Zone
Hesse

Crash of a Junkers JU.52/3m in Frankfurt: 1 killed

Date & Time: Sep 29, 1938
Type of aircraft:
Junkers JU.52
Operator:
Registration:
D-AMOK
Flight Phase:
Landing (descent or approach)
Flight Type:
Training
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Airport (less than 10 km from airport)
Schedule:
Frankfurt - Frankfurt
Location:
Frankfurt-Main
Hesse
Country:
Germany
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
4
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
1
Circumstances:
On final approach to Frankfurt-Main Airport, the pilot-in-command failed to realize his altitude was too low when the airplane impacted the ground and crashed short of runway. A crew member was killed and three others were injured.
Crew:
Maj Willy Kanstein,
Uffz Offermann, †
Uffz Ahlburg,
Fw Schlereth.
Probable cause:
Pilot error.

Crash of a Junkers JU.52/3mte in Frankfurt: 6 killed

Date & Time: Jan 4, 1938 at 1315 LT
Type of aircraft:
Junkers JU.52
Operator:
Registration:
D-ABUR
Flight Phase:
Landing (descent or approach)
Flight Type:
Scheduled Revenue Flight
Survivors:
No
Site:
Airport (less than 10 km from airport)
Schedule:
Milan – Frankfurt
MSN:
5777
YOM:
1937
Location:
Frankfurt-Main
Hesse
Country:
Germany
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
3
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
3
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
6
Circumstances:
On approach in snow falls and icing conditions, the three engine aircraft named 'Charles Haar' went out of control and crashed. All six occupants were killed.
Probable cause:
Icing.

Crash of a Junkers JU.52/3mge in Ostend: 11 killed

Date & Time: Nov 16, 1937 at 1530 LT
Type of aircraft:
Junkers JU.52
Operator:
Registration:
OO-AUB
Flight Phase:
Landing (descent or approach)
Flight Type:
Scheduled Revenue Flight
Survivors:
No
Site:
Airport (less than 10 km from airport)
Schedule:
Munich – Frankfurt – Brussels – London
MSN:
5827
YOM:
1937
Location:
Ostend
West Flanders
Country:
Belgium
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
3
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
8
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
11
Circumstances:
While descending to Brussels, the crew encountered foggy conditions and decided to divert to Ostend where two other passengers were supposed to embark. Upon arrival, the crew completed two circuits over the airport of Ostend before initiating the final approach. Weather conditions were poor with limited visibility due to fog. On final, at a height of some 20 metres, the aircraft hit with its right wing the chimney of the 'Briqueterie Nationale' located in Stene. The aircraft stalled and crashed upside down, bursting into flames. All 11 occupants were killed, among them Grand Ducal and Duchess of Hesse and two of their children.
Crew:
Antoine Lambotte, pilot,
Maurice Courtois, radio navigator,
Ivan Lansmans, engineer.
Passengers:
Georges-Donatus von Hesse-Darmstadt, Grand-Ducal of Hesse,
Cécile de Grèce, Grand Duchess of Hesse,
Éléonore von Solms-Hohensolms-Lich,
Louis von Hesse-Darmstadt,
Alexander von Hesse-Darmstadt,
Joachim Riedesel zu Eisenbach,
Arthur Martens,
Lina Hahn.
Probable cause:
An airport employee was blamed for not adequately assisting the pilot down in the conditions of poor visibility, even though rockets had been fired from the ground in an attempt to do so.

Crash of a Junkers JU.52/3mge in Tabarz: 11 killed

Date & Time: Nov 1, 1936 at 1500 LT
Type of aircraft:
Junkers JU.52
Operator:
Registration:
D-APOO
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Scheduled Revenue Flight
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Mountains
Schedule:
Frankfurt – Erfurt
MSN:
5506
YOM:
1936
Location:
Tabarz
Thuringia
Country:
Germany
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
3
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
12
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
11
Circumstances:
While approaching Erfurt from the west, the pilot encountered poor weather conditions and low visibility due to fog. The three engine aircraft was flying too low when its impacted trees and crashed in a wooded area located near Tabarz, bursting into flames. The wreckage was found about 38 km southwest of Erfurt. Four passengers were injured and 11 other occupants were killed. The aircraft named 'Heinrich Kroll' was destroyed by impact forces and a post crash fire.
Probable cause:
It is believed that the pilot lost his bearings while flying in heavy fog, resulting in either a controlled flight into terrain or an uncontrolled descent into the ground.

Crash of a Junkers JU.52/3mce in Frankfurt

Date & Time: Sep 19, 1936
Type of aircraft:
Junkers JU.52
Operator:
Registration:
D-AJUX
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Scheduled Revenue Flight
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Airport (less than 10 km from airport)
MSN:
4028
YOM:
1933
Location:
Frankfurt-Main
Hesse
Country:
Germany
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
0
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
The airplane named 'Hermann Göring' crashed in unknown circumstances near Frankfurt Airport. There were no casualties.

