Crash of a Douglas C-47A-25-DK near Tofte: 34 killed

Date & Time: Nov 20, 1949 at 1656 LT
Operator:
Registration:
PH-TFA
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Schedule:
Tunis – Brussels – Oslo
MSN:
13462
YOM:
1944
Location:
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
4
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
31
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
34
Aircraft flight hours:
1697
Circumstances:
The aircraft was flying from Tunis to Oslo via Brussels, carrying 28 Jewish children from Tunisia on their way to Norway, as an intermediary stop before making aliyah, the return to Israel. After passing The Netherlands, the crew continued at an altitude of 3,000 feet and was informed that weather conditions at destination was considered as good with a visibility of 12 km under the cloud layer. Approaching Oslo from the south at 1650LT, the crew requested a QDM bearing that was transmitted by ATC three minutes later. Despite the presence of several clouds layers and poor visibility, the crew continued the approach and reduced his altitude when the aircraft hit the slope of a hill and crashed in a wooded area located about 8 km north of Tofte, some 32 km south of Fornebu Airport. As all radio transmissions were interrupted and the aircraft failed to arrive, SAR operations were conducted but the rescuers found the wreckage two days later only. On site, a young boy aged 12 was found alive and transferred to a hospital in Oslo while all 34 other occupants were killed.
Probable cause:
It was determined that the crew took the decision to continue the approach to Oslo-Fornebu Airport in VFR mode in IMC conditions. Due to poor visibility caused by several cloud layers at 400, 750 and 900 meters, the crew was unable to distinguish the hilly terrain.

Crash of a Douglas C-47-DL in Milan: 7 killed

Date & Time: Dec 6, 1948 at 1030 LT
Operator:
Registration:
I-ETNA
Flight Phase:
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Milan – Brussels
MSN:
4396
YOM:
1942
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
6
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
1
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
7
Circumstances:
Shortly after takeoff from Milan-Linate Airport, while climbing in foggy conditions, the aircraft went out of control and crashed near the runway end, bursting into flames. All seven occupants were killed. The assumption of an engine failure is not ruled out.

Crash of a Fiat G.212CP in Keerbergen: 8 killed

Date & Time: Jul 1, 1948 at 1220 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
I-ELSA
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Milan – Brussels
MSN:
04
YOM:
1948
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
5
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
7
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
8
Aircraft flight hours:
19
Circumstances:
On approach to Brussels-Zaventem Airport, the crew encountered poor weather conditions with heavy rain falls, low visibility and a ceiling at 100 meters. In such conditions, the captain overshot the runway in Zaventem and was unable to land. He increased power on all three engines and continued to the northeast. Few minutes later, he decided to land on a makeshift airfield in Keerbergen but during the last turn to the left, the aircraft stalled and crashed in a field. Three passengers and a crew member survived while all eight other occupants were killed.
Probable cause:
Insufficient speed during the last turn to the left caused the aircraft to stall. The distance between the aircraft and the ground was too low to expect a recovery. Poor weather conditions were considered as a contributory factor.

Crash of a Douglas DC-3D in London-Heathrow: 20 killed

Date & Time: Mar 2, 1948 at 2114 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
OO-AWH
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Brussels – London
MSN:
43154
YOM:
1947
Region:
Crew on board:
3
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
19
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
20
Circumstances:
The approach to London-Heathrow Airport was completed in reduced visibility due to the night and foggy conditions. On final, the airplane impacted the ground, exploded and came to rest short of the runway threshold, bursting into flames. Two passengers survived the crash and were seriously injured while 20 other occupants were killed.
Crew:
Henri Goblet, pilot,
Jean Lomba, radio operator,
Louis De Geyndt, steward.
Probable cause:
The pilot continued the approach below the minimum safe altitude and was unable to distinguish the ground due to the low visibility caused by night and fog. At the time of the accident, the visibility was 200 yards.

