Frankfurt-Main

Flight Type:

Scheduled Revenue Flight

Survivors:

Site:

Schedule:

Kabul - Kandahar - Beirut - Istanbul - Frankfurt - London

MSN:

19690/540

YOM:

1968

Flight number:

FG701

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Captain / Total flying hours:

10400

Captain / Total hours on type:

512.00

Copilot / Total flying hours:

3259

Copilot / Total hours on type:

210

Aircraft flight hours:

1715

Circumstances:

The accident occurred on a scheduled passenger flight from Frankfurt when the aircraft was making an ILS approach for a night landing on Runway 27 at Gatwick Airport. The weather was clear except that freezing fog persisted in places including the Gatwick area. The runway visual range (RVR) at Gatwick was 100 metres. The approach was commenced with the autopilot coupled to the instrument landing system (ILS) but after the glide-slope had been captured the commander who was at the controls, disconnected the autopilot because the "stabiliser out of trim" warning light illuminated. At the outer marker the flap setting was changed from 1° to 30° and shortly afterwards the rate of descent increased and the aircraft descended below the glide-slope. Some 200 feet from the ground the pilot realised that the aircraft was too low and initiated a missed approach procedure. The aircraft began to respond but the descent was not arrested in time to avoid a collision with trees and a house that destroyed both the aircraft and the house and set the wreckage on fire. 48 occupants as well as two people in the house were killed. 14 others were injured. The aircraft was totally destroyed by impact forces and a post crash fire.

Probable cause:

The accident was the result of the commander inadvertently allowing the aircraft to descend below the glide slope during the final stage of an approach to land until it was too low for recovery to be effected. The following findings were reported:
- The deceptive nature of the weather conditions led the commander to an error of judgment in deciding to make an approach to Gatwick,
- The commander's decision to conduct an approach was not in itself a cause of the accident,
- Incorrect flap configuration at glide-slope interception led to a temporary out-of-trim condition during the automatic approach and the illumination of the stabilizer "out-of-trim" warning light,
- The commander interpreted the "out-of-trim" warning light as indicating a possible malfunction and disconnected the auto-pilot,
- Out-of-sequence and late selection of 30° flaps from 15° while the-aircraft was being flown manually resulted in an increase in the rate of descent, causing the aircraft to go rapidly below the glide-slope,
- The commander did not become aware of the deviation from the glide-slope until it was too late to effect a full recovery,
- The pilot's attention was probably directed outside the aircraft at the critical time in an attempt to discover sufficient visual reference to continue the approach rather than to the flight instruments,
- Monitoring by precision approach radar would have warned the pilots of the deviation in time, if corrective action was taken promptly, to avoid the accident.

Crash of a Beechcraft King Air A90 near Saluzzo: 6 killed

Date & Time: Sep 22, 1967 at 0205 LT

Type of aircraft:

Beechcraft 90 King Air

Operator:

Registration:

D-ILNI

Flight Phase:

Charter/Taxi (Non Scheduled Revenue Flight)

Flight Type:

Survivors:

Site:

Mountains

Schedule:

Frankfurt – Nice

MSN:

LJ-116

YOM:

1966

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

The twin engine aircraft was performing a charter flight from Frankfurt to Nice, carrying a crew of two and four passengers, among them the German Industrialist Harald Quandt, owner of BMW. While cruising by night over Italy, the airplane went out of control, dove into the ground and crashed in a mountainous area located southwest of Saluzzo, Piedmont. The aircraft was totally destroyed and all six occupants were killed.

Probable cause:

The exact cause of the accident could not be determined. However, the assumption that the loss of control was caused by the failure of the electric system was not ruled out.

