Düsseldorf-Lohausen

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

144

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

150

Captain / Total flying hours:

6763

Captain / Total hours on type:

3811.00

Copilot / Total flying hours:

919

Copilot / Total hours on type:

540

Aircraft flight hours:

58313

Aircraft flight cycles:

46748

Circumstances:

The aircraft left Barcelona at 1000LT on a scheduled flight to Düsseldorf (flight 4U9525/GWI18G). At 1032LT, one minute after reaching its assigned cruising altitude of 38,000 feet near Toulon (level off), the aircraft started to lose altitude and continued a straight in descent during nine minutes, until it reached the altitude of 6,800 feet. It was later confirmed that no distress call was sent by the crew. Radar contact was lost at a height of 6,800 feet at 1041LT when the aircraft hit a mountain slope located near Prads-Haute-Bléone, northeast of Digne-les-Bains. At the time of the accident, weather conditions were considered as good with no storm activity, reasonable wind component and no turbulence. The crash site was reached by first rescuers in the afternoon and the aircraft disintegrated on impact. None of the 150 occupants survived the crash. The second black box (DFDR) was found on April 2, nine days after the accident.

Probable cause:

The collision with the ground was due to the deliberate and planned action of the copilot who decided to commit suicide while alone in the cockpit. The process for medical certification of pilots, in particular self-reporting in case of decrease in medical fitness between two periodic medical evaluations, did not succeed in preventing the copilot, who was experiencing mental disorder with psychotic symptoms, from exercising the privilege of his licence. The following factors may have contributed to the failure of this principle:
-The copilot’s probable fear of losing his ability to fly as a professional pilot if he had reported his decrease in medical fitness to an AME,
-The potential financial consequences generated by the lack of specific insurance covering the risks of loss of income in case of unfitness to fly,
- The lack of clear guidelines in German regulations on when a threat to public safety outweighs the requirements of medical confidentiality.
Security requirements led to cockpit doors designed to resist forcible intrusion by unauthorized persons. This made it impossible to enter the flight compartment before the aircraft impacted the terrain in the French Alps.

Final Report:

Crash of a Boeing 747-212B in Düsseldorf

Date & Time: Jan 24, 2005 at 0605 LT

Type of aircraft:

Boeing 747-200

Operator:

Registration:

N808MC

Flight Phase:

Flight Type:

Cargo

Survivors:

Yes

Site:

Schedule:

Dubaï – Düsseldorf

MSN:

21048

YOM:

1975

Flight number:

GTI8995

Location:

Country:

Region:

Swearingen SA227 Metro III

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Captain / Total flying hours:

20000

Captain / Total hours on type:

2300.00

Copilot / Total flying hours:

14600

Copilot / Total hours on type:

3000

Aircraft flight hours:

92024

Aircraft flight cycles:

22782

Circumstances:

The aircraft departed Dubai on a cargo flight to Düsseldorf with three crew members on board. Following an uneventful flight, the crew established radio contact with Düsseldorf Radar at 0543LT. The crew were told that runway 23L was in use. Two minutes later the radar controller contacted flight 8995: "I just talked to the tower and ah for the time being braking action on all parts of the runway is supposed to be good. They are measuring again right now because it started to snow again and I'll keep you advised." The flight was then cleared to descend to FL80. The flight crew decided to set the autobrakes for landing on Medium, to account for the snow. At 05:50 the radar controller again contacted the flight about the current weather circumstances: "...latest update on the weather situation ahm the friction tester has reported braking action to be good for the moment however as its continuing to snow they are ah afraid that it might worsen, so they are going to do another friction test right before you land." In the following minutes the flight was given descent instructions and vectors for an approach to runway 23L. At 05:54 the controller radioed: "weather update we now have a surface wind of three four zero degrees eleven knots, that's slight tail wind component by two knots. Visibility is down to one thousand five hundred meters, still in snow showers and ah cloud base is now five hundred feet only." The flight was subsequently cleared for the approach. At 05:57 the radar controller instructed the crew to contact Düsseldorf Tower. The Tower controller stated: "Good morning,... we are just waiting for the braking action values from the friction tester stand by a second. The surface wind is actually three three zero degrees one two knots." Two minutes later the controller radioed: "... the braking action was measured to be medium at all parts. And ah the visibility dropped right now due to the heavy snow showers at the field ah. The RVR value at the touchdown zone is presently nine hundred meters, at the mid-point one thousand one hundred meters and ah stop end one thousand one hundred meters." At that moment the flight was 3,5 nautical miles out. The flight was subsequently cleared to land. The airplane touched down about 1700 ft (518 m) past the runway threshold. Ground spoilers and thrust reversers deployed and the autobrakes activated. Still the airplane did not decelerate as expected and the pilot applied manual braking. The airplane failed to stop and overran the runway end. It collided with ILS equipments, which caused a fire in engines n°2 and 3. All three crew members evacuated safely and the aircraft was considered as damaged beyond repair.

