Crash of a Beechcraft UC-45H Expeditor in Berlin-Tegel: 7 killed

Date & Time: Feb 17, 1953 at 2100 LT
Type of aircraft:
Registration:
F-RAEG
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Berlin – Frankfurt – Paris
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
7
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
7
Circumstances:
Two takeoff attempts were aborted for unknown reason. After the third takeoff roll, while in initial climb, the pilot informed ground about an engine failure and elected to return for an emergency landing. While completing a last turn to the right to reach the approach path, the aircraft banked right, stalled and crashed in flames in a wooded area located two km short of runway threshold. The aircraft was destroyed upon impact and all seven occupants were killed.
Probable cause:
The VHF radio analysis failed to determine the cause of the steep turn to the right during the initial climb, steep turn that was confirmed by eye witnesses and by the exam of the debris at the point of impact. It is believed that the aircraft banked right down to an angle of 90° before impacting terrain, most probably following an engine failure.

Crash of a Douglas DC-6 in Frankfurt: 45 killed

Date & Time: Mar 22, 1952 at 1050 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
PH-TPJ
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Johannesburg – Cairo – Rome – Frankfurt – Amsterdam
MSN:
43114
YOM:
1948
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
10
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
37
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
45
Circumstances:
The descent to Frankfurt was started in poor weather conditions with light rain, overcast at 1,500 feet and few clouds at 300 feet. The crew informed ATC about his position vertical of Staden beacon at 4,000 feet and few minutes later over Offenbach at an altitude of 2,500 feet. For unknown reason, the four engine aircraft christened 'Koningin Juliana' was too low, hit tree tops and crashed in flames in a dense wooded area located about 7 km northeast of the airport. A passenger and a crew member were seriously injured while 45 other occupants were killed.
Probable cause:
The exact cause of the accident could not be determined with certainty. However, it is possible that the crew continued the approach below the minimum descent altitude to maintain a visual contact with the ground.

Crash of a Fairchild C-82A Packet in Raunheim: 3 killed

Date & Time: Jan 28, 1952
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
45-57791
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
MSN:
10161
YOM:
1945
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
5
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
3
Circumstances:
On final approach to Frankfurt-Main Airport, the aircraft went out of control and crashed in few houses located in Raunheim, about 6 km west of the airport. While all five crew members were injured, three people on the ground were killed.

Crash of a Fairchild C-82A-FA Packet near Le Mont-Dore: 36 killed

Date & Time: Nov 13, 1951 at 1300 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
45-57801
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Site:
Schedule:
Frankfurt – Bordeaux
MSN:
10171
YOM:
1945
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
4
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
32
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
36
Circumstances:
After departure from Frankfurt-Main Airport, the crew was informed about strong winds blowing from the northwest up to 30 knots, on the route between Dijon and Bordeaux. The pilot-in-command continued his route in IFR Mode at the altitude of 6,000 feet. While cruising in marginal weather conditions, the aircraft hit the slope of a mountain located near Le Mont-Dore, about 32 km southwest of Clermont-Ferrand. The airplane was destroyed upon impact and all 36 occupants were killed. It was reported that the visibility was estimated over 40 km below the cloud layer that was 6/8 at 1,000 meters. Nevertheless, the aircraft was off course to the south by 100 km at the time of the accident, probably due to strong winds. Also, the crew continued the flight at an altitude of 6,000 feet instead of the initial intended 8,000 feet.

Crash of a Fairchild C-82A Packet in Frankfurt

Date & Time: Aug 16, 1951
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
45-57796
Flight Type:
MSN:
10166
YOM:
1945
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
0
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
Crashed in unknown circumstances at Frankfurt-Main Airbase. Occupant fate remains unknown.

Crash of a Douglas C-47A-5-DK in Munich

Date & Time: Jun 8, 1951
Operator:
Registration:
YU-ABE
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Frankfurt – Munich – Belgrade
MSN:
12381
YOM:
1944
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
3
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
8
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
On approach to Munich-Riem Airport, while flying at an altitude of 1,500 meters, the crew contacted ATC and reported an in-flight fire. As he realized he would not reach the airfield, the pilot-in-command reduced his altitude and attempted an emergency landing in a field located few km from the airport. The aircraft belly landed in a field and came to rest in flames. While all 11 occupants were evacuated safely, the aircraft was destroyed by fire.
Probable cause:
It was determined that fire ignited in the bagage compartment, probably in a box. The nature of the fire was not conclusively determined.

Crash of a Handley Page H.P.67 Hastings in Berlin: 5 killed

Date & Time: Jul 16, 1949
Operator:
Registration:
TG611
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Berlin – Frankfurt
MSN:
89
YOM:
1949
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
5
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
5
Circumstances:
Shortly after takeoff, while climbing steeply to a height of some 150 feet, the aircraft stalled from the tail and went to a near vertical attitude. The left wing then dropped and the aircraft crashed into the ground and was destroyed. All five crew members were killed.
Crew (47th Squadron based in RAF Dishforth):
F/O Ian R. Donaldson,
Sgt Joseph Toal,
Nav William G. Page,
Sig Alexander Dunsire,
Eng Roy R. Gibbs.
Probable cause:
The cause was found to be the elevator trim tab which had been turned to the fully back position.

Crash of a Douglas C-54E-1-DO Skymaster in Berlin

Date & Time: Jun 25, 1949
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
44-9050
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Frankfurt – Berlin
MSN:
27276
YOM:
1944
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
3
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
Upon landing, the four engine aircraft went out of control and came to rest upside down. All three crew members were injured and the aircraft was damaged beyond repair.

Crash of a Douglas C-54D-5-DC Skymaster in Frankfurt: 3 killed

Date & Time: Jan 12, 1949 at 0005 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
42-72629
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Berlin – Frankfurt
MSN:
10734
YOM:
1945
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
3
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
3
Circumstances:
During the final approach completed by night, the four engine aircraft crashed 4 km short of the runway threshold. All three crew members were killed. They were performing a cargo flight from Berlin, taking part to the Berlin Airlift.

Crash of a Douglas C-54G-5-DO Skymaster in Garstang: 6 killed

Date & Time: Jan 7, 1949 at 1645 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
45-0543
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Frankfurt – Burtonwood
MSN:
35996
YOM:
1945
Region:
Crew on board:
4
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
2
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
6
Circumstances:
The four engine aircraft left Frankfurt-Main Airport at 1312LT Bound for RAF Burtonwood. Following an uneventful flight, the crew started the descent from the north and went through thick clouds when the airplane hit the slope of the Stake House Fell Hill located near Garstang, about 55 km north of RAF Burtonwood. The aircraft was destroyed and all six occupants were killed.
Probable cause:
Investigation revealed that a strong signal from commercial radio station North of the Burtonwood base was interfering with the Burtonwood Range signal, causing the radio compass on board aircraft to continue to indicate that the base was to their North even after they had passed to the North of the Range Station.