Crash of a Douglas C-54A-15-DC Skymaster in Frankfurt: 2 killed

Date & Time: Jan 21, 1967 at 0513 LT

Type of aircraft:

Douglas C-54 Skymaster

Operator:

Registration:

G-ASOG

Flight Phase:

Flight Type:

Cargo

Survivors:

Site:

Schedule:

Manchester – Frankfurt

MSN:

10359

YOM:

1944

Flight number:

BE200

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Captain / Total flying hours:

6600

Captain / Total hours on type:

1000.00

Aircraft flight hours:

35500

Circumstances:

Flight BE/LH200 was a non-scheduled international cargo flight from Manchester to Frankfurt. An IFR flight plan via Congleton beacon, airways Amber 1, Amber 2, Blue 3, Dover beacon and airway Green 1 to Frankfurt was filed. Take-off from Manchester was scheduled at 0010 hours GMT; however, because of a malfunction in the door warning device, the flight took off at 0119 hours. At 0402 hours it contacted Frankfurt Approach Control. It was requested to report over Frankfurt VOR and was given a QNH of 1018 mb. At 0405 hours the flight reported over Frankfurt VOR at FL 60 and was instructed to carry out an ILS approach to runway 25R. At approximately 0410 hours the flight was advised that it was 8 miles from touchdown and instructed to contact the tower on 118.7 MHz and to continue its ILS approach to runway 25R. The flight immediately contacted the tower and was cleared to land on runway 25R, the wind being calm. This was acknowledged by the flight: at no time was the QFE given to or requested by the flight. Two minutes after its last radio transmission and whilst on a heading of about 260°, the aircraft struck a tree approximately 2 700 m before the threshold of runway 25R and 100 m left of the extended centre line. After striking several more trees it continued on a track of about 280' and crashed. The accident occurred at approximately 0413 hours. The aircraft was destroyed by impact forces and a post crash fire and both crew members were killed.

Probable cause:

The accident is probably attributable to the fact that the crew did not set the altimeters in the final approach according to the instructions in the operations manual. This error was aggravated by the fact that the final approach checklist did not coincide with the altimeter setting procedure. In consequence the crew unintentionally flew below critical height and the aircraft collided with trees when the altimeters were showing approximately 200 ft above the critical height. The following findings were reported:
- The flight progressed normally until the last communication of the aircraft approximately 5-6 NM before the threshold of runway 25R. The aircraft then descended below the glide path and collided with trees approximately 2 700 m before the threshold,
- Weather conditions at the airport were above the prescribed weather minima,
- The radio navigational aids, and the approach and runway lighting were operating normally: the strength of the lighting used was adequate for the visibility conditions. The VASIS was inoperative and the crew had been duly notified by NOTAM,
- The approach sequenced flashing lights were not in use,
- No evidence of a malfunction or failure of the aircraft, its engines, or its systems prior to impact was found. The pilot-in-command's altimeters were found one at a setting of 1018.5 mb corresponding to the QNH, the other at 29.92 in. Hg, and the co-pilot's altimeter at a setting of 30.08 in. Hg corresponding also to the QNH. In accordance with the operator's instructions and with normal crew practice, both the pilot-in-command's first altimeter and the co-pilot's altimeter should have been set at the QFE.

Final Report:

Crash of a Boeing 727-21 near Berlin: 3 killed

Date & Time: Nov 15, 1966 at 0242 LT

Type of aircraft:

Boeing 727-100

Operator:

Registration:

N317PA

Flight Phase:

Flight Type:

Cargo

Survivors:

Site:

Plain, Valley

Schedule:

Frankfurt - Berlin

MSN:

18995

YOM:

1966

Flight number:

PA708

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Captain / Total flying hours:

14212

Captain / Total hours on type:

58.00

Copilot / Total flying hours:

17542

Copilot / Total hours on type:

Aircraft flight hours:

1804

Circumstances:

Pan Am's scheduled cargo flight 708 from Frankfurt to Berlin usually lands at Tempelhof Airport. However because of resurfacing of the runways at Tempelhof, Pan Am operated in and out of Tegel Airport since the evening of November 13th. Flight 708 departed Frankfurt at 02:04 and climbed to the cruising altitude of FL90. At 02:35 the flight reported leaving this altitude for FL30. Three minutes later Berlin Control cleared the flight to "turn left heading zero three zero, descend and maintain two thousand". When 6,5 miles from the Outer Marker, the controller cleared the flight to "turn right heading zero six zero cleared ILS runway eight right approach". Immediately after the acknowledgment from the flight crew, the aircraft struck the ground and crashed about 10 miles from the airport in the Soviet occupation zone. Weather was poor with 2,6 km visibility in snow; cloud coverage 3/8 at 500 feet and overcast a 600 feet with a temperature of -1deg C. The Soviet authorities returned about 50 percent of the wreckage. Some major components were not returned which included the flight data and cockpit voice recorders, flight control systems, navigation and communication equipment.

