Crash of a Douglas DC-3G2-227 in Mt Găină: 11 killed
Date & Time:
Aug 23, 1940 at 0930 LT
Operator:
Registration:
YR-PIF
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Bucharest – Arad – Budapest – Vienna
MSN:
1986
YOM:
1937
Crew on board:
3
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
17
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
11
Circumstances:
En route from Bucharest-Băneasa to Arad, the crew encountered poor weather conditions with thunderstorm activity, hail and turbulences. The airplane deviated from the prescribed route by 100 km when, in low visibility, it collided with trees and crashed in a wooded area located on the slope of Mt Găină located in the Apuseni Mountain range, Carpathians. The wreckage was found some 70 km southwest of Cluj-Napoca. Eight passengers and three crew members were killed while nine other people were injured.
Those killed were:
Crew:
Gheorghe Dodani, pilot,
George Irimescu, mechanic,
Dumitru Ianculescu, radio operator.
Passengers:
Heinrich Göring,
Virgil Cherciu,
Peter F. Feld,
Dumitru Zaharescu,
Paul Emil Lindau,
Fabritius Helnicit,
Ottmar Weise-Ulog,
Valter Gugenbergen.
Those killed were:
Crew:
Gheorghe Dodani, pilot,
George Irimescu, mechanic,
Dumitru Ianculescu, radio operator.
Passengers:
Heinrich Göring,
Virgil Cherciu,
Peter F. Feld,
Dumitru Zaharescu,
Paul Emil Lindau,
Fabritius Helnicit,
Ottmar Weise-Ulog,
Valter Gugenbergen.
Probable cause:
According to officials, the accident was caused by a navigational error on the part of the crew, widely favored by poor weather conditions and the lack of sufficient visibility.
