT on an IFR flight plan. According to radio communications between the aircraft and the area controls at Zurich, Milan and Rome the flight appears to have been normal. The aircraft was in touch with Rome area control at 1929LT and the last message from it was received at 1953LT. At about 1950LT the aircraft after overflying the village of Leonessa and continued on a heading of 163° until it hit the slope of the Mt Costone dell'Acquasanta at an altitude of 1,700 meters after breaking off the tops of trees in a wood in line with the point of impact, near the end of its course. The wreckage was found one week later only and all 29 occupants have been killed, among them the Italian actress Marcella Mariani.
Probable cause:
The probable cause of the accident was that the navigation was conducted without making use of all such radio aids as would have permitted checking, and consequently correcting the drift of the aircraft, whereas the crew actually remained unaware of the drift. In fact, instead of making sure they were over the Viterbo beacon, they merely held that conviction, and therefore the approach procedure to the Rome terminal area (which prescribes overflight of the Viterbo beacon) was erroneously applied. The following contributing causes may be taken into consideration:
- crosswind to the route stronger than forecast,
- weather conditions particularly unfavorable to radio reception in MF,
- None of the messages from the aircraft gave the impression that the crew were in any doubt as to their position,
- The gradual uncontrolled eastward drift may be assumed to have started along the Alpine route, in view of the atmospheric conditions then prevailing, and particularly because of the jet stream previously mentioned,
- The message "passed Viterbo beacon one minute ago" sent by the aircraft at 1951LT was certainly an error, actually, the aircraft struck the surface at 1853 at a point more than 60 km east of Viterbo on a heading of 163°.
Final Report:

Crash of a Convair CV-240-12 in Zurich: 1 killed

Date & Time: Dec 19, 1953 at 1853 LT
Type of aircraft:
Convair CV-240
Operator:
Registration:
OO-AWO
Flight Phase:
Landing (descent or approach)
Flight Type:
Scheduled Revenue Flight
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Airport (less than 10 km from airport)
Schedule:
Brussels – Zurich
MSN:
128
YOM:
1949
Location:
Zurich
Zurich
Country:
Switzerland
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
5
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
39
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
1
Circumstances:
On final approach to Zurich-Kloten Airport, the crew encountered marginal weather conditions. Twice, the approach controller informed the crew about his insufficient altitude but the pilot's responses were indistincts. At this time, the aircraft was about 1,500 feet below the minimum descent altitude. On final, the airplane hit the ground, lost its left wing and crashed in a field located 1,500 meters short of runway 14 threshold. 37 occupants were unhurt, six passengers were injured and a young girl aged three (Mrs. Delsaux) was killed. The aircraft was destroyed. At the time of the accident, the visibility was reduced due to bad weather and night.
Probable cause:
Apparently in order to maintain a visual contact with the ground, the flight crew decided to descend below the glide path, passing below the minimum descend altitude. The approach was then completed at an insufficient height until the final impact with the ground, in violation of the published procedures. Poor visibility caused by night and marginal weather conditions was considered as a contributory factor.

Crash of a Convair CV-240-12 in Frankfurt: 44 killed

Date & Time: Oct 14, 1953 at 1454 LT
Type of aircraft:
Convair CV-240
Operator:
Registration:
OO-AWQ
Flight Phase:
Takeoff (climb)
Flight Type:
Scheduled Revenue Flight
Survivors:
No
Site:
Airport (less than 10 km from airport)
Schedule:
Salzburg – Frankfurt – Brussels
MSN:
154
YOM:
1949
Location:
Frankfurt-Main
Hesse
Country:
Germany
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
4
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
40
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
44
Circumstances:
Shortly after takeoff from Frankfurt-Main Airport, while in initial climb, the crew noticed a loss of power on both engines. In the mean time, the crew raised the flaps according to procedures. The aircraft then stalled and crashed in flames in a wooded area located in Kelsterbach, about three km north of the airfield. The aircraft was destroyed by impact forces and a post crash fire and all 44 occupants were killed.
Probable cause:
The loss of power may be attributed to the heavy deposit of lead on the sparking plugs. During takeoff, as the plugs warmed up, circuit was formed by the metal deposits, resulting in the short circuiting of the plugs. There was nothing to show any other contributory causes. A contributory cause of the crash may have been the pilot's decision to continue the takeoff, and the probable retraction of the landing flaps at extensively low speed and low altitude, unless the loss of power by both engines in the phase immediately before the crash was so great that the disaster was unavoidable. There is no evidence that the lead coating process in the sparking plugs occurred suddenly. The investigation showed that the process had been continuous. It was not possible to determine, from the data available, whether the periods specified by the makers of the engines for overhaul of plugs should be considered adequate in all cases.