Probable cause:

The accident is attributable to the fact that the braking values transmitted to the crew did not meet the conditions that had arisen as a result of heavy snowfall since the last measurement on the runway.
The following contributing factors were identified:
- Fast changing weather,
- The lack of an in all weather conditions reliable measurement method for the determination of braking coefficient.

Final Report:

Crash of a Swearingen SA227AC Metro III in Kettwig: 21 killed

Date & Time: Feb 8, 1988 at 0758 LT

Type of aircraft:

Operator:

Registration:

D-CABB

Flight Phase:

Flight Type:

Scheduled Revenue Flight

Survivors:

Site:

Plain, Valley

Schedule:

Hanover - Düsseldorf

MSN:

AC-500

YOM:

1982

Flight number:

NS108

Location:

Kettwig

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Captain / Total flying hours:

2473

Captain / Total hours on type:

277.00

Copilot / Total flying hours:

2544

Copilot / Total hours on type:

1344

Aircraft flight hours:

9184

Circumstances:

The twin engine aircraft departed Hanover Airport at 0715LT on a schedule service to Düsseldorf Airport, carrying 19 passengers and a crew of two. Following an uneventful flight at FL140, the crew started the descent at 0739LT. After being cleared to descend to 3,000 feet, the crew was informed about thunderstorm activity in the area and ATC informed the crew about a possible alternate route to avoid the area. This offer was denied by the crew who continued the descent. While flying in thunderstorm activity, the aircraft became unstable due to turbulences and lightnings strikes near the aircraft. After the failure of the electrical system, the crew lost control of the airplane that entered a dive, partially disintegrated in the air and eventually crashed in an open field located about 2 km north of Kettwig, near the airport of Essen-Mülheim. All 21 occupants were killed.

Probable cause:

The accident was caused by the combination of the followings:
- The flight crew had continued into an area in which the occurrence of electrical discharge was to be expected, although avoiding the area would have been possible,
- The total electricity supply failed due to a lightning strike in significant instrument flight conditions, causing the failure of the cockpit- and instrument lighting and making it impossible to use the flaps and stabilizer trim,
- The plane had entered a largely uncontrolled flight after the power failure,
- The aircraft became overloaded during the uncontrolled flight aircraft during and disintegrated.
The following contributing factors were reported:
- The crew did not agree on the flight path in the area of the thunderstorm,
- The crew were not prepared for a lightning strike,
- The crew possibly became physically and mentally impaired for a short time after the lightning strike,
- The crew could not understand each other for a short time after a short power failure because they wore headsets,
- When the lightning struck, the plane was in an unstabilized flight condition with nose trimmed down and flaps half way down,
- The crew was not able to restore power, probably because of the damage in the electrical wiring,
- The crew did not have sufficient means for orientation in order to transfer the plane back from a predominantly uncontrolled flight to controlled flight.

Crash of a Beechcraft F90 King Air in Düsseldorf: 4 killed

Date & Time: Dec 6, 1987

Type of aircraft:

Beechcraft 90 King Air

Operator:

W. H. Hoffmann

Registration:

D-IMWH

Flight Phase:

Flight Type:

Private

Survivors:

Site:

Schedule:

Munich - Marl

MSN:

LA-114

YOM:

1981

Location:

Country:

Region:

Charter/Taxi (Non Scheduled Revenue Flight)

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

While approaching Marl Airport, the pilot encountered poor weather conditions and decided to divert to Düsseldorf-Lohausen Airport. For unknown reason, the pilot was unable to locate the airport, and while initiating a go-around procedure, he lost control of the aircraft that crashed near the airport. All four occupants were killed.

Crash of a Cessna 425 Conquest I in Bern: 8 killed

Date & Time: Mar 3, 1986 at 0822 LT

Type of aircraft:

Cessna 425 Conquest

Operator:

Registration:

HB-LLS

Flight Phase:

Takeoff (climb)

Flight Type:

Survivors:

Site:

Schedule:

Bern - Düsseldorf

MSN:

425-0040

YOM:

1981

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Captain / Total flying hours:

1363

Captain / Total hours on type:

514.00

Aircraft flight hours:

1074

Circumstances:

The twin engine aircraft was engaged in a charter flight from Bern to Düsseldorf, carrying one pilot and seven employees from the textile industry. Takeoff was completed from runway 32 partially covered with wet snow and after liftoff, the aircraft encountered difficulties to gain height and passed just over trees located from either side of the Aar River. Then the aircraft lost height, initiated a left turn then stalled and crashed in a snow covered field located near a wood, about 1,250 meters northwest of runway 14 threshold and 600 meters to the left of its extended centerline. The aircraft was destroyed and all eight occupants were killed.

Probable cause:

The accident was the consequence of a loss of control during initial climb in poor weather conditions. The following contributing factors were reported:
- The runway was contaminated with wet snow,
- Possible ice on wings and tail,
- High drag because the gear was still down,
- The total weight of the aircraft was 102 kilos above MTOW,
- The CofG was 0,56 inch (1,42 cm) beyond the aft limit,
- The pilot suffered high psychological tension,
- It is possible that the flaps were lowered at an angle of 15° prior to takeoff, during takeoff and during initial climb, which may reduce lift and increase drag.