Probable cause:

The descent of the flight below its altitude clearance limit, but the Board has been unable to determine the cause of such descent.

Final Report:

Crash of a Douglas DC-6A on Mt Parnon: 5 killed

Date & Time: Mar 10, 1966

Type of aircraft:

Douglas DC-6

Operator:

Registration:

OD-AEL

Flight Phase:

Peloponnese / Πελοπόννησος

Flight Type:

Cargo

Survivors:

Site:

Mountains

Schedule:

Beirut – Frankfurt

MSN:

455041009

YOM:

1958

Location:

Mt Parnon

Country:

Greece

Region:

Europe

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

While cruising in marginal weather conditions on a cargo flight from Beirut to Frankfurt, the four engine aircraft disappeared from radar screens after it struck the slope of Mt Parnon located in the Peloponnese province, at the border between Laconia and Arcadia districts. The wreckage was found about 27 km east of Sparta. All five crew members were killed.

Probable cause:

Controlled flight into terrain.

Crash of a Convair CV-440-0 Metropolitan in Bremen: 46 killed

Date & Time: Jan 28, 1966 at 1750 LT

Type of aircraft:

Convair CV-440 Metropolitan

Operator:

Registration:

D-ACAT

Flight Phase:

Flight Type:

Scheduled Revenue Flight

Survivors:

Site:

Schedule:

Frankfurt - Bremen - Hamburg

MSN:

464

YOM:

1958

Flight number:

LH005

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Captain / Total flying hours:

5093

Captain / Total hours on type:

1187.00

Copilot / Total flying hours:

793

Copilot / Total hours on type:

533

Aircraft flight hours:

13871

Circumstances:

The aircraft was operating a scheduled service of Deutsche Lufthansa on the route Frankfurt - Bremen - Hamburg under flight number LH 005. Scheduled time of departure in Frankfurt: 1625 hours GMT, scheduled time of arrival at Bremen: 1745 hours GMT. Actually, the aircraft took off at 1641 hours GMT. The last phase of the flight can be roughly reconstructed from the tape recordings, the evidence given by the witnesses and the position of the wreckage as follows:
17.41 GMT Descending from flight level 60 and clearance for ILS approach to runway 27 at Bremen.
17.44 GMT Passing of radio beacon Bremen outbound.
17.48 GMT Passing of radio beacon Bremen inbound on final approach.
17.49.37 GMT The aircraft was seen for the first time by witnesses about 1 000 m approximately before the threshold of runway 27 near the middle marker; later it was observed by the control tower with its landing gear extended and the landing lights turned on.
17.50.15 GMT About 1 200 m after the threshold of runway 27, close to the intersec- approximately tion of runways 27/09 and 32/14, the aircraft went round again at an altitude of about 30 ft above ground with a compass course of about 2700.
17.50.40 GMT With a pitch of about 300 to 600 and the left wing forward the aircraft approximately crashed on the ground in the opposite direction to runway 27, about 385 m west of the end of runway 27 and about 380 m south of the runway centre line.
The aircraft was totally destroyed and none of the 46 occupants survived.

Probable cause:

While approaching to land, the aircraft overshot and stalled during the execution of the missed approach. The overshoot on approach to land was probably caused by the fact that - possibly on account of a malfunction of one of the flight director instruments - the pilot was not in a position to remain on the glide path and that he made a wrong assessment of the height above ground after transition to visual flight. The stall was probably induced by wrong activation of controls. Such activation was possibly caused by sudden occurrence of a physical disorder of one of the pilots. After the aircraft had stalled, the pilot could not control the further progress of the flight on account of the rather poor stall performance of the aircraft type, the extraordinary difficulties to control a stall during instrument flight conditions, and the insufficient height available for transition from stall to a normal attitude after the aircraft had sheared off. Other factors may have contributed to the accident, such as:
- Insufficient engine power,
- Insufficient altitude to recovery,
- Inadequate pitch,
- Unfavorable weather conditions.