Crash of a Douglas DC-3D in Paris-Le Bourget: 16 killed

Date & Time: Jan 6, 1948 at 1937 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
F-BAXC
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Brussels – Paris
MSN:
42972
YOM:
1946
Flight number:
AF122
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
5
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
11
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
16
Circumstances:
While approaching Paris, the crew was instructed by ATC to stack for about 30 minutes due to an Air Algérie DC-3 landing at the same time. Also, ATC told the crew to divert to Pontoise-Cormeilles en Vexin if they wanted to land immediately. The captain decided to stack for about 30 minutes at an altitude between 700 and 1,000 meters and was later authorized to descent to Le Bourget. On final approach, while at a height of some 150 feet, the aircraft stalled and crashed in a tulip field located 1,500 meters short of runway threshold. Two passengers were seriously injured while all 14 other occupants were killed. Few hours later, both survivors died from their injuries.
Crew:
Edouard Albin, pilot,
Georges Capron, copilot,
Pierre Lebeau, radio navigator,
Joseph Lacroix, mechanic,
Mr. Germé, steward.
Probable cause:
Weather conditions were considered as good at the time of the accident and no technical failure was pointed out on the airplane or its instruments. It is believed that the aircraft stalled on final approach, maybe due to an insufficient approach speed.

Crash of a Douglas C-47A-60-DL in Brussels: 1 killed

Date & Time: Sep 17, 1946 at 0117 LT
Operator:
Registration:
OO-AUR
Flight Phase:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Brussels – Croydon
MSN:
4549
YOM:
1942
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
3
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
4
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
1
Circumstances:
Shortly after a night takeoff, while in initial climb, the aircraft stalled and crashed on the roof of a hangar. A crew member was killed while six other occupants were injured.
Probable cause:
Aerodynamic stall after rotation due to insufficient speed. The reason of the loss of speed could not be determined with certainty.

Crash of a Lockheed C-60A-1-LO LodeStar in Kouandé

Date & Time: Dec 14, 1945
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
OO-CAK
Flight Phase:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Léopoldville – Lagos – Cotonou – Brussels
MSN:
2340
YOM:
1943
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
0
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
Few minutes after takeoff from Cotonou, the crew encountered engine problems and elected to make an emergency landing. The aircraft crash landed in a field located in Kouandé, west of Cotonou, and was destroyed by fire. All occupants were able to evacuate and were unhurt.
Probable cause:
Engine problems.

Crash of a Consolidated LB-30 Liberator VI in Brussels: 31 killed

Date & Time: Oct 13, 1945 at 2045 LT
Operator:
Registration:
KL595
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
London – Brussels – New Delhi
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
5
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
26
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
31
Circumstances:
Following a long takeoff roll, the aircraft rotated but failed to gain sufficient height. At the end of the runway, the four engine aircraft hit a mound, nosed down and crashed in a huge explosion. The aircraft was destroyed by impact forces and a post crash fire. All 31 occupants were killed.
Crew (206th Squadron):
F/Lt Peter Green, pilot,
F/O John Dolphin Freckleton, pilot,
F/Sgt Dennis George Nightall, flight engineer,
F/O Bernard Connor, navigator,
F/O Harry Thomas Walter Alderton, wireless operator and air gunner.
Passengers:
S/Ldr Richard Charles Rivaz,
Dvr Rowland George Ashton,
Dvr William George Bayfeild,
Dvr George Henry Bowyer,
Dvr Leslie John Brannon,
Cpl Frederick John Edwin Cooper,
Cpt Philip Brian Crosby,
Dvr Sydney Crouch,
Pvt Cecil Henry Ellis,
Pvt Eric Joshua Ellis,
Pvt James Etheridge,
Pvt Cyril James Evans,
Pvt Richard Evans,
Pvt Bernard Fannon,
Pvt Thomas Fleming,
Pvt Thomas Henry Forsyth,
Dvr Albert Garner,
Dvr George Gibson,
Dvr Albert Edward Hubble,
Dvr William James Keeley,
Dvr Kenneth Mann,
Dvr Derick Moore,
Dvr Charles Mark,
Cpl Reginald Walter Pluck,
Dvr Reginald Pritchard,
Pvt Geoffrey Jack Withers.
Probable cause:
The rotation was attempted at an insufficient speed and the aircraft was in stall condition after liftoff.

Crash of a Douglas C-47A Dakota III into the North Sea: 4 killed

Date & Time: Sep 18, 1944
Operator:
Registration:
KG592
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Brussels - Down Ampney
MSN:
13315
YOM:
1944
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
4
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
4
Circumstances:
Lost without trace in the North Sea while performing a flight from Brussels to RAF Down Ampney.

Crash of a Junkers JU.88A-5 in Beverwijk

Date & Time: Nov 30, 1940 at 1700 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Brussels - Brussels
MSN:
0279
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
4
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
While flying in poor weather conditions, the crew was forced to make an emergency landing in Beverwijk. The aircraft was damaged beyond repair and there were no casualties.