Crash of a General Aviation Clark GA-43A on Mt Rigi: 2 killed

Date & Time: Apr 30, 1936
Type of aircraft:
General Aviation Clark GA-43
Operator:
Registration:
HB-ITU
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Cargo
Survivors:
No
Site:
Mountains
Schedule:
Frankfurt - Basel
MSN:
2204
YOM:
1935
Location:
Mt Rigi
Schwyz
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 a cargo flight from Frankfurt to Basel. At night and in unfavorable weather conditions, the crew overflew Basel without locating the airport and continued to the southeast, in direction to the center of Switzerland. Dozen minutes later, the single engine aircraft impacted the west slope of the Mt Rigi (1,798 metres high) located 4,5 km southeast of Küssnacht. The wreckage was found in a snow covered forest located some 92 km southeast of Basel-Sternenfeld Airport. Both crew members were killed.
Crew:
Ernst Gerber, pilot,
Arthur Müller, radio navigator.
Probable cause:
Controlled flight into terrain after the crew missed the airport of Basel and apparently got lost overt Switzerland while flying at night and marginal weather conditions.

Crash of a Douglas DC-2-115E near Pian San Giacomo: 13 killed

Date & Time: Jul 20, 1935 at 1225 LT
Type of aircraft:
Douglas DC-2
Operator:
Registration:
PH-AKG
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Scheduled Revenue Flight
Survivors:
No
Site:
Mountains
Schedule:
Milan – Frankfurt – Amsterdam
MSN:
1335
YOM:
1935
Location:
Pian San Giacomo
Graubünden
Country:
Switzerland
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
4
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
9
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
13
Captain / Total flying hours:
3200
Circumstances:
The aircraft named 'Gaai' departed Milan Airport at 1156LT bound for Frankfurt. While overflying Ticino at the altitude of 5,000 metres, the crew encountered poor weather with severe icing conditions. The aircraft lost height and while descending through the last cloud layer, the captain decided to attempt an emergency landing when the aircraft impacted trees and crashed near Pian San Giacomo, Graubünden. The stewardess was found seriously injured while 12 other occupants were killed. She died from her injuries few hours later.
Probable cause:
Lost of control following an excessive accumulation of ice on both wings and fuselage, increasing aircraft's weight and decreasing performances. Poor weather conditions, icing, low visibility and the absence of a suitable terrain for an emergency landing were considered as contributing factors.

Crash of a Junkers JU.52/3mho in Hallgarten: 3 killed

Date & Time: Apr 25, 1935
Type of aircraft:
Junkers JU.52
Operator:
Registration:
D-AJYR
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Cargo
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Mountains
Schedule:
Berlin – Cologne – Frankfurt
MSN:
4045
YOM:
1934
Location:
Hallgarten
Rhineland-Palatinate
Country:
Germany
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
3
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
3
Circumstances:
The three engine airplane named 'Emil Schäfer' departed Berlin on a mail/cargo flight to Frankfurt via Cologne, carrying three crew members. En route, weather conditions worsened with low ceiling and rain falls. While cruising in poor visibility, the airplane impacted trees and crashed in a wooded area located on the north slope of a hill. The captain was killed while two other occupants were seriously injured. They died from their injuries few days later.
Crew:
Franz Kneer, pilot,
Franz Pfeil, flight engineer,
Kurt Heinecke, radio operator.
Probable cause:
Controlled flight into terrain.

Crash of a Dornier Do B Merkur II in Chausseehaus: 1 killed

Date & Time: Jun 22, 1934 at 0900 LT
Type of aircraft:
Dornier Do B Merkur
Operator:
Registration:
D-1445
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Scheduled Revenue Flight
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Plain, Valley
Schedule:
Cologne – Frankfurt
MSN:
176
YOM:
1928
Location:
Chausseehaus
Hesse
Country:
Germany
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
2
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
4
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
1
Circumstances:
While descending to Frankfurt on a flight from Cologne, the crew encountered poor weather conditions when the airplane crashed in Chausseehaus, north of Wiesbaden. A passenger was killed and five other occupants were injured. The aircraft named 'Nerz' was destroyed.

Crash of a Junkers F.13 in Echterspfahl: 5 killed

Date & Time: Nov 2, 1932 at 1329 LT
Type of aircraft:
Junkers F.13
Operator:
Registration:
D-724
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Scheduled Revenue Flight
Survivors:
No
Site:
Mountains
Schedule:
Nuremberg – Frankfurt
MSN:
696
YOM:
1923
Location:
Echterspfahl
Bavaria
Country:
Germany
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
2
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
3
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
5
Circumstances:
The single engine airplane departed Nuremberg Airport at 1155LT on a flight to Frankfurt, carrying three passengers and two crew members. While approaching Frankfurt, the aircraft was flying low in clouds when it impacted trees and crashed in a dense wooded area located in Echterspfahl, some 56 km southeast of Frankfurt Airport. All five occupants were killed.
Crew:
Mr. Schulz,
Mr. Frank.
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