Final Report:

Crash of a Boeing 720-030B in Ansbach: 3 killed

Date & Time: Jul 15, 1964

Type of aircraft:

Boeing 720

Operator:

Registration:

D-ABOP

Flight Phase:

Flight Type:

Training

Survivors:

Site:

Plain, Valley

Schedule:

Frankfurt - Frankfurt

MSN:

18249

YOM:

1962

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

The crew departed Frankfurt-Main Airport at 0933LT on a training mission, initially scheduled at an altitude of 13,000 feet. After he completed several maneuvers, the crew was cleared to descend to 3,600 feet when control was lost. The airplane apparently rolled inverted and crashed in a huge explosion in a field located in Ansbach. All three crew members were killed.

Crash of an Ilyushin II-18V in Paris: 21 killed

Date & Time: Nov 23, 1962 at 1410 LT

Type of aircraft:

Ilyushin II-18

Operator:

Registration:

HA-MOD

Flight Phase:

Flight Type:

Scheduled Revenue Flight

Survivors:

Site:

Lockheed L-1049 Super Constellation

Schedule:

Budapest – Frankfurt – Paris

MSN:

180 0020 02

YOM:

1960

Flight number:

MA355

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Captain / Total flying hours:

10380

Captain / Total hours on type:

1313.00

Copilot / Total flying hours:

4135

Copilot / Total hours on type:

733

Aircraft flight hours:

2363

Circumstances:

Malev Airlines Flight 355 was a scheduled international transportation service from Budapest to Frankfurt and Parts. The flight departed Budapest for Frankfurt at 0744 hours GMT. The crew reported to the Frankfurt meteorological office for briefing at 0950 hours when the pilot's attention was drawn to the frequent occurrences of log and stratus cloud, and the possibility of light icing in stratus cloud The crew remained in the meteorological office for two hours checking successive weather reports from Orly and Le Bourget Airports. There were 13 passengers and a crew aboard when the flight departed Frankfurt for Le Bourget with the pilot-in-command occupying the left-hand seat. The first radio contact with North Area Control Centre was made at 1332 hours when the flight reported it had passed over Luxembourg at 1331 hours at flight level 180 and estimated the next reporting point MY at 1335 hours. It was then Instructed to report over MY, CH and BE. From 1344:20 hours to 1355:20 hours the flight received progressive descent clearances down to 1800 feet. At 1348:50 when the aircraft reported over CH, it was instructed to proceed to BN. However, at 1354:40 when reporting approaching BN the controller stated that it was cleared to BE and not to BN. This was acknowledged by the aircraft without repeating the message. At 1356:10 hours the flight was cleared by Le Bourget Approach for final approach. At 1356:10 the controller asked the aircraft whether it was heading BE or UN. Ten seconds later the aircraft confirmed that it was heading for BN and was then requested again to proceed to BE. The aircraft was instructed to call when over BE and was advised that it was number 2 to land. Confirmation of the QNH (altimeter setting) was given to the aircraft, and it was cleared for final approach at 1359 hours. At 1401:40 Le Bourget Approach called the aircraft, and the aircraft reported on final and stated it would call "over BE". The controller gave the aircraft its position as 2 miles east of BE and asked the pilot if he was making an ILS approach. This was confirmed. At 1405:10 hours the aircraft contacted the tower and advised it would reach BE at 1800 feet and was making an ILS approach on runway 25. At 1405:30 hours the aircraft reported over BE. It should then have been in level flight with 15deg of flap, at about 500 m (1500 ft) and at a speed of 310-320 km/h. There was no further radio contact between the aircraft and the tower although the aircraft should have reported over the outer marker at approximately 300 m (900 ft). At 1421 hours the airport authorities were informed by the police that the aircraft had crashed about 8OO m beyond the outer marker and about 135 m to the right of the ILS centreline.

Probable cause:

The accident was the result of a stall during approach in the configuration landing gear extended, flaps 30°. At the time of impact the four engines were nearly at full power. The Board has not been able to establish the cause of this stall whose pattern, according to the data supplied by the Soviet experts, can only be compatible with a G-load manoeuvre. The Board has not been able to discover what caused the manoeuvre.

Final Report:

Crash of a Lockheed L-1049H-82 Super Constellation into the Atlantic Ocean: 28 killed

Date & Time: Sep 23, 1962 at 2200 LT

Type of aircraft:

Operator:

Registration:

N6923C

Flight Phase: