Zone
Hesse

Crash of a Vickers 736 Viscount in Frankfurt

Date & Time: Oct 30, 1961 at 1848 LT
Type of aircraft:
Vickers Viscount
Operator:
Registration:
G-AODH
Flight Phase:
Landing (descent or approach)
Flight Type:
Scheduled Revenue Flight
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Airport (less than 10 km from airport)
Schedule:
Berlin – Frankfurt
MSN:
78
YOM:
1955
Location:
Frankfurt-Main
Hesse
Country:
Germany
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
4
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
12
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Captain / Total flying hours:
12303
Captain / Total hours on type:
2378.00
Circumstances:
The aircraft was on a scheduled service (charter flight) from Berlin to Frankfurt-Main. Aboard were a pilot-in-command, a copilot, 2 stewardesses, 11 passengers and one child. The flight proceeded normally until the final approach at its destination. During a missed ILS approach in poor visibility the aircraft struck the ground alongside runway 25 and was badly damaged while rolling to a stop. Two of the sixteen occupants were injured. The accident occurred at 1848LT.
Probable cause:
The pilot-in-command, during the ILS approach, flew below the critical height and, in a surface visibility which was inadequate, struck the ground alongside the runway. It is probable that a contributing factor was that at the critical moment the assistance given by the copilot to the pilot-in-command was erroneous and misleading.
Final Report:

Crash of a Douglas DC-7 in Nuremberg

Date & Time: Feb 18, 1961 at 1200 LT
Type of aircraft:
Douglas DC-7
Operator:
Registration:
N745PA
Flight Phase:
Landing (descent or approach)
Flight Type:
Cargo
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Airport (less than 10 km from airport)
Schedule:
Frankfurt – Stuttgart
MSN:
44887
YOM:
1956
Location:
Nuremberg
Bavaria
Country:
Germany
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
3
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
The crew was completing a cargo flight from Frankfurt to Stuttgart-Echterdingen Airport. On final, weather conditions were marginal with low clouds down to 200 meters and a visibility limited to a half mile. As the copilot was unable to locate the runway, he decided to make a go around when the right main gear and the engine number three struck an earth mound located 20 meters short of runway threshold. Upon impact, the engine number three and the right main gear were sheared off. The captain regained control, continued the climb and informed ground he was diverting to Nuremberg Airport for a safe landing. Authorities were informed of the situation and the runway was recovered with foam. After a belly landing, the airplane slid for several yards and came to rest. All three crew members were uninjured while the aircraft was damaged beyond repair.
Probable cause:
It was determined that the copilot-in-command continued the approach below the glide and executed an improper approach according to procedures, causing the aircraft to be too low on final. A lack of supervision on part of the captain was considered as a contributing factor.

Crash of a Convair CV-240-4 in Rimini: 1 killed

Date & Time: Jul 31, 1960 at 1156 LT
Type of aircraft:
Convair CV-240
Operator:
Deutsche Flugdienst
Registration:
D-BELU
Flight Phase:
Landing (descent or approach)
Flight Type:
Charter/Taxi (Non Scheduled Revenue Flight)
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Airport (less than 10 km from airport)
Schedule:
Frankfurt – Rimini
MSN:
78
YOM:
1948
Location:
Rimini
Emilia-Romagna
Country:
Italy
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
4
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
30
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
1
Circumstances:
Following an uneventful flight from Frankfurt, the crew started the descent to Rimini Airport when, at an altitude of 5,000 feet, the left engine lost power. The crew shut down the engine, feathered the propeller and continued the approach. At an altitude of 1,500 feet, the right engine lost power as well. The captain decided to attempt an emergency landing in a field located one km short of runway 13. On touchdown, the airplane lost its undercarriage and right wing before coming to rest. Eight passengers were uninjured while 25 other occupants were injured. A female passenger was killed.

Crash of a Vickers 610 Viking 1B in Palma de Majorca

Date & Time: Sep 26, 1957
Type of aircraft:
Vickers Viking
Operator:
Registration:
D-ADEL
Flight Phase:
Landing (descent or approach)
Flight Type:
Charter/Taxi (Non Scheduled Revenue Flight)
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Airport (less than 10 km from airport)
Schedule:
Frankfurt – Palma de Majorca
MSN:
226
YOM:
1947
Location:
Palma de Mallorca
Balearic Islands
Country:
Spain
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
4
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
33
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
After touchdown at Palma Airport, the twin engine aircraft encountered difficulties to stop. It overran and struck a perimeter wall before coming to rest in an olive plantation. While all 37 occupants were evacuated safely, the aircraft was damaged beyond repair.

Crash of an Avro 652A Anson V on Mt Le Grammont: 2 killed

Date & Time: Oct 5, 1956 at 1855 LT
Type of aircraft:
Avro 652 Anson
Operator:
Registration:
OY-DZI
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Ambulance
Survivors:
No
Site:
Mountains
Schedule:
Frankfurt – Genoa
MSN:
3732
YOM:
1947
Location:
Mt Le Grammont
Valais
Country:
Switzerland
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
2
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
2
Circumstances:
The crew was performing an ambulance flight from Frankfurt to Genoa to pick up a patient. After passing over Bern, the crew was authorized to descend to 6,000 feet and passing over the Lake of Geneva, weather conditions worsened. At an altitude of about 5,600 feet, the airplane went through clouds and the pilot made a turn to the left of 20° for unknown reasons when the airplane struck the northeast face of Mt Le Grammont (2,172 meters) located six km northwest of Vouvry. The wreckage was found less than ten meters below the summit and both crew members were killed.
Crew:
Cpt Johann-Christian Jessen, pilot,
Niels-Michael Seierde, radio operator.
Probable cause:
The exact cause of the accident could not be determined with certainty. However, weather conditions were considered as poor with icing conditions and the assumption that the accident was the result of a navigation error on part of the crew was not ruled out.

Crash of a De Havilland L-20A Beaver in Lohr am Main: 1 killed

Date & Time: Aug 21, 1955
Type of aircraft:
De Havilland DHC-2 Beaver
Operator:
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Military
Site:
Plain, Valley
Schedule:
Vilseck – Frankfurt
Location:
Lohr am Main
Bavaria
Country:
Germany
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
1
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
1
Circumstances:
Crashed in flames in a wooded area located 4 km north of Lohr am Main while completing a flight from Vilseck to Main Airbase in Frankfurt. The wreckage was found two days later and the pilot, sole on board, was killed.

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

Date & Time: Aug 2, 1954
Type of aircraft:
De Havilland DH.89 Dragon Rapide
Operator:
Autair Ltd
Registration:
G-AGUR
Flight Phase:
Landing (descent or approach)
Flight Type:
Charter/Taxi (Non Scheduled Revenue Flight)
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Airport (less than 10 km from airport)
Schedule:
Luton – Frankfurt
MSN:
6910
YOM:
1945
Location:
Frankfurt-Main
Hesse
Country:
Germany
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
2
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
5
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
A tire burst on landing. For unknown reason, the captain decided to go around when the twin engine aircraft went out of control and crashed near the runway end. The airplane was destroyed and all seven occupants were injured.

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 a Fairchild C-119C Flying Boxcar in Weinheim: 2 killed

Date & Time: May 15, 1953 at 1655 LT
Type of aircraft:
Fairchild C-119 Flying Boxcar
Operator:
Registration:
51-8241
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Training
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Plain, Valley
Schedule:
Frankfurt - Frankfurt
MSN:
10789
YOM:
1951
Location:
Weinheim
Baden-Württemberg
Country:
Germany
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
6
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
2
Circumstances:
The C-119 was part of a combined exercise with 17 other similar machines that left Frankfurt-Main Airbase in the afternoon. While cruising at an altitude of 5,000 feet, another C-119 registered 51-8235 was hit by a Republic F-84 Thunderjet registered 51-628. His pilot was also taking part to a combined exercise with 11 other Thunderjet. Following the impact, these two aircraft went into a dive and hit the C-119 registered 51-8241. All three aircraft crashed in a field located in Weinheim. All six crew members on board the C-119 registered 51-8235 were killed while on board the 51-8241, two crew members were killed and four others were rescued. The pilot of the fighter was able to bail out and landed safely.

Crash of a Fairchild C-119C Flying Boxcar in Weinheim: 6 killed

Date & Time: May 15, 1953 at 1655 LT
Type of aircraft:
Fairchild C-119 Flying Boxcar
Operator:
Registration:
51-8235
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Training
Survivors:
No
Site:
Plain, Valley
Schedule:
Frankfurt - Frankfurt
MSN:
10783
YOM:
1951
Location:
Weinheim
Baden-Württemberg
Country:
Germany
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
6
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
6
Circumstances:
The C-119 was part of a combined exercise with 17 other similar machines that left Frankfurt-Main Airbase in the afternoon. While cruising at an altitude of 5,000 feet, the aircraft was hit by a Republic F-84 Thunderjet registered 51-628. His pilot was also taking part to a combined exercise with 11 other Thunderjet. Following the impact, both aircraft went into a dive and hit a second C-119 (registered 51-8241) flying in the same formation and also carrying a crew of six. All three aircraft crashed in a field located in Weinheim. All six crew members on board the C-119 registered 51-8235 were killed while on the second one, two were killed and four were rescued. The pilot of the fighter was able to bail out and landed safely.
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