Crash of an Airspeed AS.10 Oxford in Lammersdorf: 4 killed

Date & Time: Aug 5, 1953
Type of aircraft:
Airspeed AS.10 Oxford
Operator:
Registration:
O-14
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Military
Survivors:
No
Site:
Mountains
Schedule:
Cologne – Brussels
Location:
Lammersdorf
North Rhine-Westphalia
Country:
Germany
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
2
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
2
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
4
Circumstances:
On a flight from Cologne to Brussels, while cruising in poor weather conditions, the twin engine aircraft crashed in unknown circumstances on Mt Eifel near Lammersdorf. All four occupants were killed.
Crew:
Sgt Deblon,
Sgt Demeyer,
Ss/Lt Malcoye,
Ss/Lt Balbeur.

Crash of a De Havilland DH.89A Dragon Rapide in Brussels

Date & Time: Aug 21, 1952
Type of aircraft:
De Havilland DH.89 Dragon Rapide
Operator:
Registration:
D-3
Flight Phase:
Landing (descent or approach)
Flight Type:
Training
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Airport (less than 10 km from airport)
Schedule:
Brussels - Brussels
MSN:
6739
YOM:
1944
Location:
Brussels
Flemish Brabant
Country:
Belgium
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
4
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
The crew was performing a local training flight when the aircraft crashed on landing for unknown reason. There were no casualties but the aircraft was damaged beyond repair and use for spares.

Crash of an Avro 652A Anson I in Brussels

Date & Time: Feb 17, 1952 at 0620 LT
Type of aircraft:
Avro 652 Anson
Operator:
Registration:
G-ALFD
Flight Phase:
Landing (descent or approach)
Flight Type:
Cargo
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Airport (less than 10 km from airport)
Schedule:
London – Brussels
YOM:
1948
Location:
Brussels
Flemish Brabant
Country:
Belgium
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
2
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
On final approach to Brussels-Zaventem Airport, the crew decided to reduce his altitude to maintain a visual contact with the ground due to foggy conditions when the twin engine aircraft hit a telephone pole and crashed on a house located about 100 meters from the approach path. Both crew members who were performing a cargo flight from London with newspapers on board were injured. Nobody on ground was hurt.

Crash of an Avro 652 Anson in Mons

Date & Time: Apr 26, 1950
Type of aircraft:
Avro 652 Anson
Operator:
Registration:
G-AIXW
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Postal (mail)
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Plain, Valley
Schedule:
London – Paris – Brussels
YOM:
1946
Location:
Mons
Hainaut
Country:
Belgium
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
2
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
The crew was performing a mail flight from London to Brussels with an intermediate stop in Paris, carrying a load of newspapers. En route, he was forced to make an emergency landing in Mons for undetermined reason. The twin engine aircraft was damaged beyond repair and both occupants were injured.

Crash of a Douglas C-47A-60-DL in Aulnay-sous-Bois: 8 killed

Date & Time: Dec 18, 1949 at 2030 LT
Type of aircraft:
Douglas C-47 Skytrain (DC-3)
Operator:
Registration:
OO-AUQ
Flight Phase:
Takeoff (climb)
Flight Type:
Scheduled Revenue Flight
Survivors:
No
Site:
Airport (less than 10 km from airport)
Schedule:
Paris – Brussels
MSN:
10241
YOM:
1943
Location:
Paris-Le Bourget
Seine-Saint-Denis
Country:
France
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
4
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
4
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
8
Circumstances:
Shortly after takeoff from Paris-Le Bourget Airport, while climbing, the aircraft went out of control and crashed onto a house located in Aulnay-sous-Bois, about 4 km southeast of the airfield. All eight occupants were killed while there were no casualties on the ground. It appears that control was lost following the failure of a wing.
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