Crash of a Junkers JU.52/3m off Ceuta: 9 killed
Date & Time:
Dec 18, 1939 at 0815 LT
Operator:
Registration:
M-CABA
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Tetouan – Seville – Alicante
MSN:
5854
YOM:
1938
Crew on board:
3
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
6
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
9
Circumstances:
The three engine aircraft named 'Sanjurjo' departed Tetouan Airport at 0800LT on a flight to Alicante with an intermediate stop in Seville. About 15 minutes later, while cruising along the shore at an altitude of 1,500 feet, the airplane entered an uncontrolled descent and crashed in flames into the sea off Ceuta. Rescuers arrived on site 30 minutes later. Some debris were found 10 km south of Punta del Carnero. All nine occupants were killed.
Crew:
Eugenio Gross Huertas, captain,
Ruperto González Fernández, radio operator,
José Chacón Mellado, engineer.
Passengers:
Antonio Bazán Martínez,
Manuel Romero Picornell,
Agustín Calvo Bronte,
Juan José Suárez Maguregui,
Juan Carlos Brelezmann Isberner,
Henry Charles.
Crew:
Eugenio Gross Huertas, captain,
Ruperto González Fernández, radio operator,
José Chacón Mellado, engineer.
Passengers:
Antonio Bazán Martínez,
Manuel Romero Picornell,
Agustín Calvo Bronte,
Juan José Suárez Maguregui,
Juan Carlos Brelezmann Isberner,
Henry Charles.
Probable cause:
The exact cause of the accident remains unknown. At the time of the accident, weather conditions were poor with low clouds and storms. It was also reported that the airplane may have been shot down by the pilot of an RAF fighter.