Final Report:

Crash of a Cessna 404 Titan in Dortmund: 1 killed

Date & Time: Jan 22, 1982

Type of aircraft:

Cessna 404 Titan

Operator:

Registration:

D-ICRH

Flight Phase:

Flight Type:

Positioning

Survivors:

Site:

Schedule:

Düsseldorf – Dortmund

MSN:

404-0850

YOM:

1981

Location:

Dortmund

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

After landing at Dortmund-Wickede Airport, the pilot lost control of the airplane that veered off runway and collided with a hangar, bursting into flames. The aircraft as well a four other airplanes parked in the hangar were destroyed by a post crash fire. The pilot, sole on board, was killed. He was completing a positioning flight from Düsseldorf.

Crash of a Douglas C-54A-1-DO Skymaster in Düsseldorf: 7 killed

Date & Time: Nov 3, 1957 at 0703 LT

Type of aircraft:

Douglas C-54 Skymaster

Operator:

Registration:

D-ALAF

Flight Phase:

Takeoff (climb)

Flight Type:

Positioning

Survivors:

Yes

Site:

Schedule:

Düsseldorf – Reykjavik – New York

MSN:

7459

YOM:

1944

Location:

Country:

Region:

Douglas C-47 Skytrain (DC-3)

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

The flight was to be from Dusseldorf, Germany, to New York via Reykjavik. One crew was to pilot the first leg of the trip to Reykjavik and the relief crew was to complete the flight to New York. Of the ten aboard the aircraft, seven were crew and three were passengers. Take-off from Dusseldorf at 0700 hours was normal until the aircraft became airborne. Immediately after becoming airborne and following retraction of the gear No. 1 engine was cut off and its propeller feathered. Then the No. 2 engine was also cut off and its propeller feathered. During this process the flaps were immediately and fully retracted. The aircraft, having attained an altitude of 50 metres, dropped sharply, lost altitude and crashed (0703 hours) into buildings within the city limits killing six of the occupants instantly and seriously injuring the other four. In addition, one person on the ground was killed and two others seriously injured. The wreckage was completely destroyed by fire.

Probable cause:

The accident was caused by the intentional creation of an emergency situation on take-off for a long distance flight: first No. 1 engine was cut off and its propeller feathered, then No. 2 engine was also stopped and its propeller feathered. In addition, the flaps were immediately and fully retracted at low altitude. Such action by the pilot-in-command during take-off immediately after the aircraft became airborne, with a view to testing a crew member, caused the aircraft to crash. The piloting technique was not consistent with the safety requirements and operating instructions as prescribed by the Directorate of Civil Aviation.

Final Report:

Crash of an Avro 652 Anson C.19 in Dahlhausen: 2 killed

Date & Time: Mar 4, 1956

Type of aircraft:

Avro 652 Anson

Operator:

Registration:

TX203

Flight Phase:

Flight Type:

Survivors:

Site:

Schedule:

Wunstorf – Düsseldorf

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

The aircraft was engaged in an ambulance flight from Wünstorf Airbase to Düsseldorf, carrying two pilots and two doctors. En route, while cruising at an altitude of 4,000 feet, the right engine suffered an oil leak and was shut down by the crew. As he was unable to maintain a safe altitude, the captain decided to attempt an emergency landing. After it crossed the last cloud layer, the twin engine aircraft was facing a large wooded area. Shortly later, it struck trees and crashed in the forest. Both pilots were injured while both doctors were killed.
Crew:
F/Sgt T. E. Went,
Sgt J. Moynaham.
Passengers:
F/O Daphne Jane Budgeon,
Sac Robert William Flint.

Probable cause:

Failure of the right engine following an oil leak in flight.

Crash of a Douglas C-47B-35-DK in Düsseldorf: 3 killed

Date & Time: Dec 22, 1955

Type of aircraft:

Operator:

Manx Airways

Registration:

G-AMZC

Flight Phase:

Flight Type:

Positioning

Survivors:

Site:

Schedule:

Douglas - Düsseldorf

MSN:

16522/33270

YOM:

1945

Location:

Country:

Region:

Airspeed AS.57 Ambassador

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

The crew was completing a positioning flight from Douglas, Isle of Man, to Düsseldorf to pick up passengers. While descending to Lohausen Airport, the crew received the permission to perform an ILS approach but for unknown reason, the captain preferred to make a visual approach despite the low visibility caused by marginal weather conditions. On final, the airplane was too low, hit trees and crashed 5 km short of runway. All three crew members were killed.

Probable cause:

Wrong approach configuration on part of the flying pilot who continued the descent without sufficient visual reference, causing the aircraft to pass below the glide in low visibility conditions.

Crash of an Airspeed AS.57 Ambassador 2 in Düsseldorf

Date & Time: Apr 8, 1955

Type of aircraft:

Operator:

Registration:

G-AMAB

Flight Phase:

Takeoff (climb)

Flight Type:

Scheduled Revenue Flight

Survivors:

Yes

Site:

Schedule:

Düsseldorf – London

MSN:

5224

YOM:

1951

Location:

Country:

Region: